Vintage Prams - SILVER CROSS, MARMET,OSNATH,LBC,PEDIGREE - RESTORATION AND RENOVATION

UPGRADED WEBSITE!!!

2011-07-02T16:51:00.000+01:00

I now have a NEW UPGRADED WEBSITE, to view this please click on the following link

http://www.vintagepramfan.com/

The Website is not just about restoration, it is for all FANS OF VINTAGE PRAMS and I hope you will all get involved by leaving your comments on the site, making it an exciting place for us to discuss our prams, share ideas and generally chat about our prams.

The first post you will see if you click on this today is about prams in snowy weather! I thought as it is so hot today you might like to read about snow to cool you down!

faded hood and apron

2011-07-02T10:11:00.000+01:00

To prevent fading on your hood and apron, never leave it in direct sunlight for any length of time. On sunny days it is better to leave the hood down and put a canopy over to keep the sun off baby.

But what if the hood is already faded, what can you do? Well there are sprays available on E Bay which say they are for this purpose, but any shoe dye will do the job just as well. I would advise caution if you are going to use the pram for a baby as some of these dyes contain toxic chemicals, but if you leave the hood to dry thoroughly and make sure any odours have disappeared it may be okay, it is up to the individual.

I used a florist spray on an old hood just to see if that worked, it did the job well, these sprays are used for fabric floral arrangements and are cheaper than shoe dyes.

When spraying follow the instructions on the spray can and it is better to put on two thin coats rather than one heavy one, which will result in "runs". Make sure you spray in a well ventilated space and if you are indoors then protect flooring with newspaper, and also make sure you cover over the inside of the pram and the bodywork if you are spraying with the hood in place.

prams for a baby

2011-07-01T10:21:00.000+01:00

If you are wanting a pram to use for a baby then you might be better to buy one that is already restored rather than take on a restoration project yourself. Restoring a pram is not a cheap project, especially if the hood and apron need replacing, as that could lead to the inner bed needing replacing too to match the new linings. Add to this the cost of rechorming and maybe new tyres, then the paintwork might need a respray, which will mean coachlines have to be painted on. All this takes time as well as money, it is no good thinking you can do this in a couple of weeks! So if you do want a pram for a new baby and are determined to take on a restoration project, leave yourself plenty of time and don't leave it until the month before the baby is due!!!!

Country wheels

2011-06-30T10:45:00.000+01:00

If the chrome on your pram wheels is rusted you may like to have them done as "country wheels", this is where the rims look like they are painted instead of chrome. However, this is not achieved by using ordinary car paint, or other paints, that kind will not be durable enough so it is best to have them powder coated.

Prams made during WW2 all had painted wheels instead of chrome, and the same for the handles. But this was done in the factory using a heat process to "bake" the enamel onto the metal. If you just paint them the paint will flake off. Wheels especially will not be hard wearing if they are only painted, just imagine the amount of grit and grime they will have to cope with, they will be covered in scratches and chips in no time at all, so it is worth investing in having them powder coated.

This description of powder coating is taken from Wikipedia:
"Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin". The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint. Powder coating is mainly used for coating of metals, such as "whiteware", aluminium extrusions, and automobile and bicycle parts." For more information on this article check out this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_coating

This is a link to a company specialising in powder coating http://www.powder-coatings.ltd.uk/, if you google "powder coating" you will be able to find more. Or ask around at local car body repair shops, they may also help with restoring your pram.

You can also have the pram chassis powder coated as this is much better than painting it. Powder coating is hardwearing and your pram will look as good as new.

pram straps and hood fabric

2011-06-29T13:05:00.000+01:00

If you are restoring a pram and need new leather straps then look at this website http://classicalbabyprams.weebly.com

Jackie is an experienced prammie and sells the best quality leather straps I have found, highly recommended and reasonably priced for a top quality product. You can also buy hood and apron fabric from Jackie, again this is good quality and at a very good price. I have used both the straps and fabric and doubt you would find better anywhere.

Have a look at Classical Baby Prams and see some pictures of beautiful prams and read interesting articles. Well worth a few minutes of your time.

coachbuilt prams with a modern look

2011-06-28T10:37:00.000+01:00

I was talking to a young mother yesterday and the subject came around to modern prams and the advantages of a coachbuilt. The girl (she was only a girl compared to me, being in her 20's) said she loved the coachbuilt prams but "my husband would never be seen walking out with one so old fashioned". I told her it is possible to have them painted in different designs and colours if that would appeal to him, suddenly she seemed keen to get one. Now although I hate to see prams painted gaudily, does it matter if it gets young parents to make a vintage pram the one they choose instead of having their baby scrunched up in a modern pram? I think we now have another convert to coachbuilts, albeit not in the true traditional livery, but it means another pram is being saved. Not only that, but we all know young people are fashion addicts, so it could be that these prams will become very desirable if they are seen as being "trendy" instead of "old fashioned".

drop toe prams - again!!

