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249:. A number of Robey & Co. tandem rollers were modified to make a further variant, the tri-tandem, which was a tandem with a third roll, mounted directly behind the rear one. Robey supplied the parts, but the modification was undertaken by Goodes of Royston. Ten tandem and two tri-tandem Robey rollers survive in preservation, and one of the tri-tandems is known to have been used to construct parts of the
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is extended forward substantially at the top to incorporate a support plate on which to mount the bearing for the roller assembly. This gives the distinctive, hooded look to the front of a steam roller. It also necessitates a different design of smokebox door β it has to hinge up or down, rather than
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steam roller, registration no. DM3079. Built in 1912, it was a 10-ton slide-valve, single-cylinder, 4-shaft, road roller. Originally named "Allison", after his first wife, Fred renamed the engine "Betsy" (his mother's name) following his divorce β Fred's view being "wives may change but your mother
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The most obvious difference is in the wheels. Traction engines were generally built with large fabricated spoked steel wheels with wide rims. Those intended for road use would have continuous solid rubber tyres bolted around the rims, to improve traction on tarmac. Engines intended for agricultural
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chief engineer said of one of these, that "in one day's rolling at a cost of 10 dollars, as much work was accomplished as in two days' rolling with a 7 ton roller drawn by eight horses at a cost of 20 dollars a day." The heavier rollers were found to be hard to handle and the weight of the machines
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Before about 1850, the word steamroller meant a fixed machine for rolling and curving steel plates for boilers and ships. From then on, it also meant a mobile device for flattening ground. An early steamroller was patented by Louis
Lemoine in France in 1859 and demonstrated sometime before February
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as many traction engine manufacturers later produced rollers based on their existing designs, and the patents owned by certain roller manufacturers tended to influence the general arrangements used by others. The key difference between the two vehicles is that on a roller the main roll replaces the
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The majority of rollers were of the same basic 3-roll configuration, gear-driven, with two large smooth wheels (rolls) at the back and a single wide roll at the front (in actuality, the wide roll usually consisted of two narrower rolls on the same axle, to make steering easier). However, there was
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In 1867, the steam road roller was patented and the company began production of the first practical steam roller β the new machine's rollers were mounted at the front instead of the back and it weighed in excess of 30 tons. It was tested on the
Military Road in
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that anything
Pratchett had been working on at the time of his death should be destroyed by a steamroller. Pratchett's daughter and literary executor Rhianna Pratchett also stated that she had no desire to try to finish her father's work or continue the
205:. The move to asphalt for road construction resulted in the demand for steamrollers that could rapidly reverse so they could roll the tar while still hot. Machines that could do this were introduced in the first decade of the 20th century.
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Steam rollers, on the other hand, had smooth rear wheels and a roller at the front. The roller consisted of a pair of adjacent wide cylinders supported at both ends. This replaced the separate wheels and axle of a traction engine.
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was the first to successfully sell the product commercially and subsequently became the largest manufacturer in
Britain. In 1866 they produced a prototype roller with 3 foot-wide rollers fitted to the rear of a standard 12
295:
opening sideways, due to the limited access available. Access to the boiler tubes for cleaning is limited and the brush usually has to be inserted through the small gap between the top of the roll and the fork.
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A variation of the basic configuration was the "convertible": an engine which could be either a steam roller or a traction engine and could be changed from one form to the other in a relatively short time β
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was made using steam rollers. A few steam rollers were being used for road maintenance in the early 1970s, and this may go some way to explaining why diesel-powered rollers are still colloquially known as
479:, demonstrations of road building using the old techniques, tools and machines are re-enacted by 'Road Gangs' in authentic dress. Steam rollers feature prominently in these demonstrations. The annual
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use would have a series of strakes bolted diagonally across the rims, like the tread on a modern pneumatic tractor tyre, and the wheels were typically wider to spread the load more evenly.
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In the conventional arrangement, the front roller is mounted centrally, forward of the chimney. In order to allow enough clearance from the boiler (and hence a larger front roll), the
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307:. As the vehicle moved along, these removed any surface material that had become stuck to the roll, to prevent a build-up of material and ensure a flat finish was maintained.
261:, less than half a day. Convertible engines were liked by local authorities, since the same machine could be used for haulage in the winter and road-mending in the summer.
535:
remains your mother!" This roller was featured in many of Fred's early television programmes. It may still be seen at steam rallies in
Britain and was in steam at the
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Although most steam roller designs are derived from traction engines, and were manufactured by the same companies, there are a number of features that set them apart.
