EIGHTY years after the last fire engine left the Old Fire Station in Alresford, the building will once again house a fire appliance.

One of the old Merryweather steamer pump appliances, built in the 1890s and similar to the ones operating in Alresford in the early part of the 20th Century, will be moving into the Old Fire Station on tomorrow (Saturday).

The fire engine will not have travelled far over the last 100 years as it was originally used on the Tichborne Park Estate and for many years it has been housed at the fire station on Pound Hill.

It will be transferred to the newly-refurbished Broad Street fire station which was built in 1881 and housed the town’s fire brigade and their equipment up until 1938 when the new fire station was completed.

The Old Fire Station is owned by the New Alresford Town Trust which has refurbished the original part of the building, that formed the fire station, to house the new Alresford museum.

Roy Gentry, chairman of the Alresford and District Museum Trust, which took over the original museum charity when it ceased to operate in 2010, said: “The original idea was to create exhibition and display space for local historical artefacts in the Old Fire Station, but when the possibility of actually housing a local, vintage fire engine became a reality our plans changed.

“Our focus now will be on preparing suitable displays to complement the fire engine and open the museum to the public. We are grateful to the Hampshire Fire Service, Alan House and the Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust for their help in making this project a reality.”

The fire engine originally came into the possession of the Hankin family in the 1960s and was housed in the fire station on Pound Hill when Alex Hankin was Alresford’s chief fire officer. The Hankin family spent many thousands of pounds having the appliance restored in the early 1990s and John Hankin is said to be “delighted” that it will be staying in Alresford, housed in the Old Fire Station.

Mr Gentry said: “There will be a handover of the fire engine at the Pound Hill Fire Station at 2.30pm on Saturday and all past and present firefighters and residents are welcome to attend and escort it to its new home.”

* In order to successfully display the fire engine and associated artefacts, the Alresford and District Museum Trust needs more volunteers to assist with this project. Help is needed to prepare displays, undertake historical research and produce display material as well stewards to man the museum when it is open to the public. Anybody who can help can call Roy Gentry on 01962 773185 or e-mail [email protected].