CoachBuilt Prams

Does anyone have step by step instructions on how to reline a pram.  I have an old Pedigree pram which could do with a new bed box, I've removed the old one which came out in one piece, it's made of nasty cheap plastic and stiffened with cardboard.  It's not worth having a new one made by professionals so thought I would have a go myself but really don't know where to start.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

Janis at 06:51PM on Jan 13, 2010

Does anyone have step by step instructions on how to reline a pram.  I have an old Pedigree pram which could do with a new bed box, I've removed the old one which came out in one piece, it's made of nasty cheap plastic and stiffened with cardboard.  It's not worth having a new one made by professionals so thought I would have a go myself but really don't know where to start.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

OK, so given up on Pedigree pram, now for sale on eBay!!!!

Oh  dear,   sorry  that  you have  decided   to   part  with  your  Pedigree.     Your  description  of  the   prefabricated bed and  lining   riings  a very  big  bell  with me.       That is the  same   type of  thing  that  Silver Cross /Wilson    changed   to   when they  went   from the  nice  deep   bodied  prams  to  the   shallower   bodied  ones   like the  Silver  Shadow  etc  in the  late   60's.     The liners   were  made of  vinyl    with   foam  padding  and  cardboard  stiffening   too!  There was  no  stitching  at  all on them,   they   have     welded  seams instead,   which   tended  to  split   easily, especially  on  the  corners of the  top  rail where  there  was a  45  degree  welded 'seam'.    Even the  aprons   were  re-invented,     so that  there  was  little  stitching  involved  in  making  them,   the   lining  was  attached  to the  outer  fabric  with   welded seams  along  the  bottom  edges  and  along  the   top   edge of the   apron.    This was  all in the  name of  saving  money   (time!)  of  course,  there  was  a   bear  minimum  of  stitching  involved,  which was  really only    some topstitching around the  top  three  sides of the apron  and     the   storm    flap  was   seamed    around the edges   on  a  machine  and  was actually  stitched onto  the   apron  top.  That  was  it!   My Egremont  had  the  same  type of  lining/apron  and  I  had no idea  how  to start of replacing  that  lining,  I    spent many  a  sleepless night  wondering  how  I  was  going  to  do  it.   In the end, when I  found  out that  I  could   buy  a  new   complete  bed  from  Heritage  I  couldn't wait  to  buy one  I can tell you!   It  looks  good,  but  nowhere  near as  good as the  new lining  I put  into  my   Wedgwood, which  is  the  really   quality  piped lining   using  a  cotton  backed  leatherette   fabric  and reeally looks  the  business.   I  would have  loved  to have    done the  same on the Egremont  but  I  had never  done  one  before  and didn't  know  where  to start   either!  There is  no  wood  base on   it  to  staple  a  liner  to  in the same  way  that  they  did on the  older  pram  of  course,  so    all of that  framework  would  need  to be added  and carpentry  was never my  best  subject  I have  to say!   LoL

I  have  heard of  people    'recovering'  their  liners  using   a   vinyl  fabric   and   sticking it  into  position  using  double  sided  tape,  which   apparently can  work  very  well,   although   I haven't  tried it myself  and  I haven't  seen  a pram  which  has  had  this  done myself    either.     Of course the  Dolls  prams  also   changed  to  this  type of   prefabricated  liner  at  the same time.    Many people   find that  they   feel more  confident  trying  to   do  restoration  work on  a    dolls   pram  first  before they   tackle a  full  sized  one  which   seems  to  me  to be  a very  good  idea to me.

Sorry  that  I   haven't   been on  here  for  a  while  I have  been up  to my  eyes   after  beening   snowed in for  ages  with  all  of  the  problems  of  frozen   water storage  tanks,  running  out of  fuel   and  the Lord  knows  what  else.   Thank  goodness most of  that  is  over  for  now,  although  we have  had more  snow  forecast   for   tomorrow  it seems.

