Retired to a field north of Toronto
Sitting on a hedgerow between two fields and surrounded by dried weeds, this LaFrance 1948 fire engine was just too interesting to not take a photo.
Rusting away, how sad
Although American LaFrance Fire Engine Company (now called simply American LaFrance) is a U.S. company, there was also a Canadian plant in Toronto, Ontario until 1971.
Mirror, pressure valve. hose, logo of the old Borough of Etobicoke, and pressure gauge
This fire truck once belonged to the Borough of Etobicoke, now a dissolved municipality that forms the western part of the City of Toronto.
I am linking to My World.
47 comments:
What a rusted beauty. I really like the license plate. I need one of those with my name - retired :-)
Darla
What a beautiful old fire truck...Old trucks always look so neat sitting out in the fields.
What a wonderful old truck. To bad it is just rusting away. Who owns it, I wonder. You need to take it home and take care of the poor thing.
Wonderful shots. MB
You are so right that it is a shame that it is rusting away. Someone, somewhere would love to have this to restore!
I can't believe this isn't in a museum! I'm also surprised it hasn't been stolen or vandalized. Glad you gave us the opportunity to see it.
Great find! So much character.
The top photo reminds me of the fall season, which is appropriate since the machine is certainly in the fall of its life. You got lots of information and did a good job of research for us. Having a license plate with retired on it seems like a great idea for some of us!!
Ah … retired but not forgotten apparently, although I don’t know why it is allowed to rust and crumble. I’m glad someone put the signage on it … otherwise its significance might go unnoticed. I hope it will find a home other than an open field. Thanks for sharing this interesting part of your world!
I'd love the opportunity to locate and shoot this wonderful piece of history that bares my family name.
Daniel LaFrance
daniel.lafrance@gmail.com
Explore. Dream. Discover.
http://daniels-view.blogspot.com/
--
I love to see old auto's. This one needs some love.
So much to see! It would be great if they could freshen it up a bit and put it in a museum. Love the photos!
If they put it in some garage to keep it from the elements, you might not have seen it and thus, we would have also lost the opportunity. I think it was placed there as a monument to its service for all the world to remember.
Rusty old things make good subjects for the photographer. I may have a shot of one of these, I'll have to go back through my archive.
kind of like an old retired horse--put out to pasture *hehehe* great photo :)
Lots of interesting details in your photos of this old fire truck. It should be in a museum somewhere, but maybe it prefers the pasture...
An old field is no place for an old fire engine to retire!
There is an old 1961 model in Jackson that can be rented for parties, etc. Our neighborhood had it a few years back for Halloween. Here are some shots:
http://magnoliadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2009/11/halloween-part-ii.html
You're taking us the scenic route :-)
Actually, very appealing in its state of decay. It no longer has the connotation of disaster now. Very interesting subject, as usual.
Hmmm kind of looks like me this morning!! What a great post for the day and such an interesting one! Loved reading about its history. Is kind of a shame that it hasn't been put in some kind of museum. Love all the detail in your photos, they're terrific as always! You do find good, different things to blog about. I love it! Enjoy your week!
Sylvia
What a lovely piece of art you´ve got there. Just awesome. Guess you had fun photographing it.
How sad to see it rusting. What stories it could tell! Your photos tell their own story. Just marvelous!
You have found some kind of treasury. It is strange to think that a municipality can be dissolved...
A rustic, ol' beauty - perfect for the photographer! Should be better in a garage or museum than out in a field....
Aww, how sad. Maybe an old-time-vehicle collector/restorer will rescue the old fire truck and restore it to its original glory.
Interesting photos and post!
I'd love to tag along when you are out searching objects for your photo shoots. You find the most exiting objects on the weirdest places.
This firetruck must be a treasured challenge for any car enthusiast.
I adore the fire truck series. Since my childhood I have been in love with them. This old one was around when I was about 9 years old....and that is very old!!! Sorry it is out by the hedgerows, but glad it is still standing. I took some photos of our little volunteer fire department out here in the boonies and am going to post them for Rednesday this week.
I would have thought that truck would have been in a museum.Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada,
I hope eventually this one is going to rest in a hanger somewhere away from all the elements.
Is this what they do to retired businessmen up there? Just planning . . .
This is something! I really can't understand why someone hasn't grabbed that up and restored it to its original grandeur.
Amazing.
Re Del Webb. We first ran into him in Phoenix back in 1959-1960. He was a homebuilder. I think at that time he worked out of Las Vegas.
The Del Webb corporation is going strong; now in association with the builder, Pulte Homes.
Here's a link for more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Webb
What beautiful bones that firetruck still has - wonder what stories it could tell? I like the setting, too.
Don't you know this was a real beauty when it was new??
Beauty even in the last stages.
Oh the stories that truck could tell. Neat photos.
What a great antique find.
Someone needs to rescue that red beauty!
Wonderful photos!!! Isn't it interesting that a rusty old truck can be so beautiful! You have really captured the vintage feel of it.
Cindy
How sad to see it wasting away like that, should have been put in a museum or displayed in the fire station for the younger generation to see.
Sad to see this beauty just rusting away. Wonderful shots.
I'm surprised that noone took away some parts of it!
I'm wondering why "LaFrance"?.. do you know?
What a find this is! Not only is it retired but it's too bad it's also neglected.
you can do it up, and it will take you all over Canada and USA.
I like the old fire trucks.
Such an amazing array of photos of this 'retiree'....yes, it IS sad to see it withering and rusting...should be rescued from a museum somewhere to live forever.
The Good ol' Days of Yore
Great shots of this old red truck. Very interesting and just waiting for some one to capture some beautiful photos!
belle serie sur ce vieux camion
Publicity ;o) Every Friday (and the Weekend), The Challenge "Walk In The Street Photography"
Visiting from My World Tuesday
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my entry's here:
http://kc2009.blogspot.com/2011/03/escapar-una-isla-hermosa.html
An oldy but a goody! I hope that's what they say about me. :)
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