Babcock & Wilcox Road Roller & Romany Caravan
This Babcock & Wilcox six ton road roller was built in 1926. The firm of Babcock & Wilcox was a large industrial engineering company with many interests. The company took over and subsequently closed or sold off many firms. The main business was process plant and boilers. Today as Babcock International, the successor to the original Babcock and Wilcox Company is a company engaged in the design, engineering, manufacture, service and construction of power generation and pollution control systems and equipment for utilities and industries. The Parent group is an American corporation, with a British arm, and several other overseas subsidiaries.
Behind is a Romany caravan or vardo (also known as living wagon, van, and caravan) which was a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by British Romanichal Travellers as their home. The vehicle is typically highly decorated, intricately carved, brightly painted, and even gilded. The Romanichal Traveller (Gypsy) tradition of the vardo is seen as a high cultural point of both artistic design and a masterpiece of woodcrafter's art. The heyday of the caravan lasted for roughly 70 years, from the mid-1800s through the first two decades of the twentieth century. Not used for year-round living today, they are shown at the cultural gatherings held throughout the year, the best known of which is Appleby Horse Fair.
This exhibit was in Bicton Countryside Museum which is located within the 63 acre (25.5ha) of the world famous Bicton Park Botanical Gardens. The museum’s origins date from the mid 1950’s when post-war Britain was undergoing immense social, economic and industrial change. Even in rural Devon the effects were being felt, particularly in agriculture, where mechanisation and the need for greater productivity and efficiency was threatening an end to horse power and manual labour.
www.steamscenes.org.uk/engines/babcock-wilcox/road-roller...
tractors.fandom.com/wiki/Babcock_%26_Wilcox
www.visitdevon.co.uk/things-to-do/bicton-countryside-muse...
Babcock & Wilcox Road Roller & Romany Caravan
This Babcock & Wilcox six ton road roller was built in 1926. The firm of Babcock & Wilcox was a large industrial engineering company with many interests. The company took over and subsequently closed or sold off many firms. The main business was process plant and boilers. Today as Babcock International, the successor to the original Babcock and Wilcox Company is a company engaged in the design, engineering, manufacture, service and construction of power generation and pollution control systems and equipment for utilities and industries. The Parent group is an American corporation, with a British arm, and several other overseas subsidiaries.
Behind is a Romany caravan or vardo (also known as living wagon, van, and caravan) which was a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by British Romanichal Travellers as their home. The vehicle is typically highly decorated, intricately carved, brightly painted, and even gilded. The Romanichal Traveller (Gypsy) tradition of the vardo is seen as a high cultural point of both artistic design and a masterpiece of woodcrafter's art. The heyday of the caravan lasted for roughly 70 years, from the mid-1800s through the first two decades of the twentieth century. Not used for year-round living today, they are shown at the cultural gatherings held throughout the year, the best known of which is Appleby Horse Fair.
This exhibit was in Bicton Countryside Museum which is located within the 63 acre (25.5ha) of the world famous Bicton Park Botanical Gardens. The museum’s origins date from the mid 1950’s when post-war Britain was undergoing immense social, economic and industrial change. Even in rural Devon the effects were being felt, particularly in agriculture, where mechanisation and the need for greater productivity and efficiency was threatening an end to horse power and manual labour.
www.steamscenes.org.uk/engines/babcock-wilcox/road-roller...
tractors.fandom.com/wiki/Babcock_%26_Wilcox
www.visitdevon.co.uk/things-to-do/bicton-countryside-muse...