2011-06-27T10:50:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend I found, quite by accident, an event at Sledmere House near Driffield in Yorkshire, it was a "Nostalgia" event and lo and behold the first thing I saw when walking in was a beautiful coachbuilt pram!!!! The lady who was pushing it told me she had bought it secondhand from its original owner and used it for her granddaughter. The pram was a Marmet, sorry don't know the model, and was a drop toe model. It was in lovely condition. I told the lady I had an interest in restoring old prams and she queried as to whether they should be restored or left completely original. I had to agree that if the pram is in good condition then it is best to leave it but if the chrome is rusty or the bodywork dented and scratched these do need sorting out. The same with the hood and apron, especially on the older prams with the merimo fabric.

The hood on my Wedgwood is torn where the fabric was thin, due probably to the effects of the sun, it was not faded but in the leaflet it does state the hood and apron on this model was "fadeless". So even if your hood is not faded, the material could be thin, sunlight rots fabric in time.

As I don't want to replace the hood and apron (the apron is fine) I have decided to repair it myself. By removing the stitching that joins the hood and its lining together, there is a piece of material folded under that I am able to use if I cut off a piece. So if you have the same problem with a small repair then look under the hood lining, you will need to remove the hood lace first.

drop toe prams

2011-06-25T18:01:00.000+01:00

Drop toe prams seem to becoming very collectable, and although they have been around for some considerable time but are now quite rare. The advantages of a drop toe pram is that they can be used from birth until a child is around 3 or 4 years old as the front end of the pram drops down to allow an older child to stretch its legs. Some drop toe models were coachbuilt, others were made of canvas type material. Not many have survived as the drop toe mechanism was the weakest part of the pram and obviously because of the design these prams were well used. They also went out of fashion in the sixties when most people wanted a large coachbuilt pram and a pushchair as well. Previously families could only afford one pram and that had to last them several children and in the war years prams of all kinds were scarce and were only obtainable on special order.

If you are lucky enough to find a drop toe pram, then take care of it, it is quite a rarity! Any problems with the drop end mechanism may be able to be repaired, but depends on what the problem is and I am no expert on this so can't really offer any advice, except perhaps ask someone who is a bit of a handyman! A lot of the prams had wood bodies so it could be possible to remove the old wood and replace it then re-attach the drop toe hinges.

Let us know on the Blog if you have a drop toe pram, I know some of the ladies on the Preloved forums have them and their prams are stunners!

name that pram

2011-06-24T23:58:00.000+01:00

I know this is a blog about restoration, but once you have got your pram do you know the make and model of it? Usually the maker's name will be shown on the pram body and sometimes on the handle as well. But unless you have a copy of the original sales receipt, or a brochure of the year the pram was made, you might not know the actual model name. Most manufacturers gave their prams a name, which often changed when the pram was offered in a slightly different way. For example, Silver Cross used the Antibes body shape for several of their prams, one example is the Wedgwood, so called because it has a Wedgwood plaque on the side.

Marmet chose regal names for its prams - The Queen is the one most sought after now.

If you don't know the correct name for your pram then why not give it one of your own choosing? On the Preloved Discussion board for pram restoration (to which I often contribute as they are a very friendly lot of people), lots of people have given their prams names, some amusing to say the least. But it is better than just saying "My Marmet pram", if you can give it a name. Men name their cars, steam trains have names, so why shouldn't we give our prams names too?

hood arms

2011-06-24T20:35:00.000+01:00

I spent a long time today polishing up a pram that has been stored in a garage for a long time. When I had finished and tried to put the hood up I found the hood arms were not working properly! I decided to take them off to see what the problem was and the screws were all rusted. After a squirt of WD40 and a polish the screws were okay, so I set about putting the hood arms back, tightened up the nuts and bolts and they are fine now! It would appear that they just needed re-aligning as they had been put on incorrectly, so if you are having problems with hood arms then try this.

lubricants for loosening pram parts

2011-06-24T00:02:00.000+01:00

If you are struggling to loosen nuts and bolts on your pram, or hood arms, or maybe parts on the chassis or wheels, then spray some WD40 on and leave for a few minutes then try to move the parts. If they are still stubborn and won't move, you may need to use Dismantling Fluid, this is used by car mechanics and is obtainable from car accessory shops or on E Bay. Usually the dismantling fluid will work on even the stubbornest parts. When using lubricants do take care to cover any fabric on your pram otherwise the oily substance will mark it. Also protect the floor of your working area as you don't want to slip on any spillage!

Remember if you are searching for a particular topic on here, then go to the top left hand side of the page and type in your search word, for example, hood, and then press return, you will then need to scroll down the page to find the relevant posts.