coachbuiltprams at 05:16PM on Jan 19, 2010

Oh  dear,   sorry  that  you have  decided   to   part  with  your  Pedigree.     Your  description  of  the   prefabricated bed and  lining   riings  a very  big  bell  with me.       That is the  same   type of  thing  that  Silver Cross /Wilson    changed   to   when they  went   from the  nice  deep   bodied  prams  to  the   shallower   bodied  ones   like the  Silver  Shadow  etc  in the  late   60's.     The liners   were  made of  vinyl    with   foam  padding  and  cardboard  stiffening   too!  There was  no  stitching  at  all on them,   they   have     welded  seams instead,   which   tended  to  split   easily, especially  on  the  corners of the  top  rail where  there  was a  45  degree  welded 'seam'.    Even the  aprons   were  re-invented,     so that  there  was  little  stitching  involved  in  making  them,   the   lining  was  attached  to the  outer  fabric  with   welded seams  along  the  bottom  edges  and  along  the   top   edge of the   apron.    This was  all in the  name of  saving  money   (time!)  of  course,  there  was  a   bear  minimum  of  stitching  involved,  which was  really only    some topstitching around the  top  three  sides of the apron  and     the   storm    flap  was   seamed    around the edges   on  a  machine  and  was actually  stitched onto  the   apron  top.  That  was  it!   My Egremont  had  the  same  type of  lining/apron  and  I  had no idea  how  to start of replacing  that  lining,  I    spent many  a  sleepless night  wondering  how  I  was  going  to  do  it.   In the end, when I  found  out that  I  could   buy  a  new   complete  bed  from  Heritage  I  couldn't wait  to  buy one  I can tell you!   It  looks  good,  but  nowhere  near as  good as the  new lining  I put  into  my   Wedgwood, which  is  the  really   quality  piped lining   using  a  cotton  backed  leatherette   fabric  and reeally looks  the  business.   I  would have  loved  to have    done the  same on the Egremont  but  I  had never  done  one  before  and didn't  know  where  to start   either!  There is  no  wood  base on   it  to  staple  a  liner  to  in the same  way  that  they  did on the  older  pram  of  course,  so    all of that  framework  would  need  to be added  and carpentry  was never my  best  subject  I have  to say!   LoL

I  have  heard of  people    'recovering'  their  liners  using   a   vinyl  fabric   and   sticking it  into  position  using  double  sided  tape,  which   apparently can  work  very  well,   although   I haven't  tried it myself  and  I haven't  seen  a pram  which  has  had  this  done myself    either.     Of course the  Dolls  prams  also   changed  to  this  type of   prefabricated  liner  at  the same time.    Many people   find that  they   feel more  confident  trying  to   do  restoration  work on  a    dolls   pram  first  before they   tackle a  full  sized  one  which   seems  to  me  to be  a very  good  idea to me.

Sorry  that  I   haven't   been on  here  for  a  while  I have  been up  to my  eyes   after  beening   snowed in for  ages  with  all  of  the  problems  of  frozen   water storage  tanks,  running  out of  fuel   and  the Lord  knows  what  else.   Thank  goodness most of  that  is  over  for  now,  although  we have  had more  snow  forecast   for   tomorrow  it seems.

Thank you Sandra for your very interesting and informative reply.  Yes, the Pedigree has a cheap plastic welded lining.  Did think about bed box from Heritage Prams but couldn't justify the cost for make of pram.  Also thought about sticking new lining on top of old but didn't think about double sided tape and now I have purchased a SX Malborough I'm afraid the Pedigree is just not good enough  The difference in quality and weight is very noticable.  Have also just bought another one, see it's happening, got the bug, was told it was a Balmoral but now I am not sure what the difference is between a Malborough and a Balmoral if that's what it is.  First pram is 1980s, second pram is 1990s going by the linings.  In any case very happy with what I have now got.  The Balmoral was a fantastic bargain and has cleaned up to nearly new, just needs hood relined and new straps and I still have another one in the pipeline.  The Pedigree has not been a total failure though because I did take it apart without worrying if I was doing the right thing or not and managed to put it back together which gave me the confidence to take my latest purchase apart to clean it up.  Haven't put it back together yet though!  I'm finding it easier as I go along.  Wouldn't it be a good idea if there were courses or residential workshops for pram restoration.  I really would like to learn properly how to made a hood and apron and upholster but need to be shown, thanks again Sandra for your invaluable knowledge. 

i have just bought a silver cross durham rose,and the lining has a few bits and bats of slits,guna have a go and try to  reline it,will let you know how i gwt on with it

