The Leviathan Project
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
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Aim
To fully restore Leviathan an Aveling & Porter RC15 steam roller built in 1906 and return it to full working glory for public benefit
The Leviathan Project is Cromford Steam Rally Society’s mission to restore an original 1906 Aveling & Porter RC15 steam roller and return it to full working life for public benefit. Leviathan is a unique survivor of Britain’s early road building revolution - a 15 tonne engineering giant that helped shape the modern transport network. After 119 years, it is now at risk of permanent loss. Our project will restore Leviathan to the highest professional standards and bring it back into active use as a living piece of industrial heritage. Once restored, it will become a working educational asset based at Peak Rail Heritage Railway Museum, delivering school visits, public steam days, driver training, and mobile outreach across the region. By saving Leviathan, we are preserving more than a machine. We are protecting an authentic witness to a pivotal chapter in Britain’s industrial history - and safeguarding the traditional engineering skills required to restore it. The Leviathan Project ensures this remarkable engine is not just preserved, but alive, working, and accessible to everyone.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy, and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 4th December 2026 at 1:33pm