aveling & porter steam roller
Ordered from Aveling & Porter by Newcastle upon Tyne Corporation on the 20th February 1920 to works order No 10005 and finally leaving their works on 25th June 1921.She spent her entire working life in and around Newcastle and on retirement in 1962 she was donated to the "North of England Steam Traction Engine Society". When new a tin canopy and scarrifier was fitted but these was removed in preservation along with her owners plates. She was named in preservation with the rather fitting name "Perseverance" .
Classified as a "H" type and and rated at 12 tons she weighs closer to 15 tons, she is the oldest Aveling piston valve compound in the records and the only surviving "H" type. When we acquired her she was in working order but required some further work to bring her up tip top condition. We attended our first rally over the weekend at Berkeley Castle showground between 19th to 21st. We decided to road her there covering the 17 miles in just over five and a half hours.
To compliment our roller restoration is now complete on a Bomford & Evershed roller living van , No 91. An extensive collection of road work memorabilia completes the collection, although we are looking for more old signs.
Here she is at the local Easter Compton carnival as a special guest. After cutting back her paint work and re painting the front forks into traditional Aveling Indian red with red lining to finish the job. The registration plate has been hand painted as she was in her working days, as my mate up north would say "proper job".
At the recent Berkeley rally on display is our "road works display", The Climax wind pump was restored by my son Dan. The pump was set up at half its height for the show and was set up to pump water from an oak barrel sunk into the ground, this exhibit attracted much interest.
Our two living vans, Dan's is on the left and my Bomford & Evershed is beside it. My van is van No 91 and was built between 1920 and 1930. Dan built his van from scratch on to an old hay trailer made locally in the 1940s, both vans have clocked up many road miles.
Another view showing the typical brazier and road signs in use in the 1940s, We towed both vans with our Fordson Standard "N" tractors from 1942, both are "high tops" .
Dan on the left and his brother James on the footplate in the line-up at the Berkeley rally. The Fowler on the right is owned by the Shipton family and is also a compound type.
On the return journey we stopped at the old market town of Thornbury to check the engine over and grab a a much deserved bag of award winning fish and chips. Perseverance, the two vans and the Fordson created much interest.