Saturday 18 October 2008

Roller



Let's face it, none of us thought we'd get a chance to see another Buffalo Springfield on CDP. I know I'm stoked. Check out USElaine's blog to see the real 'steam' roller.

Having a chance to put a tractor on Public Art Day is like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one. This road roller was retired before I was born but I remember seeing similar equipment paving roads. 

This installation is located at one corner of our new city works yard. There is another public art installation here and I'll feature it next week. I may as well break the news now, it doesn't have any tractors or steam rollers in it. Some will take this harder than others.

At one time, when we could afford to do such things, all city equipment, tractors, garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc. were painted orange. Now the city buys white trucks and puts an orange stripe on them or a green stripe in the case of the Parks Board. Steam rollers and such, they just take in whatever colour the manufacturers offer. 

Roller by Richard Prince
Installed: 2004


8 comments :

Virginia said...

This tractor-equipment fetish of yours. Are you sure you're not from Alabama?????

Laurie Allee said...

I'm not into tractors... but this is SOME TRACTOR! I love this photo, Wayne. The in-your-face orange machine and those happy little faraway clouds. Makes me want to sing "Oh Susannah" and chew on a blade of grass. But I'm weird like that. :-)

Janet Kincaid said...

There's a very storybook quality to this photo. I'm not big on tractors either, but this photo is very well composed. I love the cloud near the front end that looks like it's coming out of the tractor. Very nice!

Anonymous said...

I know all the new trucks and whatnot are all smooth and sleek and modern, but they haven't got a fraction of the character of this one!

What's the significance of the orange? (all over or stripe)

Unknown said...

That's a hell of a big steamroller. Just think of the damage you could do if you just went mad driving it. I'm sure there was a country rock band of the 60's with the same name, so they must have have called themselves after it.

Wayne said...

V. It's a guy thing.

Laurie, I know your weird. Believe it or not I have shots that make it look even more orange but the transfer to Blogger seemed to lose some of the punch.

JM, Thanks.

GM. This came up on Elaine's blog. I think Buffalo Springfield was Neil Young's band and they named themselves after the tractors. I think of the scene from Roger Rabbit when I see this thing. It could do some damage but I'll bet it never went faster than walking speed.

Jackie, I think the orange may have been a safety thing as much as anything else. Like orange traffic cones and safety vests. I know the UK uses yellow/green safety vests but orange is big here.

Thanks you guys.

Christina S said...

I used to love steam rollers when I was a kid, and this picture has made me remember watching one for ages, from the kitchen window of my grandmother's house, circa 1970. It wasn't orange, but yellow, and a funny thing is that her street was called Vancouver Place. It was part of what is called the Canadian Estate in Leeds, built in the 1930s. Every street named after a city in Canada!

USelaine said...

Wayne, I thought I was done with my "steam up" series, but I may have to add one more, just for you.