Janis at 08:29PM on Jan 21, 2010

coachbuiltprams at 05:16PM on Jan 19, 2010

Oh  dear,   sorry  that  you have  decided   to   part  with  your  Pedigree.     Your  description  of  the   prefabricated bed and  lining   riings  a very  big  bell  with me.       That is the  same   type of  thing  that  Silver Cross /Wilson    changed   to   when they  went   from the  nice  deep   bodied  prams  to  the   shallower   bodied  ones   like the  Silver  Shadow  etc  in the  late   60's.     The liners   were  made of  vinyl    with   foam  padding  and  cardboard  stiffening   too!  There was  no  stitching  at  all on them,   they   have     welded  seams instead,   which   tended  to  split   easily, especially  on  the  corners of the  top  rail where  there  was a  45  degree  welded 'seam'.    Even the  aprons   were  re-invented,     so that  there  was  little  stitching  involved  in  making  them,   the   lining  was  attached  to the  outer  fabric  with   welded seams  along  the  bottom  edges  and  along  the   top   edge of the   apron.    This was  all in the  name of  saving  money   (time!)  of  course,  there  was  a   bear  minimum  of  stitching  involved,  which was  really only    some topstitching around the  top  three  sides of the apron  and     the   storm    flap  was   seamed    around the edges   on  a  machine  and  was actually  stitched onto  the   apron  top.  That  was  it!   My Egremont  had  the  same  type of  lining/apron  and  I  had no idea  how  to start of replacing  that  lining,  I    spent many  a  sleepless night  wondering  how  I  was  going  to  do  it.   In the end, when I  found  out that  I  could   buy  a  new   complete  bed  from  Heritage  I  couldn't wait  to  buy one  I can tell you!   It  looks  good,  but  nowhere  near as  good as the  new lining  I put  into  my   Wedgwood, which  is  the  really   quality  piped lining   using  a  cotton  backed  leatherette   fabric  and reeally looks  the  business.   I  would have  loved  to have    done the  same on the Egremont  but  I  had never  done  one  before  and didn't  know  where  to start   either!  There is  no  wood  base on   it  to  staple  a  liner  to  in the same  way  that  they  did on the  older  pram  of  course,  so    all of that  framework  would  need  to be added  and carpentry  was never my  best  subject  I have  to say!   LoL

I  have  heard of  people    'recovering'  their  liners  using   a   vinyl  fabric   and   sticking it  into  position  using  double  sided  tape,  which   apparently can  work  very  well,   although   I haven't  tried it myself  and  I haven't  seen  a pram  which  has  had  this  done myself    either.     Of course the  Dolls  prams  also   changed  to  this  type of   prefabricated  liner  at  the same time.    Many people   find that  they   feel more  confident  trying  to   do  restoration  work on  a    dolls   pram  first  before they   tackle a  full  sized  one  which   seems  to  me  to be  a very  good  idea to me.

Sorry  that  I   haven't   been on  here  for  a  while  I have  been up  to my  eyes   after  beening   snowed in for  ages  with  all  of  the  problems  of  frozen   water storage  tanks,  running  out of  fuel   and  the Lord  knows  what  else.   Thank  goodness most of  that  is  over  for  now,  although  we have  had more  snow  forecast   for   tomorrow  it seems.

Thank you Sandra for your very interesting and informative reply.  Yes, the Pedigree has a cheap plastic welded lining.  Did think about bed box from Heritage Prams but couldn't justify the cost for make of pram.  Also thought about sticking new lining on top of old but didn't think about double sided tape and now I have purchased a SX Malborough I'm afraid the Pedigree is just not good enough  The difference in quality and weight is very noticable.  Have also just bought another one, see it's happening, got the bug, was told it was a Balmoral but now I am not sure what the difference is between a Malborough and a Balmoral if that's what it is.  First pram is 1980s, second pram is 1990s going by the linings.  In any case very happy with what I have now got.  The Balmoral was a fantastic bargain and has cleaned up to nearly new, just needs hood relined and new straps and I still have another one in the pipeline.  The Pedigree has not been a total failure though because I did take it apart without worrying if I was doing the right thing or not and managed to put it back together which gave me the confidence to take my latest purchase apart to clean it up.  Haven't put it back together yet though!  I'm finding it easier as I go along.  Wouldn't it be a good idea if there were courses or residential workshops for pram restoration.  I really would like to learn properly how to made a hood and apron and upholster but need to be shown, thanks again Sandra for your invaluable knowledge. 

