Fifties pram stands test of time for Walsall couple
It could have come straight from the set of period drama Call the Midwife but instead it is turning heads on the streets of the Black Country.
Proud owners Jason Wilkes and Samantha Bannister snapped up the original 1950s Royale Lincoln for £57 on ebay – then spent another £450 renovating it.
The Walsall couple shunned the more streamline and sophisticated modern buggies, with their front-swivel wheels and ergonomic seats, for the 1959 classic.
Window fitter Jason bought the pram last April as a virtual shell and finished working on it just in time for the arrival of daughter Romany-Alice 12 days ago.
He said: "It was a complete wreck. The metalwork was rusted, and the hood and apron were missing, I had to start from scratch but I had a little money put by and was able to work on it off and on in my spare time.
"Sam wasn't even pregnant when we bought the pram. It started out as a hobby but the race was soon on to get it finished. I eventually completed it two weeks before Christmas.
"I've never done anything like this before. I've just been made redundant, so maybe it's something I might look at doing professionally."
Jason, 26, and Sam, 21, who also have a three-year-old daughter Grace, say their shiny black and chrome pram is a little heavier to handle than a contemporary model but they wouldn't be without it.
The couple, of Bloxwich Lane, Beechdale, gave the pram its first outing on Saturday and say the only drawback to their decision to go retro is that shopping trips can take twice as long as normal.
Jason said: "People keep stopping us, wanting to know where we got it from. They just love it."
