Bristol Heritage is kept ship-shape - Apollo fashion!
Apollo Fire Detectors, which celebrates its 25 th
anniversary this year, is helping to keep landmark sites throughout
the city of Bristol ship-shape. Multi Alarm GB, one of Apollo's
first customers, is largely responsible for the success of their
fire detectors in the Bristol area. They are currently part of a
£10.5 million project to restore Brunel's SS Great Britain - the
world's first ocean going, propeller-driven iron ship - as a major
tourist attraction.
"Apollo-based fire detection systems
have proved so popular over the years that it is virtually
impossible to look in any direction from Bristol city centre
without seeing a building fitted with Apollo devices," commented
Neil Skuse, chairman of Multi Alarm GB. As well as numerous student
accommodation blocks and new commercial buildings around Bristol,
Apollo applications include historic and civic structures such as
the Council House, the Central Library, the City Museum and Bristol
Cathedral.
The Council House was begun in 1938, but not completed until
well after the Second World War. It was officially opened by the
Queen in 1965. As the seat of local government, the building not
only houses the Council Chamber, but also the Lord Mayor's
Reception Room. Multi Alarm GB equipped the building with a
networked fire detection system that incorporates 680 Apollo
Discovery intelligent fire detectors and devices, including beam
detectors.
Bristol's Central Library was designed by Charles Holden and is
an important architectural example of the Modern Movement. The
current building dates from the early 20 th century, although
Bristol can claim to have one of the earliest public libraries in
England, founded in 1613. The Library has recently been refurbished
to meet DDA requirements. A new fire detection system based on
Apollo XP95 analogue addressable fire detectors was installed at
the same time. The fire system comprises a four loop IFAX control
panel and 260 addressable devices. It was designed in consultation
with English Heritage.
The City Museum and Art Gallery is housed in an Edwardian
Baroque-style building. The listed structure and its contents are
protected by around 440 Apollo XP95 devices, and an eight-loop
control panel.
Bristol Cathedral is a site of great historical interest. There
has been a church on the site for over 1,000 years: the original
building was an abbey church dedicated to St Augustine the Great.
The church became a cathedral in the Reformation in 1540 and was
re-dedicated to The Holy and Undivided Trinity. The current
structure includes the Chapter House, dating from the Norman
period, and a Mediaeval Choir with intricate wooden carvings. The
Western towers and the nave date from the 19 th century.
In addition to providing adequate fire protection for this
historic site, Multi Alarm GB had to take into account the fact
that the Cathedral is a living church. The fire detection system,
which is based on Apollo XP95 fire detectors, includes an air
sampling unit and has a special "incense mode" that allows church
services where incense is burnt to proceed without triggering false
alarms.
Other historic sites in Bristol protected with Apollo fire
detection systems include Protheroes Warehouse, a 19 th century
building now converted into offices and apartments, and Brunel
House, the first hotel built to cater specifically for railway
passengers.
However, it is the Colston Hall in Bristol that contains a
little piece of Apollo history. This auditorium has a Grade II
listed façade of Bristol Byzantine brick and tile work. Sixteen
years ago Multi Alarm GB equipped the building with a fire
detection system based on Series 90, Apollo's first range of
analogue addressable fire detectors. It was the first analogue
addressable system that Multi Alarm GB had installed and made the
Colston Hall one of the first buildings in the UK to be protected
with the new technology. The system is still in full working
order!
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