Janis,   the  Marlborough  and   Balmoral   are   one  and the  same.   The    thing is  that   the   SX   company making the Marlborough  went   into   liquidation  and     Heritage  Prams      took   over.   the   decided  to   carry on   selling the Marlborough   but  under  a   different name,   they called it   the  Balmoral  and  added  a  certificate of   authenticity       which  came  with  the  pram  and  also  a  little    brass  plaque  that  appears  on  the   pram   with    the  serial  number.     I  have  ownded  a   Marlborough and it  was  a  nice sturdy   pram  I have  to say,   I   have   heard  tell  that  the later  Balmorals     weren't  made  to the  same  quality  but  then again  I  haven't  personally   had  a   good   close  look  at  one,  so   I can't  confirm  that.   Yes  the linings  and the   little  brass  plaques were  the only  thing  to  tell them apart.  My  Marlborough  came  with  a plain   camelia  lining,  but  many  of  them  had  the  pastel   dash lining of  course.   The  Balmoral    has mostly  the pin-striped  lining  I  believe.

Yes   you  will    learn  a  lot  from   taking  apart for   Pedigree  and  putting it  back  together  again  though!   That is  a  lot  harder  I have  always   found,   LoL   take  lots of  photographs   as  you take  them  apart,  make  notes  too  if  you  think   it  best  and  then  put  it  back  together  again,  you  will    get  so much   experience   from that.

coachbuiltprams at 02:59PM on Jan 26, 2010

Janis at 08:29PM on Jan 21, 2010

coachbuiltprams at 05:16PM on Jan 19, 2010

Oh  dear,   sorry  that  you have  decided   to   part  with  your  Pedigree.     Your  description  of  the   prefabricated bed and  lining   riings  a very  big  bell  with me.       That is the  same   type of  thing  that  Silver Cross /Wilson    changed   to   when they  went   from the  nice  deep   bodied  prams  to  the   shallower   bodied  ones   like the  Silver  Shadow  etc  in the  late   60's.     The liners   were  made of  vinyl    with   foam  padding  and  cardboard  stiffening   too!  There was  no  stitching  at  all on them,   they   have     welded  seams instead,   which   tended  to  split   easily, especially  on  the  corners of the  top  rail where  there  was a  45  degree  welded 'seam'.    Even the  aprons   were  re-invented,     so that  there  was  little  stitching  involved  in  making  them,   the   lining  was  attached  to the  outer  fabric  with   welded seams  along  the  bottom  edges  and  along  the   top   edge of the   apron.    This was  all in the  name of  saving  money   (time!)  of  course,  there  was  a   bear  minimum  of  stitching  involved,  which was  really only    some topstitching around the  top  three  sides of the apron  and     the   storm    flap  was   seamed    around the edges   on  a  machine  and  was actually  stitched onto  the   apron  top.  That  was  it!   My Egremont  had  the  same  type of  lining/apron  and  I  had no idea  how  to start of replacing  that  lining,  I    spent many  a  sleepless night  wondering  how  I  was  going  to  do  it.   In the end, when I  found  out that  I  could   buy  a  new   complete  bed  from  Heritage  I  couldn't wait  to  buy one  I can tell you!   It  looks  good,  but  nowhere  near as  good as the  new lining  I put  into  my   Wedgwood, which  is  the  really   quality  piped lining   using  a  cotton  backed  leatherette   fabric  and reeally looks  the  business.   I  would have  loved  to have    done the  same on the Egremont  but  I  had never  done  one  before  and didn't  know  where  to start   either!  There is  no  wood  base on   it  to  staple  a  liner  to  in the same  way  that  they  did on the  older  pram  of  course,  so    all of that  framework  would  need  to be added  and carpentry  was never my  best  subject  I have  to say!   LoL

I  have  heard of  people    'recovering'  their  liners  using   a   vinyl  fabric   and   sticking it  into  position  using  double  sided  tape,  which   apparently can  work  very  well,   although   I haven't  tried it myself  and  I haven't  seen  a pram  which  has  had  this  done myself    either.     Of course the  Dolls  prams  also   changed  to  this  type of   prefabricated  liner  at  the same time.    Many people   find that  they   feel more  confident  trying  to   do  restoration  work on  a    dolls   pram  first  before they   tackle a  full  sized  one  which   seems  to  me  to be  a very  good  idea to me.

