IT is now pretty hard to imagine that the giant steam rollers and gleaming traction engines which will be on show at this weekend's Cumbria Steam Gathering once had to work hard for a living.

Step back 100 years and road rollers were still a common sight on the major and minor routes of Furness.

Modern roadworks seem to leave cars and wagons to finish the job of rolling the chippings into a newly resurfaced stretch of asphalt.

Our main picture today show a steam-powered roller somewhere in Furness - likely to be in Barrow or Dalton.

The posters in the background are mostly for shops and events in Barrow and Ulverston and date to 1905.

The picture was kindly supplied by Bryan Atkinson, of Hall Street, Barrow.

Cumbria Steam Gathering is from 9am to 5pm, tomorrow and Sunday, at Cark Airfield, Flookburgh.

A highlight among the many thousands of items on show is likely to be a pair of Suzuki RG500 motorcycles used to win the world motorcycle championship by Barry Sheene.

A spokesman for the event organisers said: "It is 14 years since Barry died but he is still remembered with fondness by motorcycle racing fans around the globe."

The other stars of the show are rather bigger, the giant steam-powered traction engines, showman's engines, road rollers and steam cars and wagons.

You can also see the Broke FMX extree Moto Cross display team in action and listen to music by regular visitors the antonic All Stars Orchestra.

You can try out your skills with the Morecambe Bay Archers and want the high-speed thrills of the North West Lawn Mower Racing Association.

The event is organised by the Cumbria Steam and Vintage Vehicle Society which was formed by a group of enthusiasts on New Year's Day in 1972.

It holds talks - usually on vintage transport themes - on the second Monday of the month at the Royal British Club in Middlegate Penrith. You can fnd out more on the website at www.csvvs.org.uk