Road Rollers

The need to improve the UK road system saw a number of developments in the 19th century. To allow people to travel more safely and faster, smoother roads were needed and engineers began to develop and devise the tools to make this possible. The road roller began as a horse drawn device, followed by the favorite, the steam roller, seen on British roads for over a century. Several manufacturers including Fowler built hundreds, but no company could challenge Aveling and Porter of Rochester for its dominance of the market. As technology changed, rollers began to get lighter and new ways of propulsion—petrol and diesel came in—and while these continue to this day, the term "steam roller" has entered popular culture, even though motor roller is what the machine will usually be these days. The basic function of a deadweight compacting device remains, but the appeal of the steam roller is far greater—and hundreds survive to this day in the hands enthusiasts, who present them to the public at steam rallies up and down the country. Even diesel and petrol rollers now have their following as they are a very accessible way into the vintage restoration world. This books looks at the past and present of road rollers and the ephemera surrounding the road making scene.