IN last week’s Rewind we asked readers to help solve a mystery involving a steam-powered road roller built in 1923.

The Aveling and Porter machine, called Ebenezer, was used for a driving test in the 1960s.

Reader Helen French, of Lawns, brought in a set of photographs showing her driving examiner father, the late George Theodos, testing an unnamed candidate.

Our article prompted Colin Hatch of local firm Hatch Heritage and Steam Engineers to get in touch.

He supplied not only information but some images of him working on the machine as a teenager.

The unnamed candidate, he said, was Dave Field, a commercial vehicle mechanic for Steeles Commercials, based in Swindon.

Mr Hatch wrote: ”I believe he worked on the maintenance of dustcarts for Swindon Council.

“He lived in Park South, just off Queens Drive as I recall. He was a crew member on this roller, which was owned by Eddie ‘Ted’ Haggard, who ran a motor repair garage with his brother Cyril in Caulfield Road, Gorse Hill, called ACME Engineering Co.

“The building is still there, opposite Majestic Wine.”

Mr Hatch believes Mr Field emigrated with his family in the early or mid-1970s, possibly to take a job in the Middle East.

“The engine,” Mr Hatch said, “was purchased by Ted in 1964 from two chaps in Newbury, Bill Fall and Cecil Brown.

“The roller was regularly steamed to all local rallies within a radius of about 45 miles of Swindon. She was kept on Hill’s farm, Broome Manor Lane (where the golf course is now) along with other engines owned by like-minded people.

“The reason I know about this engine is because I started crewing with Ted Haggard on this engine in 1969, aged 14, and I learnt to drive it over the next few years.”

Mr Haggard bought a second engine in 1966, a Burrell traction engine, which is now owned by Mr Hatch. The machine was used at STEAM to sound the replica works hooter as part of the Swindon175 commemorations.

We were also contacted by Highworth pianist Alan Wicker, 90, who has made broadcasts as a solo artist and teaches to this day.

His late father, Ewart retired to Swindon after having been Company Secretary with Aveling and Barford, which evolved from Aveling and Porter.

Mr Wicker said: “I also worked for the company where I completed an apprenticeship, and I worked on the prancing horse company logo.

“I had to do this apprenticeship before my parents would allow me to study piano at the Royal College of Music.”