FIRST DUE FIREHOUSE REPLICAS

About the Owner/Designer/Builder/Author

Andrew Benzie began collecting model emergency vehicles in the 1970s when his grandparents gave him his first Corgi and Dinky toy fire engines. He has an extensive collection and knowledge of Code 3 models, and has published three books on Conrad, Siku, and Tomica emergency vehicles. Andrew currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area where he runs a design and book publishing company, and plays bass and drums with several local bands.

First Due Firehouse Replicas

Release #35:

Buffalo Fire Department Engine 2/Ladder 9/Battalion 56

The thirty-fifth release of First Due Firehouse Replicas:

Buffalo Fire Department Engine 2/Ladder 9/Battalion 56

Code 3 Collectibles produced a replica of Buffalo Fire Department Engine 38 in August 2007, and ERTL released replicas of Buffalo Engine 2, Ladder 2, and Tanker 2 in 1992. Buffalo Fire Station 2 is the thirty-fifth release from First Due Firehouse Replicas.

About the Firehouse

Buffalo Fire Department’s Fire Station 2 is located at 376 Virginia Street at Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, New York. Formerly the Painters Union Hall (c. 1972), it underwent a two million dollar conversion and opened as a firehouse in 1997. The Buffalo architectural firm of Stieglitz, Stieglitz & Mach added a three-truck equipment bay with brick arches, limestone collars and the hose tower to tie together the two existing brick structures and give it all the feel of an old-fashioned fire hall.

The intent of the design of the fire station was to create a new landmark for the neighborhood with a symbolic brick tower as a primary element, paying architectural tribute to the past history of firehouses. Due to its location within the historic Allentown district, the facades incorporate arched brick and limestone detailing to blend the structure with the dominantly Victorian styles of the surrounding streets.

The interior features a sky-lit lobby with custom designed metal panels depicting silhouetted images of firefighting scenes. This station is one of Buffalo’s most active firehouses and also serves as the preferred venue for public tours.

Their previous quarters, Engine House No. 2 and Hook and Ladder No. 9 (built in 1875 and known as the “Jersey Street Firehouse”), was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Ladder 9 was disbanded in 2004 due to budget cuts.

Buffalo Fire Department’s “Ut Vivant Alii” slogan is a Latin phrase which translates to “so others may live.”

Dedicated to firefighter Jason Arno who made the ultimate sacrifice battling a 3-alarm fire in downtown Buffalo in March of 2023.

About the Replica

First Due Firehouse Replicas goes to great lengths to capture as much accuracy and detail as possible within each model we produce. Once the research is completed and a firehouse is chosen to replicate, the process involves taking photographs, creating an architectural building plan, assembling and editing the photos to digital 1:64 scale artwork, printing the artwork on glossy poster-quality paper and mounting the prints to foam-core board. Next the walls are cut out using a professional-quality mat cutter (to achieve 45° angle cuts for joins), and each model is then assembled by hand. Additional exterior details are added including air conditioning units, railings, exhaust vents, etc. Finally, remaining small details are hand-painted, the custom-built apparatus bay doors are installed and the raising of the flag completes each firehouse replica.

Fore more information about this product, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page. If have any further questions, please Contact Us.

Code 3 Collectibles produced a replica of Buffalo Fire Department Engine 38 in 2007 (not included with firehouse purchase) which can easily be converted to Engine 2. Code 3 also produced numerous GMC Suburbans which can be converted to Battalion 56. A printed sheet of unit numbers is included with the firehouse to assist in converting existing models.

Engine 2:

• American LaFrance Eagle Pumper (#12147, 2007, decals by First Due Shops, 2023)

About the Apparatus

How to Order

You may Place an Order for any of our products online. Once we receive your order we will contact you via email with more information about availability, payment, shipping costs, etc.

About Us     Firehouse Replicas     Custom Models     Fleet Services     FAQ     Contact/Order

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About Us     Firehouse Replicas     Custom Models     Fleet Services     FAQ     Contact/Order

Location:

376 Virginia Street

Buffalo, NY

Years in Service:

1997-present

Companies Quartered:

1. •Engine 2 (organized 1875, quartered May 1997–present)
   

2. •Ladder 9 (organized 1897, quartered May 1997–2004)
   

3. •Battalion 56/Division Chief
   

4. •Fire Marshal 10/11/12
   

5. •Mobile Command Post
   

Release Date:

• October 2023

Dimensions:

• Base width: 13 inches

• Base depth: 15.5 inches

• Building width: 13 inches

• Building depth: 15.5 inches

• Building height: 8.5 inches

Features Included:

1. •Black base with 2 inch apron in front
   

2. •Removable roof
   

3. •Working apparatus bay doors (slide them into any position with the touch of a finger)
   

4. •Flag/Flagpole
   

5. •Printed firehouse fact sheet booklet
   

6. •Apparatus re-number sheet (a poster-printed sheet of apparatus numbers you can use to convert existing models into units quartered in this firehouse)
   

Pricing:

Our introductory price for this firehouse replica is $359 plus shipping (Note: the models of the apparatus are not included). The price covers the cost of the photo-quality prints (starting at about $50), the building materials (various paper, foam, plastic, wood and metal products), and around eight hours of time to construct (not including the many hours of preparatory research and design time spent to create each prototype model). Note: We create each or our replicas by hand—this is NOT a 3D printed or laser cut model.

Battalion 56/Division Chief:

• GMC Suburban (#12402, 1998, decals by First Due Shops, 2023)

ERTL released a popular set of Pierce fire apparatus representing the Buffalo Fire Department in 1992.

Engine 2:

• Pierce Pumper Fire Truck (#2403, 1992)

Ladder 2:

• Pierce 55' Aerial Ladder Fire Truck (#2401, 1992)

Tanker 2:

• Pierce Tanker Fire Truck (#2402, 1992)

Johnny Lightning produced a generic replica of a Chevrolet Caprice which can be easily converted to a fire marshal unit. A printed sheet of unit numbers is included with the firehouse to assist in converting existing models.

Fire Marshall F-10:

• Chevrolet Caprice (#358-00, 1999, decals by First Due Shops, 2023)

Corgi Classics released a model of Buffalo Fire Department Rescue Company No. 3 in 1986 in 1:50 scale.

Search and Rescue Co. 3:

• Mack AC (#C906/4, 1986, 1:50)

Winross (Rochester N.Y.) produced a series of 1:64 scale replicas in 1993 representing Guardian Fire Equipment (Lansdale, Pennsylvania), a dealer of Emergency-One Fire Apparatus, to acknowledge the success of E-One’s Refurbishing/Recycling Center in Ocala, Florida. These models display the trailering of damaged trucks back to Florida to be redone and returned as good as new. There are three separate “loads,” a pumper, tanker, and aerial. These ERTL Buffalo apparatus have all been “individually altered” by hand at Guardian before being mounted by Winross.

Flatbed Trailer Towing Damaged Buffalo Fire Department Ladder 2:

• Ford CL 9000/LTL (1993)

Flatbed Trailer Towing Damaged Buffalo Fire Department Tanker 2:

• Ford CL 9000/LTL (1993)

Tow Truck Towing Damaged Buffalo Fire Department Engine 2:

• Ford CL 9000/LTL (1993, customized by First Due Shops, 2023)

Utility Truck:

• Kenworth T800 (1994)

Service Truck:

• Stepvan (Greenlight, 2021, customized by First Due Shops, 2023)