Peel Street parade to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the West Tamworth 508, as well as the dawn of a new era with South Tamworth 448 to open next year

On Sunday September 8 Peel Street will be transformed into a crimson tinted time warp, as the city stope to honour the 508 Station's 50^th anniversary, while also marking the end of an era and the start of a new one.

On September 9 1969 the 508 was opened as "a back-up station to the station in town", so the service could have both sides of town covered, especially in case the river flooded and split the city. Two days later the station got their first call - a grass fire.

Since 1969 the population on the south side of the river, and the north, has exploded, and spread, which is why in the coming months the first sod will be turned on the state-of-the-art $5 million South Tamworth 448 Station.

The new station, on Ringers Road, is estimated to open in July 2020, and when it does the 508 will be redundant, and confined to the history books.

Brian 'Howdy' Howard is one of only three captains to have served at the 508 in those fifty years, following foundation captain Col Graham, and current captain Carl Dunn, who took over earlier this year.

For Mr Howard, the parade will serve as a fitting end "to one of the most unique stations in the state."

"I will always remember the 508 as a great place of mateship - a real fellowship - and just a great place to be," he said.

"It stood the test of time, and served its purpose perfectly, so while it will be sad to see it close the new station will be a real step ahead."

In the early days, the 508 would only receive around 100 call-outs a year, and, according to Mr Howard were promised a new, larger station when that reached 150.

"In 1994 when I took over we were doing 170 a year, and just before I retired we were doing 800 call-outs a year," he said.

"While the times, the training, the uniforms and equipment, and the call-outs have changed over the years, fires are still hot and just as dangerous, and making sure everyone gets back on the truck and home safely was always the main priority."

In saying that, Howdy will always fondly remember "the good old days", as will original captain Mr Graham, who will proudly be up front for the parade alongside Mr Howard and Mr Dunn.

Rob Eckersley first joined Fire and Rescue NSW on March 19 1973, becoming just the eighth member of the 508 less than four years after the station opened its doors.

The builder, come firefighter, has a helmet for every decade served, and while he remembers the early days well, he has no plans on hanging up his latest piece anytime soon.

"It was only a small station to start with, I used to be able to cut across the paddock here (now the site of Coles South Tamworth) and pull up next to the station - can't do that anymore," he said.

"I was one of the ones that grew up starting fires, and then got in the game to put them out."

Mr Eckersley has lived and served through every change to the 508 station, the service, and the city they protect since the station was established.

"Years ago you couldn't get in to the service, there was a waiting list - I was on the list for a year before I got a start," he said.

"For the first 20 years we had the same members, but these days we turn over members left right and centre."

While grass fires continue to account for a large majority of call-outs, the location of the fires has certainly changed.

"We used to go to grass fires just down the road, but that is now Woodburn Avenue and Links Avenue, and now we have extended right down to Coledale, which is where we get the majority of our fires."

For the past two decades Mr Eckersley has become heavily involved in the Firefighting Championships, which account for many of his favourite memories of the 508, and the service.

Tamworth will host the Australasian Firefighting Championships in October.

This time next year South Tamworth will boast "not only one of the biggest, but also the best" fire station in the state, with the first sod expected to be turned in the coming months.

The new, 4000 square metre station, to be built on Ringers Road opposite the Longyard Hotel, will house the full contingent of appliances, equipment and staff from the West Tamworth station, with

It will be the third of its kind built in the state, with the "headquarters of the region" also incorporating the zone office, accommodation, and a training facility.

Zone Commander Tom Cooper said the new facility will future-proof and protect the growing Tamworth community for the next 50 years.

"This new station comes without compromise, and will be one of the best in Australia, and will offer Tamworth the best fire protection there is," he said.

"It will have four engine bays, round the clock firefighter accommodation, and retained firefighter accommodation - new name, new number, new start."

The West Tamworth 508 parade and BBQ will make its way down Peel Street from 11am on Sunday September 8.