The fate of a “rare and specialised” Angus road roller from the age of steam is hanging in the balance.
The 1928 Fowler steamroller was owned and operated by the former Angus County Council prior to steam powered vehicles becoming obsolescent.
Generally the roller has had a small number of outings each year, attending the Angus Show and the Kirriemuir Show.
Every 10 years the roller requires a major inspection and boiler strip down and refit with repairs and refurbishment which can cost thousands of pounds.
As a result of budget pressures, councillors on the communities committee will now be asked to decide its future at a meeting in Forfar on Tuesday.
Without an identified budget to undertake the repairs and refurbishment ahead of the 2019 round of shows in Angus, the roller cannot be shown as it needs to be operational to access the show grounds.
Three options are being presented – one of which is selling off what has been described as a “rare and specialised vehicle”.
Councillors could decide to continue Angus Council’s ownership of the machine at a cost of £2,000 per year.
That would mean meeting the cost of the boiler strip down which would require to be met from the roads budget.
The other option is to lease the roller and transfer maintenance arrangements and costs to another party such as Dundee Museum of Transport.
Roads service leader Walter Scott said leasing or selling the machine would “lessen and reduce the future ownership costs and impact on the provision of roads and transportation services”.
He said: “The disposal of the roller would realise a capital receipt and avoid future liabilities for inspection and boiler strip down and refit with repairs and refurbishment.
“If this option was chosen then the disposal will be in line with the Scottish Pubic Finance manual.
“Advice would be sought from an expert/auctioneer on the reserve value of the roller for which a professional fee would be anticipated.”
Mr Scott said the “value of such a rare and specialised vehicle is difficult to ascertain” but its current insured value is £80,000, based on a valuation report undertaken in June 2008.
The market value is understood to be around £35,000.
He said: “However, the value to the council and wider public through caring for this vintage roller and exhibiting this twice yearly is even more difficult to ascertain.
“Whilst provision may be desired to ensure that the vehicle is made available to a prescribed number of occasions each year for display at Angus events, this is not considered to be a reasonable condition of sale.
“The roller may therefore be lost to Angus with this option.”
