Steam Roller — Handmade Metal Model

A steam road roller in hand-formed iron — boiler, chimney, canopy, flywheel and the enormous smooth front roll.

Handcrafted and hand-painted, with rolling wheels and full period machinery detail.

Details

• Handcrafted iron construction
• Rolling wheels and front roll
• Hand-painted with applied detail
• Boiler, chimney, canopy, flywheel and steering detail
• Ready to display

The machine

Steam rollers built the roads that killed them. Before tarmac, road surfaces were compacted broken stone, and a roller heavy enough to bind it needed an engine heavy enough to move itself — steam was the only practical answer for decades.

The distinctive front roll steers by pivoting, which on a machine weighing ten tons requires a chain-and-worm arrangement and a great many turns of the wheel. Aveling and Porter of Rochester built more of them than anyone; their rampant horse badge is still recognised by preservationists.