Marshall Steam Road Roller British Bombay Municipality, 1914 PC
A 1914 postcard displays a Marshall Steam Road Roller owned by the Bombay Municipality during the British era. Steam road rollers had played a key role in the construction and repair of roads in the past. It appeared in the scene, perhaps in the mid-19th century. However, as the use of internal combustion engines improved, petrol and diesel-operated road rollers progressively replaced the steam road rollers.
Pictured in this postcard is a steam road roller made by Marshall Sons & Co. of England. It was in use by the Bombay city authorities, perhaps the Municipality, to work on the city roads. Here, it seems to have worked on the Queens Road, which borders the Oval Maidan during the early 19th century. Bombay’s famous Rajabai Clock Tower is seen standing tall in the background.
To see postcards on the watering of the Oval Maidan road, go to – Watering The Oval Maidan Bombay – 2 Pcs 1910. Read more on Road rollers.
Did you know – before mechanized road rollers came into the scene, elephants, bullocks, and even horses were used for pulling the heavy roller.
Past posts – 11 Picture Postcards On Raja Ravi Varma Oil Paintings., European Lady At The Golf Course Secunderabad, 1917 Photo., Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Cavalcade – Old Print 1888., Ancient India West of The Ganges, Old Map 1683 .
