A practical treatise on coach-building historical and descriptive

by James W. Burgess

Fig. 5.—Stanhope.

The “Stanhope” takes its name from being first built to the order and under the superintendence of the Hon. Fitzroy Stanhope, by Tilbury, the builder of the vehicle bearing that name. It was shaped like the old ribbed gig, but was hung upon four springs, two of which were bolted between the shaft and axle, and the other two crossways, parallel to the axle at either end of the body, and shackled to the side springs. Stanhopes are an easy kind of vehicle, and do not rock so much as other gigs behind a rough-trotting horse. At the same time they are rather heavy, owing to the large amount of iron plating used to strengthen the shafts, &c.

Fig. 6.—Tilbury.

The “Tilbury” was very much like the Stanhope, but had no boot, and like it was heavily plated with iron. It was hung by two elbow springs in front, with leather braces to the shafts or front cross bar, and behind by two elbow springs passing from beneath the seat to a cross spring raised to the level of the back rail of the body by three straight irons from the hind part of the cross bar. Later, two more springs were added between the axletree and the shafts, by scroll irons. The Tilbury was a very good-looking and durable vehicle, but its weight took away the public favour, and it went out of fashion about 1850. It was, however, adopted with great success by Italy and other continental countries, where the roads are bad, and solidity of construction is the first consideration.

Dog-carts and Tandem-carts are too well known to need description. The former were so called from their being used for the conveyance of sporting dogs, such as greyhounds or pointers, and the slats or louvre arrangement of the sides was for the purpose of admitting air to the animals; though scarcely ever used for this purpose now, the original plan has been pretty closely adhered to, except that the boot is considerably reduced and made to harmonise more with the other parts.

Some of the greatest improvements in the shape and style of various vehicles were effected by a celebrated maker named Samuel Hobson, who remodelled and improved pretty nearly every vehicle which came under his hands. He particularly directed his attention to the true proportion of parts, and artistic form of carriages. He lowered the bodies, and lengthened the under or “carriage” part. The curves and sweeps also received due attention. In fact, he carefully studied those “trifles” (as Michael Angelo’s friend would have termed them) on which depended the success of the production as a work of art. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, the other coachmakers soon showed their sense by copying his best ideas, though, to give these other coachmakers their due, they greatly assisted Mr. Hobson with suggestions for improvements, and as a reward availed themselves of his superior talent for working on these ideas.

As our interior trade and manufactures increased, the custom arose of sending commercial travellers throughout England to call attention to the various goods, and it was found very convenient to send these travellers in light vehicles which could convey samples of the various articles. This led to a very great increase in the number of gigs; and about 1830 one coach factory of London supplied several hundreds of these vehicles to travellers at annual rentals. And though on the introduction of the railway system long journeys by road were unnecessary, these gigs were found of great use in town and suburban journeys, and in London they may be seen by hundreds daily, and they are scarcely used by any one else but commercial travellers. They are too familiar to need detailed description.

In 1810 a duty was levied by Government upon vehicles for sale. It was repealed in 1825, but the returns give the number of vehicles built for private use in 1814 as 3,636, and in 1824 as 5,143, whilst the number of carriages in use in 1824 had grown to 25,000 four-wheeled, and 36,000 two-wheeled, besides 15,000 tax-carts; an increase since 1814 of 20,000 vehicles.

In 1824 there was built for George IV. a low phaeton, called a pony phaeton, which has since become very common, and has undergone but very little change from the original. It was a cab shape, half-caned, with a skeleton bottom side hung upon four elliptical springs, with crane ironwork back and front. It was drawn by two ponies; the wheels were only 21 and 33 inches high.