What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

WWII Air Raid Siren

D

Danny Rhodes

New Member
Hi

I have a Brooks Motors LTD Air Raid Siren can any body tell me what the Horse Power is for this as it has not got the tag on it.


Thanks
 
May I do a suggestion: test it at 06.30 at sunday moring. It will absolutely improve the relation with your neighbours ;)
regards, DJH
 
Last edited:
Hi
A very limited interest in the air raid siren world,but i might be able to help you as i have collected and restored a few.

First of all there was only one contract for UK made ww2 sirens and that was awarded to Gents of leicester.
They had a standardised siren rated to 4 hp with a few variants of the same machine for wider area coverage.
They made 7000 units for England and the home counties and production was started around 1937/38.

later on towards the end of the war and into the 1950s these siren were getting fatigue and started to fail due to being
made of cast iron with alloy mazack rotors,so replacements were ordered from various companys in the industrial north.
one company in particular called Castle Castings,who were based in Clitheroe lancashire made a very similar siren from top
to bottom except for the motor which was also sub contracted to various electrical companys.
The early Castle castings sirens had a Brooks compton motors of about 7.2 HP rating with a cast iron motor body.
The next stage of motors were made by Hawker Siddely,yes the Jump jet people and there motor was of 5.5Hp rating with a cast alloy
motor housing.

Hear are some pics of one of my original ww2 Gents sirens and a mixture of 1950s 60s Brooks and Hawkers sirens.
If you want to hear the original siren being very noisy then go onto Utube and put in SIREN TEST 009. enjoy
 

Attachments

  • Gents siren 101.jpg
    Gents siren 101.jpg
    94.3 KB · Views: 53
  • gold capri 505.jpg
    gold capri 505.jpg
    99.2 KB · Views: 71
Last edited:
satan18 said:
Hi
A very limited interest in the air raid siren world,but i might be able to help you as i have collected and restored a few.

First of all there was only one contract for UK made ww2 sirens and that was awarded to Gents of leicester.
They had a standardised siren rated to 4 hp with a few variants of the same machine for wider area coverage.
They made 7000 units for England and the home counties and production was started around 1937/38.


later on towards the end of the war and into the 1950s these siren were getting fatigue and started to fail due to being
made of cast iron with alloy mazack rotors,so replacements were ordered from various companys in the industrial north.
one company in particular called Castle Castings,who were based in Clitheroe lancashire made a very similar siren from top
to bottom except for the motor which was also sub contracted to various electrical companys.
The early Castle castings sirens had a Brooks compton motors of about 7.2 HP rating with a cast iron motor body.
The next stage of motors were made by Hawker Siddely,yes the Jump jet people and there motor was of 5.5Hp rating with a cast alloy
motor housing.

Hear are some pics of one of my original ww2 Gents sirens and a mixture of 1950s 60s Brooks and Hawkers sirens.
If you want to hear the original siren being very noisy then go onto Utube and put in SIREN TEST 009. enjoy
Click to expand...

Sorry Satan I thought you said a "limited" interest in Sirens-that picture tells a very different story to me !
Are they all yours Phil ?
Nice large hoard if I may so.
I thought of you the other day whilst passing the old Fire station at Sonning as I see the siren has now been removed from its pole on the site (the site is being sold off).
 
Hi Chris
Long time no speaky

I do like to diverse a little bit,and this is most of the Essex Flood sirens that i saved from being
scrapped.

I couldnt resist them and there are just five more left that are awaiting removal.
some are being retained and funded seperately i beleive ie Canvey island.
I have also got a few from Norfolk coming aswell:tinysmile_shy_t:

Also got some of the original controls and siren Auto wailers which were up graded in the 60s for the cold war

best phil
 
Satan18

Watched that video. I'm sure it would have been a more sensory experience, standing near it. Is the warble(?) automatic, or was someone throwing a switch on and off? Have only been close to a motorcycle siren at full bark. I have a new interest in sirens, now. Thanks.

Rick
 
Hi Rick
What i did was conect the siren to a fly lead and timed the cut of by using a direct online starter.

Beleive me the ground shakes and i had ear defenders on and my ears still hissed.
Its 140db over 4 miles in still air so the book states,but thats with the siren on a twenty foot pole.

This was in the middle of Ilford at about 1130 in the morning:tinysmile_shy_t: which was fun.

best phil
 
i know where one is complete with all control bits in surrey, might appraoch the demo contractor with cash..........

thats seriously cool......
 
satan18 said:
Hi
A very limited interest in the air raid siren world,but i might be able to help you as i have collected and restored a few.

First of all there was only one contract for UK made ww2 sirens and that was awarded to Gents of leicester.
They had a standardised siren rated to 4 hp with a few variants of the same machine for wider area coverage.
They made 7000 units for England and the home counties and production was started around 1937/38.

later on towards the end of the war and into the 1950s these siren were getting fatigue and started to fail due to being
made of cast iron with alloy mazack rotors,so replacements were ordered from various companys in the industrial north.
one company in particular called Castle Castings,who were based in Clitheroe lancashire made a very similar siren from top
to bottom except for the motor which was also sub contracted to various electrical companys.
The early Castle castings sirens had a Brooks compton motors of about 7.2 HP rating with a cast iron motor body.
The next stage of motors were made by Hawker Siddely,yes the Jump jet people and there motor was of 5.5Hp rating with a cast alloy
motor housing.

Hear are some pics of one of my original ww2 Gents sirens and a mixture of 1950s 60s Brooks and Hawkers sirens.
If you want to hear the original siren being very noisy then go onto Utube and put in SIREN TEST 009. enjoy
Click to expand...

v. nice indeed - and nice to see a proper WARTIME Gent's siren, not the thinner bodied post-war/cold war sirens, as so often are flogged on ebay as 'genuine' wartime air raid siren'
 
Many thanks,and we will further our discussion about the Gents company as there signalling range
of sirens was realy advanced for the time and would leave most baffled today.

Best phil
 
No wonder i cannot find one of these for love or money, you have them all,,,,,, great post,,,,,,, Dave
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top