Basire & Birch

BASIRE & BIRCH were a London firm of model makers who specialised in mechanical models including ships and railways. The identities of Basire and Birch have not been identified but it is thought that Basire was James Basire IV (1822–1883), an engineer, of Lambeth, Surrey, son of an engraver. In addition to arranging civil and mechanical components for the Queensland Southern & Western and Great Northern Railways, Charles FOX as agent and consultant engineer to the Queensland Government also sourced employees and on at least one occasion, in December 1863, was requested by AC FITZGIBBON, Commissioner of Queensland Railways, to arrange for the making of models of locomotives, rolling stock and the Bremer River Bridge. The London Post Office Directory for 1865, contained separate trade listings for model makers and ship modellers, including 11 firms specialising in architectural models. After calling tenders for the supply of models, Fox awarded the contract to Basire & Birch for a locomotive and tender ₤25/0/-; composite carriage ₤20; goods truck ₤8/10/-; and a lattice bridge (Bridge No.1 – road and rail bridge, Bremer River, Ipswich) ₤65. In advising his acceptance of their tender Fox noted that, these not inconsiderable prices, were half the next lowest tender, that Bazire & Birch had great experience in this kind of work and that allowance had to be made for the great speed which was required. When the models were completed, they were escorted by Fox’s son across France to Marseilles, with special approval arranged by the Foreign Office that they would not be opened enroute. From Marseilles, they went overland at Suez and to Queensland through Torres Strait. It is not known what became of the models, but the outside framing of the prefabricated rolling stock influenced RHO ROEHRICHT’s temporary offices in Rockhampton for the Great Northern Railway as a pioneering instance of outside studding which became a popular form of timber construction in Queensland. Basire’s first marriage ended in divorce in 1865 on the grounds of adultery and domestic violence. He remarried in Bristol in 1869 and was listed as a draftsman in 1871.