Sold September 2024 Back to Archive

A 1 1/2 inch scale Aveling DX road roller, built to the pre-war Edgar Westbury design, serialised in "Model Engineer" magazine starting in 1938 as "A working model IC engine-driven road roller".

One of the rarer models we see, we've only had two in the last twenty years, one of those an early stage project. However, it's been worth waiting for this one to come along, an exhibition quality model by a highly experienced engineer whose work has appeared in these pages in the past. Regular readers will remember his 7 1/4 inch gauge GWR 14XX 0-4-2T, as well as the finely built 6 inch scale Ruston steam tractor which we sold back in 2019.

Built to an excellent standard throughout, with the paintwork done in two pack epoxy, a highly durable - and fuel-proof - finish, the same as on the locomotives we build.

The builder remembers running the roller around his garden when new, twenty-five years ago. Stored ever since in its purpose-built storage crate, it was recently unboxed for the first time in many years. Whilst remaining in as-new condition he reports - in the short time spent playing with it - a complete lack of success in getting it to run, despite reportedly having good compression and a cracking spark when run from the pair of 6 volt batteries and coil which are neatly fitted under the canopy.

We suspect - given it's infrequent use, provenance and condition - that the problem is not insurmountable; the engine itself turns over freely, the valves opening and closing in the expected fashion.