It is with great sadness that we have to announce that North Lincolnshire Council has found a new tenant to occupy our current home in Scunthorpe and as such we must prepare to pack up and search for a new home within Lincolnshire once again. Why Lincolnshire? Lincolnshire is the heart of our volunteer community, without our team there would be no Museum that is why we want to stay in Lincolnshire, Bomber County, and the spiritual home of the Royal Air Force.
We always knew that this was a possibility as the Council had always maintained that Billet Lane was a commercial property and not a Museum site. Regretfully they have been unable to find us suitable alternative accommodation within the area so our immediate task is to find a storage solution for the collection whilst we search for a new permanent home.
We are very grateful to the Council for giving us a building for the last 18 months that has enabled us to protect and develop the collection, provide a meeting place for volunteers and demonstrate the huge potential that such an asset could bring to the local area.
The support that we have received from our visitors (over 2500 on 5 open days), the local population, educational establishments, community groups, local authority emergency services and local businesses has been truly amazing. We are so sorry that things didn’t work out as we do believe that in many respects, Scunthorpe gave us everything that we could have ever needed to establish what in essence, would have become the National Fire Museum.
We are working with the new tenant to draw down the Museum in a controlled manner but as you can imagine the task ahead of us is huge. The new tenant will begin taking up occupancy in a matter of days and we have only 5 weeks to vacate the warehouse itself!
We’ve been here before! We won’t be beaten, we will rise again and continue with our quest to find a permanent home for the Museum so that we can establish a first class Museum, Community Hub and Educational Establishment that will promote the work of the military fire services, fire services both home and abroad, and above all, promote fire safety for everyone.
If you can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We really need a large industrial unit (Approx. 30,000 square feet) where we could store the vehicles in particular.
Regretfully, the current situation means that we cannot accept any visitors.
There are no plans to dispose of anything from the collection at this time, so please DO NOT add any more negativity to a stressful situation by contacting us to see what’s for sale! We need support, not vultures.
Should you require any help moving equipment or vehicles then I would be happy to help
This makes me really sad!
Absolute travesty mate, I’m gutted for you and all the volunteers, hope you get sorted. Need any help then please ask
I am sure you feel sad after all the hard work you and the team put in Ex Driffield fire section
Any closed factory’s or other unused industrial units, film studios in your county?
Sad time for all. Hope all goes well soon.
Have you considered contacting the Panton family at East Kirkby, the ones that run the museum there. Don’t know if they can help.
That’s not a bad idea. If they had land available, it would ultimately make a brilliant complimentary attraction to Lancaster “Just Jane”.
Unfortunately cant physically help. Would like to make a donation. Need to know details of how.
Best wishes
RAF Fireman 1972 to 1977
Hi Thanks for the offer,
Donations can be made by using the donate via PayPal button at the top of the page or using the bank account details in the standing order subscription post.
Thanks for thinking of us physical help and donations are all gratefully received.
Steve I’m Gutted for you all, hope this is a blip and something positive can come from. You and your dedicated team deserve a place to call home for the vehicles once and for all.
gutted for you all hope you get somewhere soon steve
Really Gutted that you need to move and the museum has been unable to flourish in Scunthorpe.
I hope you find a better venue for the Historical Vehicles and Artifacts where People can visit and appreciate the History
So sorry to hear the news after all the work done by Steve Shirley and all the volunteers to create a excellent fire museum which should be a credit to the council for reasons so obvious to all who had the pleasure to visit last year as I did.
I can only hope a permanent home can be found soon.
A hanger at R.A.F Scampton would be a good avenue to explore before the council turn the site into a housing estate as has happened to other bases that have been vacated by the M.O.D.
Sorry it has come to this yet again..
Really hope a permenent location can be found soon.
Hi happy to help with moving got plenty of kit including a 2 and 3axle trailers with 1500 and 2750 kg carrying capacity. Kevin Norfolk Fire Museum
Sorry to hear this sad news Keep smiling and doing what we all know you volunteers do Best of luck on your search.
Fingers crossed for you Steve!
Hope it all pans out for you mate.
So sad to hear this news, I was hoping to visit when this virus had cleared off.
Really saddened for you all after all the hard work in making the current site such an great venue. Best wishes for your new search and for the future of what is a superb collection of vehicles and memorabilia.
Have just spotted the devastating news, what a bummer, although you knew it was on the cards , Its still a blow to all concerned. I wish all of you LUCK and hope something good comes of it. Keep your chins up , Regards Dave B ex R A F Fire
service.
I wish you all the success which you are due to have. Must be somewhere you could store ,it’s a pity MOD are not prepared to let you have a hangar at Scampton. Just think if the hangers at Swinderby were still there ,would have had a ready audience. Kirton in Lyndsey available. Good Luck.
I’m sorry to hear you are closing. I hope you can find somewhere suitable. If you need any help with transportation or any way of helping please let me know
I am so sorry to hear this. I really hope a new building can be found to house such a brilliant collection. We have space to store some paperwork and books if you need it.
So sad to see this is happening. Dad was fire section so I was hoping to plan a visit with my brothers after the virus. Good luck with new accommodation and making the move. Ex RCT and still have C+E if you are struggling for help moving.
It’s sad that you’ve got to move, especially when I’ve literally just heard of you and would’ve liked to visit after Covid! I’m not sure what licence you need to drive a fire engine but I wouldn’t mind helping to load up vehicles and equipment. I only live in Hull.
As far as a new premises is concerned, have you tried the big antiques place at Caenby Corner? Hemswell Antiques I think it’s called, it’s on an old airbase so they might have space!
Hi. I’m a small recovery company based in the Nottingham, Derby border. I have 2 truck that’s can carry smaller lighter vehicles if that is of any help. If so don’t hesitate to get it contact.
Gutted for you all. Let’s hope the Phoenix rises from the ashes again, bigger and better. I’ll continue with my support and donations. Hold your heads high all ⭐️
Good afternoon
I’m an ex HGV mechanic and hold a current class1 driving licence if I can be of any assistance to help your move.
Hi I am quite happy to come up for a few days or more helping to drive your vehicles to a new site
Hi Steve
Sorry to hear your having to move yet again hope all goes well and you find somewhere.
Cheers
Gardner