Sorry  that  I   haven't   been on  here  for  a  while  I have  been up  to my  eyes   after  beening   snowed in for  ages  with  all  of  the  problems  of  frozen   water storage  tanks,  running  out of  fuel   and  the Lord  knows  what  else.   Thank  goodness most of  that  is  over  for  now,  although  we have  had more  snow  forecast   for   tomorrow  it seems.

Thank you Sandra for your very interesting and informative reply.  Yes, the Pedigree has a cheap plastic welded lining.  Did think about bed box from Heritage Prams but couldn't justify the cost for make of pram.  Also thought about sticking new lining on top of old but didn't think about double sided tape and now I have purchased a SX Malborough I'm afraid the Pedigree is just not good enough  The difference in quality and weight is very noticable.  Have also just bought another one, see it's happening, got the bug, was told it was a Balmoral but now I am not sure what the difference is between a Malborough and a Balmoral if that's what it is.  First pram is 1980s, second pram is 1990s going by the linings.  In any case very happy with what I have now got.  The Balmoral was a fantastic bargain and has cleaned up to nearly new, just needs hood relined and new straps and I still have another one in the pipeline.  The Pedigree has not been a total failure though because I did take it apart without worrying if I was doing the right thing or not and managed to put it back together which gave me the confidence to take my latest purchase apart to clean it up.  Haven't put it back together yet though!  I'm finding it easier as I go along.  Wouldn't it be a good idea if there were courses or residential workshops for pram restoration.  I really would like to learn properly how to made a hood and apron and upholster but need to be shown, thanks again Sandra for your invaluable knowledge. 

Janis,   the  Marlborough  and   Balmoral   are   one  and the  same.   The    thing is  that   the   SX   company making the Marlborough  went   into   liquidation  and     Heritage  Prams      took   over.   the   decided  to   carry on   selling the Marlborough   but  under  a   different name,   they called it   the  Balmoral  and  added  a  certificate of   authenticity       which  came  with  the  pram  and  also  a  little    brass  plaque  that  appears  on  the   pram   with    the  serial  number.     I  have  ownded  a   Marlborough and it  was  a  nice sturdy   pram  I have  to say,   I   have   heard  tell  that  the later  Balmorals     weren't  made  to the  same  quality  but  then again  I  haven't  personally   had  a   good   close  look  at  one,  so   I can't  confirm  that.   Yes  the linings  and the   little  brass  plaques were  the only  thing  to  tell them apart.  My  Marlborough  came  with  a plain   camelia  lining,  but  many  of  them  had  the  pastel   dash lining of  course.   The  Balmoral    has mostly  the pin-striped  lining  I  believe.

Yes   you  will    learn  a  lot  from   taking  apart for   Pedigree  and  putting it  back  together  again  though!   That is  a  lot  harder  I have  always   found,   LoL   take  lots of  photographs   as  you take  them  apart,  make  notes  too  if  you  think   it  best  and  then  put  it  back  together  again,  you  will    get  so much   experience   from that.

Thanks for that Sandra.  The older pram has a small blue flower pattern lining and the newer one has pastel dash which wouldn't be my first choice but is not too bad and has the brass plaque and serial number, doesn't seem to be any difference between them except for the body colours and lining.  However, as the Balmoral is in bits at the moment can't really tell till it is back together if there is any difference between them.  Anyway, I like them, despite being told by a person on another pram website that they are "common" which of course they are but as they are to be used for the purpose they were made then probably the best choice.   Wouldn't like to ruin a rare vintage pram by putting a baby or toddler in it and pushing it about on cobbles, even if I could afford one!

gloria marsh at 07:22PM on Jan 24, 2010

i have just bought a silver cross durham rose,and the lining has a few bits and bats of slits,guna have a go and try to  reline it,will let you know how i gwt on with it

Good luck!  Maybe you could give me some tips.

Gloria,   hope  you    get on ok  with  your    lining.  Yes  please,  let us  know  how  you get  on  won't  you?   I   missed your  message for some reason!