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was known as a national institution in Great
Britain for the conservation of steam rollers and traction engines. The first engine he restored to working order was an
433:
In the UK, a number of companies owned fleets of steam rollers and contracted them out to local authorities. Many were still in use into the 1960s, and part of the
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made a roller variant of their farm engines, but had a small market share. Other nations had makers including the Czechs, Swiss, Swedes, Germans (notably
849:
510:) is the name of the popular Croatian and Yugoslav rock band, and the group has used the name Steam Roller on their English language releases.
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mounted on the tender box at the rear. They could be swung down to road level and used to rip up the old surface before a road was remade.
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Other side of same roller showing offset driving position: driver faces boiler controls (i.e. 'backwards') and steers with right hand
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fitted in a girder frame with rolls and a chain drive to produce a quick-reversing roller suitable for modern road surfaces such as
197:
Aveling & Porter refined their product continuously over the following decades, introducing fully steerable front rollers and
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165:. This experimental machine was described by local papers as 'the world's first steamroller' and it caused a public spectacle.
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A number of steamrollers ended their working lives in children's playgrounds to provide something for children to play on.
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99:β a type of heavy construction machinery used for leveling surfaces, such as roads or airfields β that is powered by a
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and the machine proved a huge success. Within a year, they were being exported around the world, including to France,
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franchise without him. Accordingly, Pratchett's assistant Rob
Wilkins brought Pratchett's computer hard drive to the
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30:
This article is about steam-powered road rollers. For informal use of the term that also includes other types, see
1026:β UK-based society dedicated to the preservation of steam (and motor) rollers and ancillary road-making equipment.
577:, as it was huge in size, and Russia initiated the war with an offensive. The "Russian Steamroller" is one of the
103:. The leveling/flattening action is achieved through a combination of the size and weight of the vehicle and the
48:
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and partner W.F. Batho. Having failed to impress the
British municipal road authorities it was transferred to
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front wheels and axle that would be fitted to a traction engine, and the driving wheels are smooth-tired.
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also a distinctive variant, the "tandem", which had two wide rolls, one front, one rear. Those made by
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television series; George and Buster, both of whom are based on the
Aveling-Barford R class design.
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has a section dedicated to road-making machinery, including a line-up of working steam rollers.
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Many steam rollers are preserved in working order, and can be seen in operation during special
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1032:β world's oldest surviving traction engine: immediate ancestor of Aveling's earliest rollers.
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107:: the smooth wheels and the large cylinder or drum fitted in place of treaded road wheels.
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frequently refers to road rollers in general, regardless of the method of propulsion.
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The steamroller has a strong symbolism of an irresistible, onward-pushing force. The
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manufactured the first successful steamrollers. Pictured is the model "Britannia".
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Britain was a major exporter of steam rollers over the years, with the firm of
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design with tandem rolls. Note position of firebox door, facing out of frames.
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321:β a bar mounted on the back of the roller. This was not a common fixture.
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built steam rollers, but after
Aveling and Porter, the most popular were
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Two different steamrollers appear as prominent characters in the
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1861. In Britain, a 30-ton steamroller was designed in 1863 by
979:"Terry Pratchett's unfinished novels destroyed by steamroller"
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builders of steam rollers, but better known for motor rollers.
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Two popular American bands were named after steamrollers,
110:
The majority of steam rollers are outwardly similar to
463:
A road-making demonstration at Great Dorset Steam fair
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probably being the most famous and the most prolific.
850:"Tri-tandem roller 45655 of 1930 - The Robey Trust"
746:Transactions of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts
636:β nickname for another type of compaction vehicle.
303:The front and rear rolls were usually fitted with
224:tandem roller #42693, now owned by the Robey Trust
948:. Belgrade: self-released / Makart. p. 223.
836:"Tandem roller 42693 of 1925 - The Robey Trust"
744:Proudfoot, David. C (1883). "On Road rolling".
830:
828:
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807:Traction Engines Two Centuries of Steam Power
782:Traction Engines Two Centuries of Steam Power
8:
874:. Bedford Steam Engine Preservation Society
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773:
739:
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72:from early 20th century. On display at the
872:Bedfordshire Steam & Country Fair 2005
561:, where a steamroller was driven over it.
367:) and Dutch which produced steam rollers.
1042:The New England Wireless and Steam Museum
475:may also be displayed. At some of the UK
54:Ruston Proctor steamroller (road roller)
1044:Buffalo-Springfield Steam Macadam Roller
700:. Crosby Lockwood and Sons. p. 321.
920:"Life working for steam roller company"
652:
369:
784:. Silverdale Books. pp. 117β118.
310:Some steam rollers were fitted with a
977:Convery, Stephanie (30 August 2017).
698:The Construction of Roads and Streets
425:A former Bedfordshire County Council
7:
573:was nicknamed "steamroller" during
1038:β The story of Betsy's restoration
946:Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960-2023
357:Buffalo-Springfield Roller Company
25:
852:. The Robey Trust. Archived from
809:. Silverdale Books. p. 119.
