About Road Rollers

Steam rollers were a mainstay of steam production from their invention in the 1860's right up until the Second World War, some were even produced for overseas markets after this date.

Road roller production was dominated by Aveling & Porter of Strood in Kent. Their production was more than all the other makers combined. Other producers included Burrell, Fowler and Wallis & Steevens. Rollers could range from very small engines of around 5 tons used for rolling pavements to large 15 ton plus engines used in the North of England.

The job of the road roller was to roll crushed stone into a base which formed roads of the day, these roads were more primitive than what we are used to today. Later special road rollers were developed to roll asphalt surfaces without leaving impressions which older rollers could not do.

This area will be expanded soon.