I was looking through some of your old posts, on Odd Words, especially those relating to vehicles. One term that has always struck me as strange is the British meaning of "Covered Wagon".
Its something I always associate with the Wild West. Probably because of all those Westerns on TV [see today's Roy Rogers Lunch Box post].
In Britain, Wagon or Waggon appears to be another term for truck or lorry, although it now seems to have died out. It is usually a goods vehicle with an open-topped back, for carrying various loads.
A Covered Wagon has a canvas tilt over the back, supported by metal hoops, to provide some protection from the weather. Nothing to do with Prairie Schooners.
Dinky seemed to be especially fond of model Covered Wagons, and produced several. Just take your standard open truck model, and add a tinplate or plastic tilt. A new model, with a minimum of effort or expense.
The photographs show the Dinky 413 Austin Covered Wagon; and the Dinky 623 Army Covered Wagon (which is a Bedford). Both are from 1954, and have a tinplate Cover over the rear.
Two photographs from Worthpoint.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Ha, Paul! As a kid I had a Budgie Toys Scammel Scarab with a real fabric covering over the trailer!
ReplyDeletehttps://vintagediecasttoys.com/43--BUDGIE-240-Scammell-Scarab-Red-and-cream-and-yellow-green-canopy_p_49614.html
Hi Lewis. That is a really nice toy. There can not have been many model wagons or vehicles with real fabric covers, but there were some (American type) horse-drawn wagons with fabric covers. Mine were all plastic, although I do now have one or two with tinplate covers.
ReplyDeleteI do not recall seeing any Budgie toys in NZ when I was little. Even now, they are seldom seen at fairs.