Built in 1905 for the Hythe, Kent, Fire Brigade, the prototype of this model cost £450. Even today this remarkable machine is in excellent working order, and under demonstration conditions has raised 100 lbs. per square inch steam pressure from cold water in 5 minutes 5 seconds.

The actual vehicle on which this toy was based was a horse-drawn steam fire engine pumper made by Shand, Mason and Co. of London featuring a vertical boiler which provides steam for a rear-mounted pump. Founded in 1774 by J. Shand and S. Mason, this firm were manufacturers of fire pumpers and engines. Each engine was purposely built to suit the needs and requirements of the client and came with a vast range of options.

The (Y4-2) Shand Mason Horsedrawn Fire Engine was introduced in 1960.It is the only model in the history of the Yesteryear series to have special removable figures.
This yesteryear is perhaps the most admired, but sometimes also cursed. It is the highest goal in the collection, but it is difficult to find and it is by far the most expensive among the standard variants of matchboxes. It is also a model with the finest elaborate castings, which was produced at the turn of the fifties and sixties.

It was always painted red but shades can vary considerably. The horses had gold trim which was applied to the harnesses and the three black plastic Firemen had gold trim to the helmets and breastplate but the breastplate trim was soon deleted and later the helmet trim too. It had brass plating to the boiler and pumping equipment and black painted spoked metal wheels.
On the oldest steam fire pumps, the figures had gold helmets and vests.

Variations/Rarities: The first version was the much sought after 'grey horses' issue which had dirty milk coloured horses and no decal aligning ridges to the locker sides for the 'KENT FIRE BRIGADE' decals (Type 1). The grey horses had either dark grey or white manes and tails.
Soon the decal aligning ridges were removed and 'LONDON FIRE BRIGADE' decals applied instead which had two thin blue lines around the border (Type 2). The decals were modified again where the two thin blue border lines were recoloured to black (Type 3).
There was a casting modification to the drawbar which was originally rounded and held on by a single rivet. The new drawbar had a sqare end and was secured by two rivets. The footplate at the back which had 12 slots was modified when 5 of the slots were filled in leaving seven slots.
The decals changed again and the thin black border lines were changed to a single thick gold line (Type 4).
The final issue had webs added to the sides of the ashcan/rear footplate support.
Later versions with white horses and the oldest variants with black horses have firefighter figures who have gold painted helmets and vests. But the last variants with black horses have firefighters with black-blue plastic helmets.
The model itself was always produced in the same bright red color, but different variants of decals. The first ones had the inscription 'KENT BRIGADE', the newer number '72' and the inscription 'LONDON FIRE BRIGADE'.

Note: The fire truck driver is not as well attached to the seat as the other two, which is why it is missing in many models. Therefore, these plastic figures are also a very valuable item. It is therefore worth taking a damaged Fire Engine model, for example, especially if the firefighter figures are in order, but watch out for copies. The older figures are easily recognizable because they are made of metal, unlike the originals. Recently, however, copies have appeared among merchants that are very difficult to distinguish from the original.

Scale: 1:63

Kent Fire Brigade; white horses; firemen with brass painted helmets and breastplates

London Fire Brigade; black horses; firemen with brass painted helmets

Firemen in all black plastic

Ash-can to footplate types

Hose locker side types

Drawbar types

Logo & type