toots wrote:
Isn't a charabang a coach and aren't we talking horses here
almost every modern term we use on a modern vehicle springs from horse-drawn days
boot
hood
trunk
A charabanc (pronounced sha-ra-bang) [also spelt "char-à-banc"] is a type of horse-drawn vehicle or motor coach, usually open-topped, common in Britain during the early part of the 20th century. It was especially popular for sight-seeing or " works outings" to the country or the seaside, organised by businesses once a year.
The name derives from the French char à bancs ("carriage with wooden benches"), [1] the vehicle having originated in France in the early 19th century.[2]
Although the vehicle has not been common on the roads for several decades, a few signs survive from the charabancs' era. A notable example at Wookey Hole in Somerset warns that the road to the neighbouring village of Easton is unsuitable for charabancs.[3]
The original charabanc, in France, was a long, light, four-wheeled, wagonette-like carriage, usually open or curtained only at the sides, and often with no roof. It had several rows of benched seats extending across its width and facing forward. Pulled by up to six horses, it was used by private owners to convey guests on excursions. It was soon adopted in Britain, where two horses were used.
It was employed to carry large groups of people as a public conveyance or for outings.
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