And please leave your comments, any useful hints you have tried, or ask any questions and I am sure someone will be able to help if I can't.

SUN CANOPY

2011-06-23T22:51:00.000+01:00

If we ever get any hot sunny weather this summer, you will more than likely want to put a sun canopy on your pram. This will help keep baby from the glare of the sun and will also protect the hood on your pram from fading. Attach the canopy with the shorter side at the hood end of the pram, with the longer side going over the pram body, this way the pram bed is shaded more. With height adjustable canopies you can higher the canopy so it does not fit too near the baby, this is particularly important if your baby is sitting up. Vintage canopies often have fringing on them, be warned - when a breeze is blowing and the fringe is dancing around, your baby will find this fascinating and may even pull off the fringe if it is not securely attached!!!!

northern pram walk

2011-06-21T18:19:00.000+01:00

On 16th July a group of us pram enthusiasts are meeting in Manchester for a prammie walk, the walk has been organised by Sam4prams on the website Preloved.co.uk. If you go onto the classifieds section and look for coachbuilt prams you should find more information, or look on Page 765 of the Forum, look under Children, then Pram Restoration and then click on Page 765 and you will see the information.

hood and apron shrinkage

2011-06-21T18:00:00.000+01:00

If the pram apron seems as though it no longer fits properly then look back on the blog for information on how to remedy this, and also how to get the hood up if it has stiffened with age. To do this, go to the top left hand side of the Blog and find the box with the spyglass next to it. In the box type "hood and apron" and then press return, then scroll down the pages and you will find any relevant information. Use this search tip to help you find out any more helpful hints.

And if there is something you would like help with that is not shown on the blog, then get in touch with me and I will try to help.

The Pram Restoration booklet is now sold out except for the download version, it is not listed on E bay at the moment but if you would like a copy then please let me know and I can send one to your computer, the price is £5.95 on E Bay, but readers of the blog can have a special price of £4.50, payable by Paypal preferably, or if you don't have a paypal account then a postal order will be fine but then of course you have to wait until I receive it before I can e mail the booklet. With Paypal payments the booklet will be e mailed as soon as payment has cleared.

pram restoration booklet

2011-05-31T10:00:00.000+01:00

I have now listed the Pram Restoration booklet on E Bay, item no 190539494124, price £5.95, you just send me your e mail address with your Paypal payment and the booklet will be e mailed to you for you to print out your own copy. (The booklet is COPYRIGHT and for your OWN PERSONAL USE ONLY and action will be taken against unauthorised copying. )

tools

2011-05-30T11:49:00.000+01:00

If you don't have a man around to help with the mechanical side of looking after your prams, or restoring them, then buy yourself a basic set of tools. Halfords usually have a selection of toolboxes which start from around £20. I bought one which has various sizes of spanners, socket sets, screwdrivers and pliers and other tools, it cost around £40 on special offer and is in a metal toolbox with a carrying handle so easy to carry, although it is quite heavy. The spanners etc are in metric and imperial sizes which makes it ideal for working with older prams. I had not done much diy work previously, but have been pleasantly surprised how easy it has been to dismantle and reassemble pram parts simply by having the proper tools available. And having my own toolbox means I don't have to ask anyone else to help or have to wait for anyone to do the jobs for me!

cleaning interior of pram

2011-05-27T17:10:00.000+01:00

When you have a pram that is in need of a clean do make sure you use non toxic cleaning materials if the pram is to be used for a baby. The simplest way to clean the interior bed is to sponge over with a solution of washing liquid and warm water, then dry off with a clean tea towel. If there are stubborn stains use a green scouring sponge, you know the type with the green on one side and sponge on the other, with the soap solution. To keep the vinyl supple wipe over with baby oil, then wipe off, it will make the pram smell nice as well. You can use these tips for the interior of the hood and apron too.

2011-05-23T09:43:00.000+01:00

On this blog there are often adverts (done by the website not by me) and these often relate to prams, for example today there was one from a company who specialises in removing dents. Very useful contact if your pram has any dents in the coachwork.! So look at the ads down the left hand side of the blog and if you see anything of interest then click on the link and it will take you to their website.

tools

2011-05-23T09:16:00.000+01:00

If you are renovating a pram there are some tools and equipment that you will need. A tack lifter is useful for removing hub cabs, an assortment of spanners in imperial and metric measures. The older pram parts were all imperial so will require imperial spanners. WD40 will loosen parts which are difficult to remove, but Dismantling Fluid is even better, this can be obtained from car accessory shops such as Halfords. I used this on some very old rusted parts and it freed them off. If you are using WD40/dismantling spray on hood arms then do make sure the hood material is protected as the liquid is oily and will mark the fabric.

