A HERITAGE enginereering centre in Tavistock has been awarded almost £20,000 to restore its prized engine which has been a part of the town’s history since 1925.

The Works was successfully awarded £19,705 from the Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) to commence the restoration work on Stumbles, Tavistock’s steamroller, in earnest.

Jack Ayland, The Works’ secretary, said: ‘We are extremely delighted to receive such positive news about our grant application to restore Stumbles.

The engine has been part of Tavistock’s history since 1925 and the catalyst behind the charity.

‘The AIA grant, on top of the £5,000 we have raised to date through public donations, will enable us to get our teeth into this restoration project, focusing largely on the boiler. Through fundraising endeavours including the support of public donations, we are now halfway towards the total restoration cost of £50,000.’

With the help of volunteers, The Works aim to get Stumbles steaming again within two to three years, pending further donations.

Jack added that whilst the pandemic had put strain on the heritage sector, ‘a glimmer of hope has been found which will see Tavistock’s steamroller in action again soon, serving the community at local events for many decades to come’.

For up-to-date news on the restoration of the engine, visit the dedicated Facebook page ‘Stumbles the Steamroller’. To make a donation or enquire about volunteering, email [email protected]