Patna, After rotting and rusting in the Patna Museum premises for almost 18 months, the road construction authorities rescued a British-era road roller culminating a dramatic journey for the ancient machine that has survived against all odds.
The nearly century-old steam roller, manufactured by John Fowler and Co in Leeds, England, was in the possession of the Patna district board until about two years ago, and lay decrepit in a corner of the now razed Patna Collectorate.
It was brought to the Patna Museum after a rescue operation on the intervening night of August 24-25, 2022, delighting heritage lovers and heritage transportation experts in India and across the world.
The district board had donated the steamroller to the museum to "proudly display" it as a "priceless gem" after its old buildings and other historic structures were demolished in 2022 as part of the Patna Collectorate redevelopment project.
While museum authorities initially showed interest in its maintenance and restoration, the steamroller fell victim to apathy from government authorities a few months after its arrival, even though it became a hit among young visitors and even generated a selfie craze.
As time went by, vegetation took over its enormous wheels. Last year's monsoon rain further corroded its old bodywork, while the original chimney, which vented steam at its peak, was damaged and separated from the machine.
This rare piece, however, changed its fortunes after it was recently rescued and underwent a basic restoration.
A senior official said the road roller was taken out of the museum to remain in the custody of the road construction department.
Sources said it was "quietly" transported off the premises last year after the museum closed to visitors for its ongoing refurbishment work.
The Patna Museum, which houses a rich collection of artifacts, rare paintings and 200 million-year-old fossilized tree trunks, has been closed to visitors since June 1 last year to undertake a renovation of its building. 96 years.
Since then, the road construction department authorities have provided the heritage vehicle with the care and maintenance it needed.
"From the Patna Museum, it was taken to the Central Mechanical Workshop of the road construction department in Patna, where it is currently kept on a raised platform under an existing shed. A team of engineers and others worked on the basic restoration and we are We are proud to own this rare gem that tells the story of the early era of road construction," said a senior department official.
The steamroller, which until recently looked decaying, now shines with a fresh coat of black paint, with the chimney repaired and the bodywork cleaned of at least the surface layer of rust.
The rescue of this rare antique machine has brought joy to heritage lovers, but many have criticized the Patna Museum for "abandoning" the "gifted roller".
"Patna Museum failed in its duty to preserve even one donated item. A rare piece of history that any worthy museum would have owned and displayed with pride. The roller tells the story of Patna, urban history, construction of the first roads when "Steam dominated both rail and road," said Abhishek Ray, a Kolkata-based transportation heritage expert.
However, the people of the Bihar government and the road construction department, who lent dignity to the steamroller, "deserve all the praise", he said.
Last year, heritage experts from India and the UK lamented its deterioration and poor maintenance despite remaining a "shrine of history" for a year and asked Patna Museum authorities to urgently address its conservation, starting by placing a shed over it. at least stop further deterioration.
Ragini Bhat, curator of the Heritage Transport Museum near Gurugram, said the Patna Museum "let us all down" after generating hope in the heritage-loving fraternity and people at large.
The Heritage Transport Museum, which houses some rare artefacts, owns two vintage road rollers, a 1914 Marshall salvaged from West Bengal and a TELCO from the 1950s, he had said.
Derek Rayner, vice-president and steam archivist of the UK-based Road Roller Association, which has closely followed the rescue of the Patna roller, had earlier said that the Patna Museum would do well to know that it was in possession of a "steam packet." jewel of the time".
"This machine deserves better than being left to rot in the elements and really requires proper conservation, like all museum pieces," Rayner had said.
The nearly century-old steam roller, manufactured by John Fowler and Co in Leeds, England, was in the possession of the Patna district board until about two years ago, and lay decrepit in a corner of the now razed Patna Collectorate.
It was brought to the Patna Museum after a rescue operation on the intervening night of August 24-25, 2022, delighting heritage lovers and heritage transportation experts in India and across the world.
The district board had donated the steamroller to the museum to "proudly display" it as a "priceless gem" after its old buildings and other historic structures were demolished in 2022 as part of the Patna Collectorate redevelopment project.
While museum authorities initially showed interest in its maintenance and restoration, the steamroller fell victim to apathy from government authorities a few months after its arrival, even though it became a hit among young visitors and even generated a selfie craze.
As time went by, vegetation took over its enormous wheels. Last year's monsoon rain further corroded its old bodywork, while the original chimney, which vented steam at its peak, was damaged and separated from the machine.
This rare piece, however, changed its fortunes after it was recently rescued and underwent a basic restoration.
A senior official said the road roller was taken out of the museum to remain in the custody of the road construction department.
Sources said it was "quietly" transported off the premises last year after the museum closed to visitors for its ongoing refurbishment work.
The Patna Museum, which houses a rich collection of artifacts, rare paintings and 200 million-year-old fossilized tree trunks, has been closed to visitors since June 1 last year to undertake a renovation of its building. 96 years.
Since then, the road construction department authorities have provided the heritage vehicle with the care and maintenance it needed.
"From the Patna Museum, it was taken to the Central Mechanical Workshop of the road construction department in Patna, where it is currently kept on a raised platform under an existing shed. A team of engineers and others worked on the basic restoration and we are We are proud to own this rare gem that tells the story of the early era of road construction," said a senior department official.
The steamroller, which until recently looked decaying, now shines with a fresh coat of black paint, with the chimney repaired and the bodywork cleaned of at least the surface layer of rust.
The rescue of this rare antique machine has brought joy to heritage lovers, but many have criticized the Patna Museum for "abandoning" the "gifted roller".
"Patna Museum failed in its duty to preserve even one donated item. A rare piece of history that any worthy museum would have owned and displayed with pride. The roller tells the story of Patna, urban history, construction of the first roads when "Steam dominated both rail and road," said Abhishek Ray, a Kolkata-based transportation heritage expert.
However, the people of the Bihar government and the road construction department, who lent dignity to the steamroller, "deserve all the praise", he said.
Last year, heritage experts from India and the UK lamented its deterioration and poor maintenance despite remaining a "shrine of history" for a year and asked Patna Museum authorities to urgently address its conservation, starting by placing a shed over it. at least stop further deterioration.
Ragini Bhat, curator of the Heritage Transport Museum near Gurugram, said the Patna Museum "let us all down" after generating hope in the heritage-loving fraternity and people at large.
The Heritage Transport Museum, which houses some rare artefacts, owns two vintage road rollers, a 1914 Marshall salvaged from West Bengal and a TELCO from the 1950s, he had said.
Derek Rayner, vice-president and steam archivist of the UK-based Road Roller Association, which has closely followed the rescue of the Patna roller, had earlier said that the Patna Museum would do well to know that it was in possession of a "steam packet." jewel of the time".
"This machine deserves better than being left to rot in the elements and really requires proper conservation, like all museum pieces," Rayner had said.