Fowler Road Roller

Nut Roast

No 16436, Reg. SA 8439

built by John Fowler & Co. (Leeds) Ltd, in 1925.

The engine was ordered on the 17^th March 1925 by Aberdeen County Council. Its specification is a DN1, 10 Ton, 5 N.H.P., compound Tar Spraying Roller. It was delivered on the 28^th May 1925 and fitted with Fowler-Woods tar spraying gear, a differential, rope drum, fairleads, wheel rim brakes, and ½ Canopy. It was also supplied with two patent gritting machines, and a Hecla tar boiler.

The engine with a 10% discount cost £1171.0.0, the gritters were £360.0.0 each and the tar boiler £114.0.0.

On the 16^th May 1925, photographs of this engine were taken and they survive in the archive at the Rural History Centre at Reading University. These photos were used by Fowler in their publicity material.

Below can be seen the front page from one of Fowler’s catalogues showing the engine and gritter.

This publication explains the whole tar spraying process with accompanying pictures.

 The system consists of the Steam Roller, on which is mounted a tar tank, pump and distributing jets for spraying tar, or bitumen mixtures on the road surface. Behind the roller is hauled the Gritting Machine, which spreads the stone chippings, grit, or sand evenly over the coated surface. After each spray the roller would be uncoupled and rolled over the surface to consolidate the newly laid material.

 The engine spent it’s working life until retiring in 1968 with four other engines supplied by Fowler. When purchased by tender by a gentleman from Yorkshire, the engine was still in running order, minus the tar spraying gear, although it had gained a ¾ length canopy.

 The engine lived in Yorkshire till the early 1990s, it then moved to Cheshire where it was purchased by the present owner in 1998.

During the winter of 2005/6 the engine had an overhaul of the gears. The engine was stripped down, and the gears sent to Charles Leek & Sons Ltd. They manufactured five new gears, re-cut two,  re-fitted the gears to all the associated shafts, and re-cut splines and keyways where necessary. 

Below are some photos of dismantling, the new gears, and the rebuild.

Full gear train	Past welding up!!!
Flywheel side	Cutting of one of the new gears photo: Charles Leek & Sons Ltd
Old and new gears, and associated shafts photo: Charles Leek & Sons Ltd	Fitting the second shaft and top gear
Driving home the top gear on the crank shaft	Casting new lead infill on crankshaft balance weight
Drawing off a gear 1/4/06	All shafts fitted 09/09/06
Re-painted tender side 09/09/06	First Trip Out 16/09/06