At first glance, it looks like a rickety old crate or a trolley whose wheels have rotted off.
But this fire pump, dating back to 1858, is one of the oldest fire appliances in Britain – and it is based in Banchory.
The device – which firefighters had to operate by hand during the Victorian era – is emblazoned with the name Banks O’Dee.
And now, a fundraising campaign has been launched to restore the machine, which was built by the famous London-based company Mason and Shand, to its former glory, after the pump was passed on by retired Aberdeen firefighters Dennis Scott and Alistair Murison to the Rotary Club of Banchory-Ternan.
Mr Murison said: “This is a piece of history and we think it was gifted to the town by one of the landowners in the region at the time.
“You are going back to a period when there was no national fire service and local communities had to organise their own safety vehicles.
“Dennis purchased the fire pump from the estate of former owner, George Strathdee junior, with the intention of restoring it. But we realise that this won’t be done quickly or cheaply.
“However, I think it is worth getting behind the project. Another pump – named “Merryweather” – by a different maker is on permanent display at Culter Heritage Centre.
“It dates back to 1866, and attracts plenty of interest from those who visit the centre.
“But the Banks O’Dee is even older, it has strong connections to the north-east of Scotland, and it is definitely well worth preserving.”
Mr Murison estimated it would cost thousands of pounds to restore the pump, but has not been put off by the challenge.
He added: “Banchory people are proud of their history and heritage and I believe this is part of it.
“We will need to talk to a wheelwright about bringing their expertise on board, and I think that we have to press on with this project as soon as we can. But I’m confident we will do so.”