5309 Susan Street, Flint 5, Michigan
After years of talking Howard Shaw purchased this
Buffalo-Springfield roller from a collector in Flint. This roller
has quite a story attached to it. It is a Buffalo-Springfield built
in Springfield, Ohio, in the Kelly Springfield Shops in 1916. Those
of you who can recall know that Buffalo bought out Kelly in 1916
built after Buffalo bought Kelly and before they moved the plant to
Buffalo. It was first purchased by the City of Avosso, Michigan.
Although not used all these years it was kept up by the city until
around 1950, when it was purchased by a collector in Flint,
Michigan. Howard Shaw, after buying it, hauled it to his home where
he tore it down to the ground (as the picture will show) then
started rebuilding it. He put in all new flues, built a new smoke
box and replaced every part that looked bad to him.
Howard has promised the Saginaw Valley Live Steam Association,
of which he is a member, that it will be running for the 3rd Annual
Convention to be held August 9 and 10, at Chessening, Michigan.
Howard has had plenty of experience with steam, having operated
steam for the City of Flint. He also operated the steam crane at
Fisher Body in Flint and is now operator of Fisher Bodies Diesel
Crane. He says his Diesel Crane is a work horse but give him a good
old steam crane. If you would like to write about this roller, his
address is Howard Shaw, 6152 Center Road, Grand Blanc,
Michigan.