720:. Crowood Press. pp. 54β55.
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392:
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61:
47:
194:was reduced to around 10 tons.
918:Davis, Joanna (31 July 2019).
897:. Crowood Press. p. 124.
868:"Steam Road Rollers (Gallery)"
607:History of steam road vehicles
208:Production ended around 1950.
1:
411:An early "Kemna" Steamroller
338:traction engine manufacturers
1036:Fred Dibnah's roller 'Betsy'
546:instructed his collaborator
150:where it continued to work.
36:Steamroller (disambiguation)
959:Fred Dibnahs roller 'Betsy'
766:. Farm Collector. May 1990.
661:"Definition of Steamroller"
629:List of steam energy topics
625:β for other types of roller
526:and engineering enthusiast
471:festivals, where operating
1089:
944:JanjatoviΔ, Petar (2024).
764:"Steam Rollers in Britain"
696:Clark, D. Kinnear (1890).
685:Known in Australia in 1856
617:Roller (agricultural tool)
34:. For all other uses, see
29:
893:Ranieri, Malcolm (2005).
716:Ranieri, Malcolm (2005).
379:United States-built 1924
189:and the United States. A
27:Steam powered road roller
964:16 December 2006 at the
805:Burton, Anthony (2000).
780:Burton, Anthony (2000).
342:Marshall, Sons & Co.
317:Another accessory was a
1017:Road Roller Association
665:www.merriam-webster.com
623:Roller (disambiguation)
559:Great Dorset Steam Fair
537:Great Dorset Steam Fair
481:Great Dorset Steam Fair
477:steam fairs and rallies
203:Royal Agricultural Show
1058:Construction equipment
640:Thomas Green & Son
464:
430:
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199:compound steam engines
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895:Traction Engine Album
718:Traction Engine Album
571:Imperial Russian Army
462:
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359:was a large builder.
350:Wallis & Steevens
346:John Fowler & Co.
219:
133:
1063:Engineering vehicles
532:Aveling & Porter
516:Thomas & Friends
500:Mannheim Steamroller
427:Aveling & Porter
233:used their standard
1073:Steam road vehicles
591:double-headed eagle
496:Buffalo Springfield
381:Buffalo Springfield
1022:7 May 2016 at the
838:. The Robey Trust.
619:β for farm rollers
465:
431:
331:Aveling and Porter
226:
160:nominal horsepower
155:Aveling and Porter
139:
135:Aveling and Porter
74:Gangaramaya Temple
70:Aveling and Porter
1068:Road construction
634:Paddy's motorbike
585:, along with the
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299:Special equipment
16:(Redirected from
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1030:"Steam Dinosaur"
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856:on 22 July 2011.
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245:and bituminous
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998:17 September
996:. Retrieved
984:The Guardian
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927:. Retrieved
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854:the original
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668:. Retrieved
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587:Russian bear
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504:Parni Valjak
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485:
473:scale models
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446:Preservation
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305:scraper bars
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201:at the 1881
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153:The company
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101:steam engine
93:steam roller
92:
88:
86:
40:
929:21 December
924:Dorset Echo
565:As a symbol
548:Neil Gaiman
528:Fred Dibnah
524:steeplejack
508:Steamroller
435:M1 motorway
336:Many other
319:tar sprayer
251:M1 motorway
237:engine and
235:steam wagon
120:steamroller
97:road roller
89:steamroller
32:road roller
1052:Categories
904:1861267940
878:8 February
816:1856055337
791:1856055337
752:: 579β586.
727:1861267940
647:References
595:Mat Zemlya
469:live steam
361:J. I. Case
243:tarmacadam
993:0261-3077
554:Discworld
539:in 2011.
312:scarifier
179:Hyde Park
175:Rochester
118:The word
18:Steamroll
1020:Archived
962:Archived
601:See also
522:British
506:(trans.
292:smokebox
286:Smokebox
670:2 March
542:Author
247:asphalt
177:and in
171:Chatham
148:Kolkata
126:History
78:Colombo
991:
901:
813:
788:
724:
583:Russia
348:, and
273:Wheels
183:London
440:steam
417:Usage
365:Kemna
222:Robey
220:1925
187:India
105:rolls
1000:2023
989:ISSN
931:2022
899:ISBN
880:2007
811:ISBN
786:ISBN
722:ISBN
672:2019
593:and
498:and
259:i.e.
91:(or
581:of
76:in
1054::
987:.
981:.
922:.
870:.
825:^
772:^
750:10
748:.
736:^
706:^
663:.
597:.
589:,
502:.
352:.
344:,
253:.
181:,
87:A
1002:.
933:.
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80:.
38:.
20:)
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