Waterous 12t Steam Roller Engine Run

A closer look at the working parts of the only Waterous 12t road roller operating in the world today. Built in 1912 by the Waterous Engine Works Company of Brantford, Ontario, this twin cylinder steam road roller became one of the first rollers of it's type to be shipped to the Canadian West. Owned and operated by the town of Fernie, British Columbia, it worked building and maintaining roads in the area until the early 1950's when it was retired from service and, some ten years later, sold to the Glenbow Foundation and moved to Calgary, Alberta. After unsuccessfully attempting to get it running it was once again sold in 1966, this time to Heritage Park of Calgary, where it sat more or less untouched as a static display until 2016 when a concerted effort to restore it began. The boiler was thoroughly inspected, piping, valves and gauges updated, engine overhauled and adjusted, a new roof built, and an original paint job applied. She is now the only Canadian manufactured 12 ton unit of her type operating in the world today. Power is delivered from a single expansion double cylinder engine working through a two speed gear selector. In addition to packing road surfaces, the roller could be fitted with a belt pulley for powering various road building equipment such as rock crushers or asphalt mixers. The rear wheels could be fitted with steel spikes for ripping up old road surfaces to make way for new ones. Waterous manufactured the double cylinder roller in 10, 12 and 15 ton sizes. Engine output is stated as 30bhp. Steering is fitted to the left hand side of the operators platform, a departure from normal convention, and operates a double chain capstan via a worm gear for pivoting the front roller. A special thanks to the staff of Heritage Park of Calgary for undertaking the task of breathing life back into this magnificent machine once again.


Song: a grain of sand in sandwich
Artist: 今堀恒雄
Album: 劇場版 TRIGUN Badlands Rumble O.S.T