A nice original 2nd pattern Rochdale Fire Brigade cap badge issued from 1958 until 1974 when the brigade merged into the newly formed Greater Manchester County Fire Service. 
These 2nd pattern Rochdale County Borough Fire Brigade cap badges are very desireable to collectors because they are distictly different from the majority red ring cap badges used by many brigades of the post war period. Many original badges ended up on axe retirement boards & also swallowed up by the collectors of the time and since. Being a small brigade with just one fire station covering 15 square miles of the Rochdale area these smaller county borough cash strapped brigades only ordered minimum batches for issue. So when originals do come out for sale they are quickly snapped up by the many new collectors of today who struggle to find ortiginal badges for their collections. I obtain these by actively buying up whole collections, usually only to obtain a few very rare badges or variations i dont have. I offer the spares to my many visitors & have gained a great "fan base" since starting this little hobby website in 2013 to sell off a few spares. I have the largest current known British Fire Brigade cap badge collection in either private or public hands..collecting since joining London Fire Brigade in 1980 & have amassed thousands of spares buying in whole collections since 1982. I am pleased to offer these rarer spares to my growing "fan club" & have made many new collecting friends both in UK & abroad since starting this little hobby website in 2013. 
This cap badge is the 2nd pattern of Rochdale & has the enamel centre fixed to the standard issue fully pressed Home Office star, both cap fixing lugs intact to the rear of the badge & show signs of bering worn on a cap .