Ballbarrow

The wheelbarrow hadn’t changed for 2,000 years, but James Dyson designed a smooth-edged plastic bin that unlike its metal predecessor didn’t rust, barge doorframes, or stick to fresh concrete. He also gave it stabiliser feet with size eleven work boots rather than the unpractical stilettos that a conventional wheelbarrow wore.

And, of course, he replaced the wheel with a load-spreading red ball. Its large red pneumatic ball gave it stability and stopped it sinking into soft ground.

Never one for fancy names, James called it Ballbarrow.

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