Gransnet forums

Chat

Coachbuilt prams

(85 Posts)
Beechnut Fri 19-May-23 17:27:03

I’ve just been browsing these prams. Does anyone have one or know someone who uses one?

silverlining48 Fri 19-May-23 17:32:11

Don’t think so, not these days, I never had one in those days either.

Ilovecheese Fri 19-May-23 17:37:35

I see one locally, it has been passed down through their family. They have a large house though.

sodapop Fri 19-May-23 17:40:08

Not any more. I had one back in the day, it was a pleasure to go out walking with my baby in that well sprung Silver Cross pram. It eventually went to America as they were highly prized there in the early 70s.

Georgesgran Fri 19-May-23 17:52:51

Newcastle hosts the biggest travelling fair in Europe every June. When I was looking in Fenwick (major store) for a pram combo thing before DGS1 was born, they told me that they sell more coach built Silver Cross prams to the travelling community in that fortnight than throughout the entire year.
I did have a beautiful Silver Cross for DD1, but bought second hand, then I gave it away to someone less fortunate than me.

LadyHonoriaDedlock Fri 19-May-23 17:53:56

I had one, a Silver Cross. My sister used it before me. I suspect it wasn't new then. My earliest memory, a complete standalone unconnected with any other memories, is of waking up in my pram in a dark hallway and howling until mummy came to pick me up and cuddle me. I think it must have been while visiting somebody.

Remember the £25 maternity grant? In 1971 when my nephew was born that bought a pram, though not a coachwork one. In 1980 when my daughter was born it was unchanged at £25 and bought a dozen terry nappies.

SachaMac Fri 19-May-23 17:58:09

No but I love them, my mum had a big black Silver Cross with the big wheels when I was a baby, like the one in the attached picture.
I had a Silver Cross for my children but it was corduroy and more modern, not coach built. I could get lots of shopping underneath and I walked for miles with it. They’re just not practical to get in and out of cars but must be comfy for baby as they have great suspension.

Didn’t Kate & William have one for the Royal babies.

Beechnut Fri 19-May-23 18:06:36

That’s an interesting fact Georgesgran because the last one I saw in use was by someone in that community.
I had a navy blue Silver Cross for DD and although we also had a pushchair for car use I always used the pram in town for shopping and walks. She was probably gone two when she finally came out of it.

Oldbat1 Fri 19-May-23 18:08:16

Ive only ever seen one person locally out with their baby in a coachbuilt pram. Our town still has cobbles and old shop entrances so not an ideal pram. (I had a gorgeous pedigree grey twin coach built dolls pram one Christmas)

dustyangel Fri 19-May-23 18:30:31

By the time we had our third baby were were more affluent and a Silver Cross pram was reserved and paid for. Within just a couple of months DH became seriously ill and was off sick and was finally made redundant. Eventually DD2 was born but only she and the pram were new, everything else was second hand.😂

PamelaJ1 Fri 19-May-23 18:37:43

I bought one for GS off eBay. Loved it and have now passed it to my sister for her grandchildren. We have lots of places to walk around here and plenty of space in the house. It was fabulous and very versatile.
It wouldn’t go in the mini though!

Blondiescot Fri 19-May-23 18:40:08

We've still got the Silver Cross coachbuilt pram, pretty much identical to the one pictured by *SachaMac), which belonged to my MiL for my husband and his sister. It's currently residing in one of the garden sheds, or garage. Not a clue what to do with it...

PamelaJ1 Fri 19-May-23 18:49:23

BlondisCot
Put it on eBay then someone else can love it.

M0nica Fri 19-May-23 18:49:33

Far too big and bulky, and the last kind of pram I would have considered buying.

I had one that would never have won any prizes for beauty but was just so pratical. it was bigger than a carrycot on wheels, but worked on similar principles. I could take it off its chassis and put it in the back of even a small car - and we had car safety harnessto hold it in place, but at the same time it had an added stabiliser so that I could put a seat across it to hold a todler.

grannypiper Fri 19-May-23 19:02:55

They are very popular here. In fact there is a shop that refurbishes and sells them.

Aldom Fri 19-May-23 19:03:19

I had a Silver Cross coach built pram for my first baby. The pram was white with navy hood and apron.
My daughter had a Silver Cross dolls pram. Happy memories of the Christmas day walk with the baby doll asleep on the pram bedding made by me. My mother in law knitted a beautiful pram cover.

Whitewavemark2 Fri 19-May-23 19:31:44

Yes I had a coach pram. They were absolutely lovely and so comfortable for baby. I remember the sun shade with the fringe, a bag on the back by the handles and a wire basket for the shopping, the base also used to lift up for storage. Useful until almost toddler stage. We walked much more back then I think. I also had a pram seat for the older toddler that sat across the back of the pram.

Calipso Fri 19-May-23 19:43:40

I have several, they have become a bit of a passion of mine. I have used them for all my grandchildren and have one in the corner of our family room that the babies used for naps and we always used it as a changing station - immensely practical.
Blondiescot if your pram is truly identical to the one that SachaMac has pictured you need to get it out of your garden shed PDQ - its death to prams and the one in the photo is a Marmet Lady which is very, very rare and highly sought after

Blondiescot Fri 19-May-23 19:50:20

PamelaJ1

BlondisCot
Put it on eBay then someone else can love it.

There's quite a few on eBay but none seem to have any bids on them.

Calipso Fri 19-May-23 19:58:09

Blondiescot

PamelaJ1

BlondisCot
Put it on eBay then someone else can love it.

There's quite a few on eBay but none seem to have any bids on them.

They sell at the right price, its just that some people imagine that because a few fetch a great deal of money that any old bit of what they perceive to be "Silver Cross" will fetch the same. In addition, courier costs are expensive on top of the purchase price.

Calipso Fri 19-May-23 20:16:06

One of my favourites taken outside our village church

SueDonim Fri 19-May-23 20:23:11

I still have the pram that DS1 and my subsequent three babies used. It’s 48 years old and it could pretty much go back into a showroom. It’s all navy with white coachlines and so elegant. I bought a new mattress not long ago so my GC could use it.

I suppose it ought to go now but I’m very attached to it!

Lumiere Fri 19-May-23 20:25:27

I had a navy Silver Cross, I loved it and walked for miles with it
When I had my second, I can remember trekking to Boots for baby food and putting it in the basket underneath, then plonking my eldest on the end of the pram and pushing it up the steep hills home
I had a broderie anglaise canopies and top quilt in the summer and white chrochet blankets (with a hot water bottle in the bottom of the pram when it was cold)

GagaJo Fri 19-May-23 20:26:24

There is a whole community of obsessives who love prams, and Silver Cross coachbuilt are right up at the top. They're called prammies!

DGS had a vintage Silver Cross, although not coach built, as one of his prams/pushchairs. He ended up having about 4 different ones for a variety of reasons and needs. I found the SC quite heavy going, compared to the most modern one he had.

Calipso Fri 19-May-23 20:48:45

GagaJo the real prammies will tell you that although Silver Cross is a household name, they weren't the best quality prams. They do have their followers though especially in the north where they used to be made.