Fire engines are a familiar part of modern life, yet the sight of the big red machines and the urgent sound of their horns never fail to make heads turn and eyes stare. This book traces the history of the fire engine in Britain from the its first successful design in 1725 to the evolvement of the costly and complex machines which are used to fight fire today. It contains informative sections on the earliest fire engines, the era of steam, the war years, and more. The numerous illustrations and black and white photographs reveal the diversity of designs from the early manual engines and horse-drawn steamers to the modern crew safety vehicles. This little book is packed with information and will captivate any reader.