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Chartered mechanical design engineer Matt Garwood loves nothing better than spending his spare time elbow-deep in soot and oil maintaining, restoring and exhibiting his 1891-built Aveling & Porter 10-ton steamroller and other vintage machinery.
Garwood helps to organise events through the East Anglian Traction Engine Society, and also gets involved with local community functions such as promoting engineering and heritage at local fetes and primary schools.
“Speed was not an issue back in 1891 and the roller only travels at 3mph, so taking her out tends to involve a lot of logistical planning,” he says. “We tend to travel around 20 miles from home in any one journey – which takes seven hours' travelling time plus two hours beforehand raising steam.
“We have also taken her further afield a few times, such as down to the biggest rally in the country in Dorset, but that involves putting her on a lorry.”
Garwood inherited his love of vintage machinery from his father, who also restored a traction engine which they exhibited as a family.
“My earliest memories are of spending time with my father, my hands covered in soot, oil and grease, getting involved in the maintenance of these historic machines and loving it,” he says.
“After university I was able to purchase my own steamroller, and we now exhibit both machines. I am now doing exactly the same with my own children, who are actively involved and equally interested.”
Behind the scenes there is always something to do to keep these old machines going. Maintenance may involve cleaning the boiler from the soot and clinker of previous runs, machining new motion pins or bearings to replace another item in the long list, or a heavy-duty job such as re-bushing wheels, boiler maintenance, or similar.
“Luckily, the roller is kept at my home which makes these jobs much easier, and my own children can get involved and hopefully carry on the hobby into the next generation,” says Garwood.
More information about the East Anglian Traction Engine Society can be found at www.eates.org
Do you have an interesting mechanical engineering-related hobby? Email liz.wells@caspianmedia.com