Tanker Service Truck:

1. •Ford Model T (#DG08)

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 #33:

Philadelphia Fire Department
Engine 50/Truck 12

“Northern Knights”

The thirty-third release of First Due Firehouse Replicas:

Philadelphia Fire Department Engine 50/Truck 12 “Northern Knights”

During their 14 years of existence, Code 3 produced a number of replicas representing the Philadelphia Fire Department including a series of Seagrave engines in 1997. PFD’s Engine 50/Ladder 12 “Northern Knights” firehouse is one of the the city’s oldest and busiest—the thirty-third release from First Due Firehouse Replicas.

About the Firehouse

Engine 50 and Truck 12 “Northern Knights” were organized on May 6, 1901 at their new firehouse at 1325 West Cambria Street in the Glenwood district of north Philadelphia. Both companies continue to respond from their classical-style firehouse today—the second-oldest firehouse in operation in the city.

On April 24, 1984 Rescue 22 moved to Engine 50’s house from Engine 45. Battalion 8 was quartered at this firehouse from July 6, 1988 through November 23, 2019 when they relocated to Engine 59’s station at 22nd & Hunting Park Avenue.

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 first series of Seagrave pumpers in September 1997 included PFD Engines 13, 27, 39, 44, and 45. They released replicas of PFD Truck 13 in November 2000, Ambulance 29 in February 1999, and Battalion Chief 13 in June 1999. A printed sheet of unit numbers is included with the replica to assist in converting existing models to units quartered at this firehouse.

Engine 50: (ex-E45)

1. •Seagrave (series 1, #02452, 1997, decals by First Due Shops)

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.

Location:

1325 West Cambria Street

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Years in Service:

1901-present

Companies Quartered:

1. •Engine 50 (organized 1901, quartered 1901–present)
   

2. •Truck 12 (organized 1901, quartered 1901–present)
   

3. •Medic 22 (quartered 1984–present)
   

4. •Medic 57B
   

5. •Battalion 8 (quartered 1988–2019)
   

6. •Safety Officer–Division 1
   

Link:

Fireman’s Hall Museum (info and photos)

Videos:

PFD Engine 50 Responding (code 3 response, 2020)

PFD ***Brand New Tiller Ladder 12*** (code 3 response, 2019)

PFD E50 L12 Responding (code 3 response, 2022)

Release Date:

• June 2023

Dimensions:

• Base width: 12 inches

• Base depth: 15 inches

• Building width: 12 inches

• Building depth: 13 inches

• Building height: 7 inches

• Height with mansard roof / to tip of exhaust vents: 8.5 inches

Features Included:

1. •Black base with 2 inch apron in front
   

2. •Removable roof
   

3. •Removable plastic third floor mansard roof front facade
   

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

5. •Flag/Flagpole
   

6. •Printed firehouse fact sheet booklet
   

7. •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 $379 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 ten 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.

Truck 12: (ex-T13)

1. •Ladder Towers Inc. (#12671, 2000, decals by First Due Shops)

Road Champs (USA) released replicas of Philadelphia Fire Department apparatus as part of their Fire Rescue series.

Engine 50:

1. •International (#42010, 1990s, decals by First Due Shops)

The building has been renovated several times over the years, including the removal of the third floor and mansard roof in 1950 (our replica includes a removable plastic black & white third floor facade). This structure also has a unique bonus for the firefighters—a swimming pool in the basement.

The companies here have long been known for the heavy fire duty encountered in their first due area and have consistently been ranked as two of the busiest across the city.

In 2019 a mural was painted on the east side of the building by the Mural Arts Program to memorialize firefighter Gabriel Lee, a 17 year veteran of PFD who died in 2016.

Early photo of Philly Engine 50 firehouse showing original mansard roof

courtesy Fireman’s Hall Museum

Medic 22: (ex-M29)

1. •Ford E-350 (#12055, 1999, decals by First Due Shops)

Battalion 8: (ex-B13)

1. •GMC (#12419, 1999, decals by First Due Shops)

Telesquirt 12:

1. •Boardman/HME (#42011, 1990s, decals by First Due Shops)

Rescue 1:

1. •International (#42012, 1990s, decals by First Due Shops)

Greenlight (USA) released a Chevrolet Silverado Battalion Chief 1 as part of their Fire Rescue series #2.

Safety Officer, Division 1: (ex-B1)

1. •Chevy Silverado (#67020-F, 2022, decals by First Due Shops)

Corgi (England) released a replica of PHD Medic 1 as part of their Fire Heroes series.

Medic 57B: (ex-M1)

1. •Ford E-350 (#90240, 2002, decals by First Due Shops)

Racing Champions (USA) released a replica of PHD Battalion 9 as part of their Fire Rescue series.

Battalion 8: (ex-B9)

1. •1932 Ford Coupe (#24, 2002, decals by First Due Shops)

The following units are all Lledo (England) Days Gone models from 1984 representing the ‘Philadelphia Bureau of Fire.’

Battalion Chief 9:

1. •Ford Model A (#DG09)

Rescue Company 1:

1. •Ford Model T (#DG06)

Ambulance 3:

1. •Ford Model T (#DG06)