Firefighters are settling into their new state-of-the-art station in Orpington, 18 months after work began.

One crew has been operating from a temporary station built at the rear of the existing site in Avalon Road since January last year and Beckenham fire station hosted another.

Both crews moved into their new home on Wednesday morning (July 1).

The construction is part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project involving nine older London fire stations being replaced by state-of-the-art buildings.

Bromley borough commander Daniel Cartwright, said: “The former Orpington Fire Station no longer met the demands of a modern fire and rescue service.

"The new station will provide us with facilities fit for the 21st century and reinforces our commitment to providing the best possible service to Londoners."

The building has traditional eating and washing facilities, lecture and study rooms and a community room and fire safety information points available to the public.

The temporary station in the rear yard is to be replaced with a four storey training tower, which will complete the construction.