ST3276 is an Ex-Inverness machine which may have arrived in 1931.

This was Stn 13 in 1958.
This was Stn 17 in 1977.

Proud Moment for Oldmeldrum Firemen

The first appliance based at Oldmeldrum can be dated back to the 20’s when a pump was berthed at (some would say conveniently) the Glengarioch Distillery. The appliance was a horse-drawn pump of the manual type; more often than not the carriage being pulled along by the poor, unsuspecting fire crew.
With the arrival of the 30’s, the local town council agreed upon a decision to purchase a more modern fire tender — most of the finance for this acquisition coming from contributions made by the local farmers. They eventually settled on a second hand Dennis Tender which was duly supplied from the Inverness area. Perhaps it was just as well the crew came from farming stock as they had to brave the elements, sitting on the open carriage dressed in trench coats, boots and issued brass helmets, incidentally, no payment was made for their fire fighting efforts.
With the arrival of the war years, Oldmeldrum became a member of the North Eastern Area of the National Fire Service, with premises at the town’s Urquhart Road — a building complete with cinder floor. Supplied to them from the brigade was an army issue type Austin Tender, with trailer pump attached.
A large part of the history connected with Station 74 is their success in the Arbuthnott Shield — a trophy donated to the brigade by Viscount Arbuthnott to determine the most efficient retained station on an annual basis.
During the award’s first nine years in existence, from 1958, Oldmeldrum had a phenominal success, winning the shield on six occasions, and runners-up thrice.
The 1964 presentation was made by the then Chairman of the North Eastern Fire Area Joint Board, Provost Wood J.P., on the 29th October; the date of the official opening of the Commercial Road premises. Receiving the award on behalf of the Oldmeldrum crew was Sub Officer L. Lobban — ex of brigade Control.
Last year, Station 74 regained the trophy after a sixteen year period, Firemaster Bond presenting Sub Officer Ingram with the award. He was following in his father’s footsteps in fact, as Sub Officer Ingram senior was officer in charge of the Oldmeldrum crew who were the first recipients of the award in 1958.
More than anything, it is a team effort which contributes to the winning of the Arbuthnott Shield, with this in mind, the following members of Oldmeldrum Fire Station are to be congratulated: Sub Officer Ingram, Leading Fireman Hamilton, Firemen Abel, Duncan, Fowlie, Milne, Rae, Reid and Taylor.
The photograph shows Firemaster Thomas Bond presenting the shield to Sub Officer Ingram at a presentation dinner held in the Morris’s Hotel, Oldmeldrum.
Photo by courtesy of Turriff and District Advertiser.
(Northern Light Edition No. 9. Page 27.)

Sub Officer (in charge) L. Lobban of Oldmeldrum from 16/3/1961 to June 1967 became a wholetime Control Operator in Control Room at Brigade Headquarters in 1967 and retired as a Senior Fire Control Operator on 4^th August 1981 after completing 34 years in the Brigade
(Grampian Fire Brigade Firemaster’s Report 1981. Page 50.)

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