Steam roller celebrates 100th anniversary in New Mills

In April 1924 New Mills Town Council purchased a steam roller to work the roads, now a century later the steam roller came out for a special birthday party and was driven around the town.

Gilly Lomas, daughter of the current owner David, said: “I think the fact it is still in New Mills - the very town it was purchased to serve is just wonderful.”

To mark the milestone the Aveling and Porter Earl ‘E’ Ryzer compound steam roller took to the streets of New Mills last week.

Gilly said: “We were out for about three hours. We wanted the children to see it after they had finished school.”

The machine takes 45 minutes to travel a mile but when it reached the Co-Op car park in New Mills the family stopped to have cake and let people take pictures.

The 10 and half ton roller was purchased by the council 100 years ago costing £779 and weighed 10 and half tons.

It remained with New Mills Town Council for 46 years and worked on council projects as well as being hired out for private use.

Gilly said: “It’s got quite a history, it worked at Buxton Fire Station in 1949, Fereodo in 1948 as well as being leased out to other town and parish councils.

In 1969 the steam roller was advertised for sale in the Manchester Evening News and at the World Fair.

It was then bought by A. N. Lawton and F. Hardman in Birch Vale who worked on the roller repairing and maintaining it until they sold it 1987 to David.

Gilly said: “I’ve grown up with it as it was a hobby for my dad.

“It’s a wonderful machine and my dad has spent more than 1,500 carefully replacing parts and tinkering with it.”Now the roller is mostly saved for show but Gilly said it had to come out on its birthday.

She added: “People stop and talk and want to know all about the roller when we take it out and I think it’s still in its rightful home of New Mills after all these years.”