Traction Engines & Recollections Aveling & Porter of Rochester

Aveling & Porter as a firm are justly famed for their steam road rollers, and, whilst other manufacturers made rollers, some in high numbers, it is the Aveling with which the public identify as the humble road making steam engine which came down every road and street, until superseded by modern technology. Thomas Aveling, a farmer interested in engineering, started an agricultural machinery repair shop in 1850 in Rochester, Kent. In 1862 Richard Porter brought capital and his name to the firm which from then on became Aveling & Porter Ltd. Aveling & Porter besides their famous steam rollers made ploughing engines, portables, agricultural traction engines, steam tractors, road locomotives and showmans engines, wagons and a full range of agricultural equipment. The road roller side of the business was bought by Barfords, and Aveling-Barford Ltd of Grantham continued to make steam rollers, and eventually internal combustion engined rollers to recent times. 48 pages softback.