Pram Renovation booklet

2011-05-22T18:26:00.000+01:00

I have just ordered more copies of the booklet I wrote about Pram Restoration, these will be listed on E Bay and Preloved by the end of this month. If you would like a download version then please send me a message on this forum. The booklets cost £5.95 plus £1.00 post and packing, but the download version is £5.95 as you print it out yourself. The download booklets are COPYRIGHTED and are only for your own personal use and action will be taken if anyone breaches this. I prefer payment via a Paypal account for the booklets.

search for info

2011-05-22T18:21:00.002+01:00

If you are looking for some specific advice on this blog, then look on the left hand side top of the page and type in the word you are looking for in the box. This will then find anything relevant and you will need to scroll down the page again to find the section.

Lots of new babies for old prams!

2011-05-16T17:24:00.000+01:00

This last week I have heard of three mums to be who are choosing a coachbuilt pram for their new babies! Isn't that fantastic! Some advice for those mums about sprucing up the prams - it is amazing how much better a pram looks if it is washed and polished, but once you have done this then look over the pram carefully.

First of all check to see if there are any tears in the fabric of the hood and apron and the interior bed. If these are major you might want to consider having them replaced, if you contact me I can give you details of how to get this done.

Next check over the bodywork to see if there are any major dents in the paintwork or deep scratches. If there are any major ones you are probably best to get in touch with a car body restorer, or ask the men in the family for help! If the paint just needs touching up then go along to your nearest Halfords and they should be able to match up the colour for you.

Look at the chrome - if it is just slightly pitted with rust this should clean off with a brillo pad, then clean and polish with chrome polish, such as Silvo. However, if the chrome is badly rusted and flaking it is best to have it rechromed. If you look in yellow pages you should find someone in there who can help, or again ask at a car repairers.

Most important of all, check the wheels are working satisfactorily and are not bent, check the brake is working and grease all the working parts of the wheels and springs etc. Safety is of the utmost importance when using the pram for a baby.

Check out earlier posts on here for more information. If you go to the top left hand side of the page you can search for items by just entering a keyword in the box.

Safety of prams

2011-04-06T12:02:00.000+01:00

"I had a silver cross for my 2 when they were baby's. I used to walk for miles every day. Underneath was loaded up with potty/ nappies/ food/ water and dish for the dog/ and anyhting else that I thought I might need for the day. Couldn't do that with the modern prams eh!" This is a message that a mum (now in her forties) sent me the other day, interesting how times change! Now we see young mums with pram handles loaded with bags, surely making it unsafe.

Which brings me to the important point of making sure your coachbuilt pram is safe before you use it for a baby. Check all the moving parts are regularly oiled, a squirt of WD 40 on the springs, hinges, wheels etc is all that is needed. Check the leather straps are in good condition, if these have been fastened for years in the same position they may be wearing through and you don't want them to snap while your pram is in use. New straps can be obtained very reasonably from Jackie of Classical Baby prams http://classicalbabyprams.weebly.com I would highly recommend Jackie, she is an experienced prammie and really knows her stuff! She advertises her straps on E Bay if you can't contact her via the website. If you have the original buckles for your old straps Jackie will be able to use those for the new straps.

Southend pram outing

2011-04-05T22:42:00.000+01:00

Over the Mothering Sunday weekend, 2/3rd April, a group of pram enthusiasts met for a pram walk along the pier in Southend. A local newspaper covered the event but sadly only included one photo in their report. What a great idea to meet up with other pram enthusiasts in your area, we should do more of this throughout the summer, so leave a comment on here if you are interested and let's see if we can get together and spread the word about the benefits of a coachbuilt pram. In your comment please mention your location and we can see if we can organise groups on various areas. I am near Leeds and I know there are a lot of prammies around my area, so hope we can get out there this summer and show off our prams!!!

tip

2011-04-05T22:37:00.000+01:00

If you are storing a pram, or even just covering it, then don't do as a friend of mine did and cover it with a blanket! The navy hood and apron on her pram are now covered in tiny fibres from a cream blanket she used to cover the pram. Yes, it is a good idea to cover the hood and apron to prevent them fading, if they are not going to be used for a while, but use a sheet instead of a blanket. Polythene will make the pram "sweat" and may encourage mould so a sheet is the best idea, unless you want to go the expense of buying a specially made cover.

Vintage Prams - SILVER CROSS, MARMET,OSNATH,LBC,PEDIGREE - RESTORATION AND RENOVATION

UPGRADED WEBSITE!!!

faded hood and apron

prams for a baby

Country wheels

pram straps and hood fabric

coachbuilt prams with a modern look

drop toe prams - again!!

drop toe prams

name that pram

hood arms

lubricants for loosening pram parts

SUN CANOPY

northern pram walk

hood and apron shrinkage

pram restoration booklet

tools

cleaning interior of pram

Ads

tools

Pram Renovation booklet

search for info

Lots of new babies for old prams!

Safety of prams

Southend pram outing

tip