These are the past appliances of the Rangiora Fire Brigade. They are sorted by date that the appliance joined the brigade, from oldest to our most recent departures.

The Liverpool, London and Globe Insurance Company donated two Merryweather manual pumps to the town of Rangiora. Operating these pumps was hard work. Not only did it take four our five firemen to pull it to the fire, it would then take 10-12 men (five or six each side) to operate the pump, and they would have to spelled every half hour. It was not helped when at times when over-enthusiastic members of the public would join in, pump at an excessive rate for about five minutes, then give up - leaving the exhausted firemen to carry on at a steadier pace.
Following the purchase of the larger manual pump in 1875, one of these pumps was transferred to the Southbrooke Fire Brigade. This was returned to the Rangiora brigade at some time in the 1930's where it was left in the council yard in a derelict condition for many years. It was later given to the Yaldhurst Transport Museum where it was restored and is now on display.
The other small manual was sent to Oxford during an extensive bush fire there, and that was the last heard of it.

In 1875 the brigade purchased a larger manual engine at a cost of 240pounds. This year also saw The Fire Insurance Association provide the firemen with helmets; however the men still had to provide their own uniforms. This pump was transferred to the Southbrooke Brigade in the 1930's when they returned one of the small manuals. It was in their possession until 1955, when upon the brigade being disbanded it was thought to have gone to the Rangiora County Council yard. There is no information on what happened to it after that.

In 1883 a steam fire engine was purchased by the Rangiora Borough Council for the Brigade. The engine was a Shand Mason Company of London. It was a "London Brigade Vertical Steam Engine" model, finished in vermilion, picked out in gold, black, and white. With a 30HP steam engine, it was capable of raising and delivering 350 gallons (approx 1,600 litres) of water per minute. It was to be christened "Wainui" by the people of Rangiora, wainui meaning "big water" or "plenty of water".
Subsequently, the engine was fired and a pressure of 40lbs was obtained in seven minutes and water delivered in eight and half minutes.
The engine had to be drawn by a horse and as the council did not provide one for this purpose, a horse had to be borrowed or requisitioned whenever it was necessary to take the appliance to a fire. However, the council did agree that the council horse be taken to fires to bring the appliance back.
The steamer was sold in 1932 to a farmer for use as an irrigation pump.

March 1927 saw the handing over of a Leyland Fire Engine to the Rangiora Brigade. Following a function marking the take over of the Brigades first motorised appliance, it was christened "Wainui the Second". The engine had been funded by the Borough Council. It had a 36HP engine, with a 275 gallons (1,250 litres approx) per minute Rees Roturbo Pump.
It had solid rubber tyres, which made for uncomfortable riding and no covered protection for the men; the vehicle did not even have a front windscreen until one was provided off a local taxi.
The Leyland remained in service until 1964, where upon it was sold to a car collector of Rangiora. This appliance is now on display at the Ferrymead Historic Village in Christchurch.

A Ford Canadian Military Pattern 60L 4x4 truck had been permanently loaned to the brigade by the Internal Affairs Department. An ex-US army vehicle, it was a four wheel drive powered by a V8 engine. The trailer also had a V8 motor to drive its pump and was capable of pumping 400 gallons per minute (1,800 litres per minute). This vehicle was for fires in the rural areas that lacked a high pressure water supply. At this time quite a considerable portion of Rangiora Borough was not reticulated either. The trailer pump had its limitations as it was too heavy to manhandle so that streams or static water supplies could only be used which were accessible to the truck.
This served with the brigade till 1970. The fate of the truck is unknown, however the trailer pump is still held by the brigade.

The 112HP Gamecock with a 350GPM (1,325 litres per minute) Gwynne pump arrived in 1960. It also came with a powerful Coventry Climax pump portable pump, which is still used from time to time. This was Rangiora's first all in one fire appliance with air filled tyres, it was considered a luxury vehicle in its time.
In 1975 the Gamecock was replaced by an International and was sent to Woodend where it served till 1988. It then served with Waipara till 1991. In 1991 the Fire Service decided to decommission it. The Rangiora Fire Brigade heard abut this and made some enquires about the Gamecocks future. After a few discussions between the Fire Service and the Rangiora Brigade, the Fire Service gave Rangiora the option of buying the Gamecock. Rangiora Brigade took over the ownership in 1991 and remains with the brigade.

In 1968 it was agreed to replace the Ford Hose Layer and in due course the Ford D600 fire engine was purchased. It was delivered in 1970. The D600 had a 111HP engine and a Wormald 400 gallons per minute (1,800 litres per minute) pump. Built by Wormald, the appliance was brought new. In 1984 it went to Wakefield and then as a replacement pump to Nelson then to Greymouth. In 1994 it was decommissioned and purchased by a member of the Rangiora Brigade.

Rangiora received its first International in 1975. An International ACCO V8 petrol truck complete with a 750 gallons (3,400 litres approx) per minute Waterous pump. It was a very modern appliance for its day. In 1992 the appliance was sent to the brigade at Waiau where it served for many years. The appliance is now at Ferrymead Historic Village in Christchurch

The first diesel pump for the brigade arrived in 1984. An International ACCO Triple 5 Cumming diesel with a 1,000 gallons (4,500 litres approx) per minute Waterous pump. This appliance was transferred from the Harewood station (Christchurch). It was overhauled in 1998 and then again in 2002. It was with the brigade for 22 years before being passed to another brigade in 2006. It is now one of the Transapline Relief appliances based in Timaru.

In 1992 Rangiora got an International ACCO V8 Petrol truck. Its pump was a 1,200 gallons (5,400 litres approx) per minute Darley 3 stage pump.
This was a Fire Service dream that turned into a nightmare. The Fire Service thought it would save money by making an appliance out of bits of this and bits of that. The chassis came from a milk tanker (thus its nickname). The pump itself was good, but the motor was full of problems. The appliance spent more of its life in the workshop than it did fighting fires.
The brigade and the milk tanker parted company in 1995.
The cab is now on a fire appliance in Kaiapoi. The chasis locker section was sent to Ferrymead, who in turn sold the chasis for scrap along with other parts. The locker section was acquired by the Selwyn District Council who used it make the locker area on a tanker for the West Melton brigade.

The replacement for the trouble plagued milk tanker, this truck was the Timaru rescue appliance and upon arriving in Rangiora in 1995 it became the rescue tender for Rangiora. An International Triple 5 Cumming diesel with a 1,000 gallons (4,500 litres approx) per minute Darley pump. It served with the brigade till 2006 before being given to the Temuka brigade before being assigned to the Waimate brigade where it currently is stationed.