Steam Rollers in Preservation

Steam rollers began to be manufactured during the 1860s, and it was Thomas Aveling who perfected the most common three-point design with a wide steerable roll at the front and a roll either side at the rear. His company, Aveling & Porter, became the largest manufacturer of steam rollers, although most other traction engine builders also produced designs – some of which were quite innovative. They were the last type of steam-powered road vehicle in general use, some remaining in service until the mid-1960s. Consequently, many hundreds have survived into preservation and can regularly be seen at rallies and other events. This book illustrates many of the examples from different makers that can be seen in Britain and tells of their history into preservation.

Born in 1952, Malcolm Batten has lived in East London all his life, and has always had an interest in the local transport scene and the history of Newham. After a boyhood of trainspotting, he started taking photographs in 1969. Since then he has recorded the local buses and railways, in an area which has seen enormous change.