Aveling & Porter

(please expand with additional info on models manufacture and any known preserved machines)

Aveling and Porter Roller "Britannia" (S/N 8548) at Bromyard show 2008

Aveling and Porter was a British steam roller manufacturer. Thomas Aveling and Richard Thomas Porter entered into partnership in 1862, developed a steam engine three years later in 1865 and produced more of the machines than all the other British manufacturers combined.

The partners

Thomas Aveling was born at Elm, Cambridgeshire, in 1824 and was apprenticed to a farmer where he had the opportunity to familiarise himself with the new steam-powered farm machinery of the time. Aveling's interest in engineering led him to set up a business with his father-in-law producing and repairing agricultural machinery. In 1856 they produced the first steam plough.

Richard Thomas Porter ?

The History

In partnership with Porter, the steam roller they produced in 1865 was tested in Hyde Park, London, Military Road, Chatham, Kent and at Star Hill in Rochester, Kent. The machine proved a huge success. Aveling and Porter steam rollers were exported to Europe and as far afield as India and the USA.

In 1919 Aveling and Porter joined the Agricultural & General Engineers (AGE) combine. Production of Aveling and Porter steam wagons was transferred to Richard Garrett & Sons. In 1932 AGE went into receivership, bringing down Aveling and Porter with it.

In 1934, Aveling & Porter combined with Barford & Perkins to form Aveling-Barford which continued to make steam and motor rollers. After World War II the company continued to make motor and steam rollers as well as expanding into other construction equipment. Aveling-Barford is now part of the Thomson group of companies, which also includes Moxy articulated dump trucks.

Another example of Aveling & Porters engineering skills can be seen in the massive covered slips at Chatham Dockyard. These Leviathans of steel pre-date the great London train sheds of St Pancras railway station, King's Cross and Paddington railway station at Paddington —traditionally understood to be the be the oldest and largest steel framed structures of the time.

Preserved Engines

File:Aveling and Porter roller Sarah.JPG

Aveling and Porter roller "Sarah" s/n 9347

Aveling and Porter roller of 1924 NU3041 s/n 10753

Aveling and Porter roller of 1930 s/n14017 Katie SV6022 at Cromford 2008

• Ploughing Engines
  • No.8890, 1918, 8 Hp "Field Marshal Haig"
  • No.8891, 1918, 8 Hp "General Byng"
• Road Locomotives
• Road Rollers
  • No.7385, 1911, 3 hp 4 ton Roller, FC4016 (compact roller) built for Oxford council.
  • No.9347, 19 Roller, "Sarah" L8973
  • No.10596, 1923, 10 ton E type roller
  • No.10753, 1924, 8 ton Compound roller NU 3041 ex New Mills council
  • No.14017, 1930 AB Roller "Katie" SV6022
• Showmans Road Locomotives
• Showmans Tractors
• Traction Engines
• Tractors
  • No.12152, 1928, L type tractor
• Wagons
  • No.9282, 1922, 5 Ton, Lady Fiona

In fiction

Two Aveling and Porter products are found in the Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends TV series based on the books: Minor characters in The Railway Series, George the Steamroller and Railway engines (Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) Fergus the Railway Traction Engine.

See also

• Aveling-Barford
• Aveling Marshall
• Agricultural & General Engineers

References

• Photos of Engines and Rollers

External links

• Industrial Railway Society article on Aveling & Porter industrial locomotives