Establishment 1893

Establishment 1968

Establishment 1990
 

In the report of the Glasgow Fire Brigade 1890 there is no mention of a station at Maryhill, in 1891 there is a temporary station staffed by Auxiliaries with a Manual Fire Engine as is the case in 1892. In 1893 there is a station manned by a Station Foreman and five men with a Steam Fire Engine and a Hose and Ladder Carriage (horse), the 1893 Report also states that a new station has opened in Maryhill at Gairbraid Avenue since the last report.

The North West Fire Station was Officially Opened by the King and Queen in June 1942.

The station was used by Glasgow AFS personnel during the last six months of it's construction and fully manned on the formation of the NFS.

CLOSING OF MARYHILL FIRE STATION
27^th MAY, 1955

I has been decided to dispose of Maryhill Fire Station due to the fact that it has during the interval outlived its usefulness from a Fire Service point of view and the territory previously covered by this station is now shared by the North West Fire Station and Partick Fire Station respectively pending the erection of the new Fire Station at Knightswood which Fire Station, it is anticipated, will be commenced very shortly. New Fire Station sites have also been earmarked at Easterhouse and Castlemilk. In a great industrial City such as Glasgow with its ever increasing fire risk it is necessary to ensure that modern Fire Stations are sited with a view to ensuring that fire units are in position to reach, with the minimum of delay, any outbreak irrespective of what part of the City in which it may occur.
(Report of the Firemaster, City of Glasgow. 1955. Page 71.)

Since 1949 Maryhill had been listed as a Glasgow Fire Service Station with status of "At present closed".

In 1975 the North West was station C1 in the Glasgow Fire Service.

In 1995 the station name was changed from North West to Maryhill to better reflect the area the station covered. Maryhill was changed from T02 to B09.

The Official Opening of Maryhill Fire Station

Councillor James Jennings, JP

Chair ,Police and Fire Committee

Strathclyde Regional Council

24th November 1995

Foreword

Firemaster John Jameson QFSM, AIFireE, CIMgt

Strathclyde Fire Brigade

Welcome to the official opening of Maryhill Fire Station.
It is more than half a century since the previous Maryhill Station was replaced by the North West and now events have come full circle. The North West was the last of the pre-war wholetime fire stations in Strathclyde and the new Maryhill will be the last built prior to the forthcoming local government reform.
Since the last local government re-organisation in 1975, Strathclyde Regional Council has built 25 new premises for the Brigade, replacing some that dated back to the previous century. The Brigade and, indeed, the people of Strathclyde owe a debt of gratitude to Strathclyde Regional Council for its commitment to the programme of replacement of obsolete fire stations.
Next year will see the formation of the new unitary authorities. Strathclyde Fire Brigade looks forward to working even more closely with the communities it serves and to enjoying as positive a relationship with the new Fire Board.

Order of proceedings

1100        Platform party and pre-ceremony guests assemble in hospitality room

1130        Guests assemble

1140        Non-platform party guests escorted to appliance room by Assistant Divisional Officer J. Hoey

1145        Platform party guests escorted to appliance room by Assistant Firemaster Stewart

Welcome and introduction of platform party - Councillor W. Timoney

Opening ceremony and unveiling of plaque - Councillor J. Jennings

Dedication by Reverend P. Houston, Brigade Chaplain

Convener’s remarks - Councillor W. Perry

Councillor Jennings presents visitors’ book to Firemaster

Firemaster’s closing remarks and presentation to Councillor Jennings

Councillor Timoney’s closing remarks

Buffet lunch and tour of building

Open day

Platform party:

Cllr W. Perry, JP, Convener, Strathclyde Regional Council; Cllr J. Jennings, JP, Chair, Police and Fire Committee, Strathclyde Regional Council; Cllr W. Timoney, Vice Chair, Police and Fire Committee; Firemaster J. Jameson, QFSM, AIFireE, CIMgt; Deputy Firemaster J. Coyle; Assistant Firemaster J. Stewart, Commander, Central Command; Reverend P. Houston, Brigade Chaplain.

North West fire station

The station was constructed during the period 1939-1940 and replaced the former Maryhill Fire Station situated at Gairbraid Avenue, Glasgow.
The station was used by Glasgow Auxiliary Fire Service personnel during the last months of its construction during 1940 and was fully manned on the formation of the National Fire Service in 1941. It was at the time of its construction, claimed to be one of the most modern fire stations in the United Kingdom with a full range of workshops, drive through 5-bay appliance room, spacious court yard with testing well, assembly and recreational facilities plus accommodation for thirty families of Firefighters. All this had been provided at a cost of £86,000.
In 1942 the station was honoured to receive King George and Queen Elizabeth for a visit during which personnel performed a number of exercises involving the appliances which were based there.
During 1947, the control of Fire Brigades was returned to local authorities and the North West station became a part of the Glasgow Fire Service. This continued until 1975 when the station, along with others, formed ‘A’ Division of Strathclyde Fire Brigade upon Regionalisation. 

<PHOTO> The frontage of the North West fire station on its 50th anniversary. (GXA797, G531PGE, KHS590)

During 1994, the station attended over 5,000 calls. This number of calls made the North West the second busiest station in the Strathclyde Region - quite a legacy for the New Maryhill Fire Station to inherit.

Maryhill fire station

Maryhill Fire Station is a result of Strathclyde Fire Brigade’s continuing policy of providing the highest level of service to the community it serves. The station is located in Maryhill Road, Glasgow, allowing easy access to the main traffic routes throughout its area. Also within a short distance are motorway access roads allowing the appliances direct routes to most parts of the city. The station is part of Central Command which covers the city of Glasgow and surrounding areas.
It has an establishment of eighty personnel and houses two Water Tender Ladders and a Hydraulic Platform. The personnel are split into four watches - red, blue, green and white, in order that all appliances are available for emergency calls twenty-four hours a day - seven days a week.
Based at this location, there are also a number of Community Firefighters. As the name suggests, these Firefighters speak to community organisations ranging from Rotary Groups to schools in a determined effort to get across the Fire Safety message.
The station is built on two levels and contains an appliance room, offices, breathing apparatus maintenance area, fitness room, lecture room and recreational facility.
The courtyard to the rear includes a training building which has a number of features which will allow our Firefighters to train in realistic situations This advance in practical training facilities combined with a programme of technical subjects will ensure that our Officers and Firefighters maintain the high standards or operational abilities the public rightly expects. In order to continue the Brigade’s energy saving programme, the station is also fitted with computerised control facilities to control heating and hot water supplies. The lighting system incorporates photo electric sensors which switch off lights if no movement is detected in the area.
As a result of the facilities mentioned above Maryhill Fire Station is, without doubt, a worthy successor to the North West and will continue to ensure that the people of Strathclyde, Maryhill and surrounding area continue to receive an efficient service from the personnel of Strathclyde Fire Brigade.

<PHOTO> Scania Water Tender Ladder          (M904DDS)
<PHOTO> 30m Arial Ladder Platform               (K377MYS)

Main Contractor      GA Construction
Project Architect     Mr. Graham Campbell, Architectural and Related Services, Strathclyde Regional Council

(None of the three photos mentioned above are on this site.)

If you know of any mistakes in this or have any additional information please let me know.