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We have a long line of restorations successfully completed, both of vehicles from our own collection and of carriages for clients. Restorations can take from as little as six weeks to many months depending on the work required, and our focus is on safety, authenticity and proper conservation and restoration methods. Where possible we try to retain original fabric and materials or replace like for like to the same standard originally used. In the 19th century carriages were available finished to various stages, and likewise our finished vehicles can be beautifully detailed for showing or supplied in bare wood or primer for you to complete. Our workshop is temporarily in our 1840s wagon barn while other buildings at Millpond are restored, and while rather basic there are always half a dozen vehicles in progress. Restoration of the buildings, the unreasonably wet year and temporarily limited facilities have slowed our current production and our bookings currently run through to mid 2013, but we expect some spaces for new jobs after that.

1892 Town Sulky by William Whitfield of Braidwood
This beautiful town sulky with long tray, long straight shafts and English springs on a dated axle has many iron componants marked WW for one of Braidwood's longest operating blacksmith and wheelwright shops. It was recovered from the original owners farm at Major's Creek under a fallen shed and carefully reconstructed using all the original hardware, with new hickory wheels.

1870s Rosa Buggy

This magnificent Rosa buggy was recovered by Mark Burton from a South Australian farm and completely dismantled by us in 2007. All the structural parts were reconditioned and all bolts replaced correctly using square nuts and coachbolts with the modern markings removed. Original wheels were restored and new channel and rubber tyres fitted. The original coachwork was in excellent condition under layers of old paint and nearly all the original wood could be retained. Some of the surviving upholstery was intact and conserved and the elaborate roof and folding curtains were carefully copied and reinstated. As the carriage was basically very intact we chose to refurbish rather than rebuild so the Rosa buggy retains a patina of use.

1922 Ford Model TT Omnibus

Acquired by us as an unfinished project, the bus had been stripped to the chassis and packed into boxes. Originally Nowra's first School Bus, this historic vehicle was carefully researched and suitable coachwork reconstructed to seat 16 people. The side entrance allowed safe access and the bus had sliding glass windows, and comfortable vis-a-vis seating. The rear section folded down to allow us to carry large loads. Despite the long overhang and heavy carrying capacity the omnibus sat comfortably on 50kmh and handled extremely well.

1880s Farmers Buggy

Disassembled by its owner over twenty years ago and stored, when it was restarted the owner had forgotten how it went together, not an uncommon scenario! We stripped this smart Farmer's buggy back to components and reassembled it retaining much of the original coachwork, and using period iron. The detachable rear seat, which was missing, was reproduced to match the front, and the carriage brought up to horse-ready standard but without paint as the owner wanted to complete this part themselves.

1890s Fast Road Cart

This smart high-speed Road Cart uses big wheels with the coachwork slightly dropped in the frame for stability. Arriving as a complete wreck from the original owner's family, it was restored using all the original ironwork, and by taking patterns from some remaining wooden parts. It features a specially raised detachable floor with additional storage and a variety of luxury fittings.

1860s Canoe front Wagonette by Williams of Walsall

This stunning formal wagonette survived in Victoria in original, but deteriorating condition. We dismantled every componant, preserving all original timberwork and repairing damaged iron, rebuilding the wheels and replacing every nut and bolt. The original paint colours, identified from scrapings, were reinstated and original trim patterns carefully copied in blue leather, making this a truly elegant vehicle which is now both safe and authentic. Various iron parts are signed by Williams & Company, coachbulders of Walsall, England, and the coachwork is Australian, built with Kauri pine and cedar.

1850s Park Phaeton

This poor vehicle suffered hugely by the wholesale reconstruction (with a hammer) of all of its frame and bodywork, which had mostly been replaced with chipboard and radiata pine in a most unsympathetic way. We have started from scratch and it's been rather a bigger job than we anticipated as all of the ironwork was also in very poor condition. It is now emerging from its ugly duckling state towards being a lovely lightweight Park Phaeton with raised coachman's box seat and elegantly curved wings. Keep watching for more progress.

1890s Spindle seat Sulky

This vehicle was recovered in Victoria and featured unusually high quality fittings with several interesting innovations incorporated by the blacksmith who made it. After complete dissassembly all the iron was cleaned back to bare metal and repaired, polished and primed, then reassembled with new bolts and square nuts, and new axle clips and straps. The original spindle seat required all new spindles and major reconstruction, the shafts, wingboards, dash and wheels were replaced and the original foot tray reconstructed. Shown in undercoat (left) and fine primer (right) waiting for the coloured top coats, trim and new wheels to be fitted.

Turn-out seat Buggy, Murrumburrah, 1870s

This excellent turn-out seat buggy survived only because it crashed, probably about eighty years ago, wrecking the wheels. The buggy was stored in a barn and remained reasonably intact but with twisted body and smashed undercarriage, and no wheels. It was completely taken down and rebuilt reinstating all the original parts and using new hickory reaches, perches, framing and wheels. The hood followed the remnant fabric on the frame and surviving paint colours, scrolling and pinstriping were carefully copied so that it now appears nearly identical to when it was new.

Hooded full size Town Sulky

This magnificent full sized Town Sulky is nearing completion for clients in northern NSW. The sulky has half-Pagnell shafts, a long tray, very soft springs, large hickory wheels with rubber tyres, a generous Motorback seat and curved dash with beautiful nickel fittings. The sulky is having a full French hood which will make it truly splendid to drive in. The image on the right gives an indication of how the finished vehicle will shortly look.

Hooded minature sulky

This delightful small-scale Hooded sulky was built for a customer with an 8hh horse. The brief was to build an entirely authentic luxury touring sulky scaled down to suit the little horse, but looking totally in proportion. Consequently antique pony sulky ironwork was modified and spring hangers, roof frame etc fabricated to ensure that all the detail was accurate and looked in keeping when put to the horse. The images show the frame being set out. The wheels, shafts and crossmembers are hickory, the antique seat is Kauri pine, as is the full length floor. The project was completed in February 2011.

Heavy Horse Show Break

This impressive show break for a draught horse was constructed to replace one destroyed in the Victorian bushfires. The very long shafts are fitted with a side extension for training an additional horse, and the vehicle has a long tray, brakes, and special heavy iron-tyres wheels with modern roller bearings. The comprehensive iron braces for the elaborate wooden frame were fabricated to original patterns from new, the vehicle was finished in the client's show colours.

Nearly every part of an original carriage can be supplied as a new standard fitting or a bespoke fabricated component.

We keep a good stock of antique ironwork and carriage componentry from which we draw all the main components for our newly constructed carriages, thereby ensuring a high level of authenticity in the finished work. Where required, antique iron is modified to suit a particular vehicle, and new parts fabricated to match as needed. All nuts and bolts are replaced with new examples of the correct type regardless of their condition as safety is a priority and all our vehicles are supplied "horse ready". The same goes for wheels; we will not sell a running vehicle with wheels in inadequate condition. We strongly recommend that any doubtful wheels are sent to our friend and talented wheelwright Mark Burton in nearby Bungendore for expert attention.