Further to my earlier post about the converted Catholic Boys' School Penryn in Somerset Road, I can add some further information.
In 1941 The Fire Service was Nationalised and Birmingham became part of the National Fire Service 24th Area Fire Force with the Headquarters at A1 Central Corporation Street. The "C" Division Headquarters was at C1 Albion Street, and C3 W, Harborne (Rose Road), and Penryn (Somerset Road) became C3 Y.
Following the Bombing of Birmingham in 1940 & 1941 Concern was expressed as to the Fire Protection of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital due to being in a relatively isolated area, and although there was a Canal nearby the local terrain did not lend itself to Fire Service Pumping.
Therefore, a further solution had to be found, and a relative area of flat land was found in a Housing development on Hintlesham Avenue, Harborne, and a Concrete Basin was constructed on what had been the plots for Two Large Houses & Gardens
it took Two Days to fill the Basin (this was done by the Crews on Duiy at Penryn) fed from Hydrants and static Water in the Area, (Sadly during the Operation, the Station adopted Dog "Goffe" got into the Basin and drowned).
A 6-inch Pipeline was built (Using Crews from Penryn) from the Basin to the QE Hospital the whole operation took about Two Weeks.........It was tested OK, but never used in anger!, and was all dismantled, after the War, and now Two Luxury Homes occupy the site of the Basin!... With no trace of its Wartime use!,
Around the end of 1945 "Penryn" C3 Y, Fire Station was closed and the wartime temporary buildings were dismantled, bye 1950 I lost contact with the area, I have been back several times but no trace of the Wartime occupation could be found anywhere in the area, however, it played a very important part of the Fire Protection in that part of Birmingham during the War years. John C. Thompson Watime NFS Messenger Stn C3 Rose Road Harborne.