Vintage Prams and Prammies

My firend has kept her Silver Cross for her granbabies. it sits in her hall and when the babies come round she says they sleep like angels in it as it rocks beautifully.

I still use my Silver Cross Grosvenor when we have an addition to
the family I had it for DSno1 and then used it for no 2 when he arrived
7 yrs later as an afterthought,since then it has been used for my DDs
children the eldest being 21 now and the youngest 8,I used to push it to
the shops and get all the shopping underneath and walk for miles,does
any one notice people would stop and chat and be more sociable when
you where out pushing your baby in these classic prams.I still lay
friends DGC in my pram when they call and would never get rid of it,its waiting for GGC to arrive but I hope not for a long time yet.See
Grandparenting on Topics for thread on folding prams

My 70's Silver Cross is a Grosvenor ... that's the one that's going all modern. I'm having it re-sprayed with a zebra pattern on the body and fitting a new white bed and black hood and apron.

When my 3 were babies I used to have one in the pram, one on a toddler seat and the other one on reins holding onto the handle, and as you say I could get a week's worth of shopping on the tray.

The funny thing is that when you take these old prams out people do still stop and chat - it's like the prams themselves are catalysts for people to open up

You would be amazed at how many of us use coachbuilt prams, and not all grannies either! These prams are becoming more popular than ever. If you want to find out more then check out my website, www.vintagepramfan.com which is updated on a regular basis, featuring pictures and stories about vintage prams and hints on restoring and lots more.

Thankyou for this thread I am now in heaven!.
I parted with my Marmet that I had for my own two sons and regretted it.
When my youngest grandchild was born in 2002 I came across a coach pram restorer and bought a beautiful Wilson La Dauphine.She (the baby) and I loved it her parents were not so keen as it was not car friendly.
I loved pushing her in that gorgeous pram, the rocking motion would send her straight to sleep.I still have it and it awaits my future great grand children.
I only wish I had had it for the other four.They were all subjected to the modern things that pass for prams now.These modern forms of prams may suit car owners but they are all ugly ugly.I know my older grandchildren felt every bump on the pavement while being pushed in these horrible unsprung things.
The coach builts are the only prams where babies are really comfortable.

I had a secondhand, but looking new, Silver Cross coach built pram for my first baby, back in 1963, it did for 3 of them, then we had a new Silver Cross, more modern, but still sprung and comfy, for number 4 in 1969, it did also for number 5, then it went onto an unmarried mothers home down the road. In those days it didn`t matter so much about being car friendly, as not so many people had cars. My children were in their prams till they were well turned 2, except when the weather was really nice and they were in pushchairs (not buggies, such an ugly word). Nowadays, babies are out of their prams by 3 months and into prams converted into pushchairs, because the pram isn`t big enough anymore.

vintagepramfan,what a lovely website brings back fond memories,heres wishing you good luck with the site and hope you do well x

HELP! WHEELS NEEDED! My daughter is happy for me to push grand-daughter no. 2 in my 30+ year old pram (bought third hand for £12), not quite coach built but substantial. However the wheels - medium sized, all the same size -need new treads. Any suggestions where I might get this done? Economy important, I don't want to spend a fortune, but it's a wonderful pram.

While we're on the subject. let me ride my hobby-horse: front-facing buggies are bad for babies! I've always believed this but kept my mouth firmly shut when DSs and partners bought these for my GC. I loved being able to talk to my sons in the big Silver Cross pram and it wasn't long before they talked back!
Fortunately my GC were in families where they were spoken to but many children nowadays arrive in reception classes unable to hold a conversation and I partly blame these fashionable buggies. Not only do they not learn to converse but they cannot have eye contact with the person pushing them.

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/nov/21/baby-development-buggies-sutton-trust

Annobel I agree with every word you say. I had a beautiful Marmet Queen high pram. It was a work of art. Both sons sat facing each other [feet in the central well] and we had the most wonderful afternoons out walking and talking. I loathe the new-fangled pushchairs for many reasons, but mainly because the child appears to be isolated from the pusher of the pram.

Grandmama there is a supplier on e-bay doing tyre's for all coach built prams on e-bay I think it is under preloved or cherished section but the site is definatley there,there is also a woman whose advert's on e-bay state's that she can supply tyre's and wheel's even down to the corner trim's for the hood's and new elastic for the storm apron,but you would have to surf through to find her I'm afraid as I don't have her direct e-mail address.Come back to me if you have any problem's.good luck.