I have previously posted pictures on this blog, showing Rjukan`s motorized fire brigade and their Indian motocycles.
Time goes by fast, quite a while ago I gave a hand with translating a text regarding this brigade, and the unknown destiny of the Indians once used by them. This text was authored by Andre whom we know as the owner of the "famous" Spanjola four, another bike previously presented on this blog.
Andre wrote this article to the International Indian magazine, hence some might have seen it before. Finally I got time to get the article on this blog (with Andre`s permission off course), and what is great news i managed to get some great photos from Rjukan Industrial museums archives to follow the words by Andre, big thanks to them.
Rjukan’s Indian-Motocycle
fire brigade.
Rjukan, a Norwegian community tucked in the bottom of a
valley between high mountains in county of Telemark.
Prior to 1906 “Rjukan” was
just a rural area known for the nearby waterfall, the Rjukan falls. This would
soon be changed.
Sam Eyde, founder of Norsk Hydro and Norway’s most famous
industrial pioneer, bought the land and the waterfall rights. By 1911 the tamed
waterfalls would become power source to create synthetic nitrogen by the use of
a huge electric arc, a method invented by Hydros co-founder and scientist
Kristian Birkeland, the so called: Eyde-Birkeland
method. The synthetic nitrogen was used in Norsk Hydro’s new plant as part
of their process to fabricate Norges
saltpeter, a fertilizer product which in turn would modernize agriculture
worldwide.
When Sam Eyde and Hydro’s generator plant and factory where
ready to start producing, the total cost was by then Norway’s largest single
investment.
To ensure their investments Hydro built a new and modern
fire station inside the factory and a new brigade was organized. In 1919 the
fire station invested in two Indian 1000cc Powerplus sidecar outfits to be able
to reach a fire in less time than by the earlier non-motorized brigade.
Indian motorcycles were a well-known brand in Rjukan at the
time. This because many factory engineers were keen motorcycle riders, they
even organized a motorcycle club in 1919 (the first club outside the capitol in
Norway, Christiania). Indian was considered to hold a high quality, it was reliable and
there is no doubt that the red Indian color fit the fire brigade well.
The fire brigade Indians got an aluminum box mounted on the
rear of the sidecar frame carrying 1oo meters of hose and hydrant connecting
equipment. The sidecar also carried a modern chemical extinguisher. Each bike
had a crew of three men. A third Powerplus was added in 1920 as well as a
F.W.D. fire truck.
Due to its modern equipment and its new fire station, Rjukan
fire station was presented in Norsk Motorblads (a magazine covering the news of
all motorized vehicles in Norway at the time) Christmas issue in 1921. A proud
brigade leader could inform Norsk Motorblads readers that the Indians had been
the first to reach the scene of fire in more than 100 occasions, this both at
the factory and in the town around. Their Indians would travel at speeds up to
70 km`s at straight roads, both winter and summer.
What happened to Rjukan
fire brigade Indians?
During the late twenties Hydro’s factory at Rjukan became
less profitable and was rebuilt to produce with less energy consumption. This in
turn created a bi-product, the heavy
water which real name is deuterium oxide. This could become an important ingredient
in Germanys attempt to create a nuclear bomb during WWII. The export of the
bomb material was sabotaged by Norwegian resistance in some very daring actions
in 1943 -44.
In 1965 the movie "Heroes from Telemark " was
filmed in Rjukan, where Kirk Douglas was the main actor. This was a film based
on sabotage actions in Rjukan, among them at the heavy water factory that was
placed in a steep mountainside, as an ancient castle. The film was made by the
Hollywood producer Anthony Mann and the film crew was in part British.
According to a story told by a Rjukan local some years ago, the
Indians went with the film crew back to England after their last take. Huge interest
for old motorcycles had not yet seen its light in Norway. The fire brigade
Indians was supposedly still in a very good condition.
This story has not yet been confirmed by other sources.
It
would be of great interest to the Norwegian Indian club to find out the destiny
of those bikes. Their identity is as follows;
License plate number H-338,
first registered in Norway 11-07-1919, engine number 83 M 518
License plate number H-339,
first registered in Norway 05-09-1919, engine number 83 M 846
License plate number H-382,
first registered in Norway 14-05-1920, engine number 74 M 819
Pic1.
Rjukan`s motorized firebrigade. Chief Berg is seated in the front sidecar, brigade leader in sidecar two and second leader in the third. Order in the ranks!
Pic2.
Indian H-339 from Rjukans firebrigade. The box for fire
equipment at rear of the sidecar, picture used by Norsk Motorblad 1921.
Pic3.
Rjukan`s firebrigade on their way back from the town Rjukan to the factory.
Pic4.
Rjukan`s firebrigade pictured inside the factory.
