WAFERS: The Welsh Area Fire Engine Restoration Society was founded in 1994 by a group of enthusiasts, with the aim of preserving fire engines, equipment and miscellanea from the principality and other areas.

Members of WAFERS are drawn from many occupations, serving or retired fire fighters, students, senior citizens, professional and lay persons alike, and aged from 16 to well into retirement. In fact anyone who has an interest in fire fighting history or in preserving our fire fighting heritage for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

Many individual skills are brought together in members. Some are able to work in a practical way, restoring, repairing and painting, other less able members work on the documentation and research, or on our fund raising stall at many fetes or carnivals we attend.

WAFERS is based at Unit 31, Lonlas Village Workshops, Skewen, Neath, where a small museum has been established. Many exhibits are on show, with more arriving regularly. Work on preparing and cataloguing these exhibits is on going.

Visitors to the Museum can see what is being restored, as well as being able to look at the exhibits on show, which serves to illustrate fire fighting through the ages. Examples of very old equipment are seen alongside more modern pieces.

There are a number of exhibits which were used during the Second World War, for example uniforms, hoses, pumps etc. Old photographs show the development of fire fighting procedures and change of uniform styles.

Fire engines from the 1930s through to the 1960s are on show alongside the uniforms of those periods. It is interesting to note how many fire brigades there were in the principality until successive changes and amalgamations brought them down to the current three super brigades.

Future plans include the building of a purpose built museum in a location along the M4 corridor. Fund raising toward the coast of this building has begun. Applications for grants are being submitted, help is being sought from local industry and commerce. This is a very big project but support offered already gives us encouragement for the future.

The museum is open to the public on Wednesday and Saturday, 11 am until 5 pm. Visits can be accommodated often outside these hours by appointment.

For any further information please contact Malcolm Evans 01639 635761 or Ray Evans 01792 813770.