Sunday, May 02, 2010

Barnum & Bailey #7


Scan12908, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Posted by Buckles at 5/02/2010 05:53:00 AM

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This photo is very clear and can be enlarged to show much detail. You can see the strap hinge on all of the doors on this dog wagon. And the doors are all made to raise up like the upper compartments are in this photo.
My question is how do you open the two kennels at the rear of the wagon as it doesn't look like the doors will clear the rear wheel?

02 May, 2010 11:23
Harry Kingston said...

Anonymous,
I am not the expert you are on circus equipment but I enlarged the picture and it looks like the two small doors can be opened like the others as I think it can clear the wheel. The second door is close to the wheel but looks like it also can be opened for air.
Also all the larger doors all have top strip hinges as well as hinged clean out doors for the compartments. But that bottom left cage would be something to get the larger dooe open with out removing the wheel.
What puzzles me is how with those size wheels they carried and the weight with out breaking. I have always seen the wheels that HW-1934, and Cole-1937 used. But all this is real old equipment.
These style wheels must have been real fun on a muddy lot.
And that cookhouse wagon wheels I see shows the effect of mud on them and dragging that around on a wet lot, WOW. Loads of fun.
The pole wagon has a larger wheel I noticed than many of these.
But all great photos from the early days of the circus.
Harry

02 May, 2010 17:18
Anonymous said...

What do you suppose the box under the rear end is? I don't think that the last side door could be opened very far, maybe they housed a small dog.
Bob Kitto

02 May, 2010 19:10
Anonymous said...

The rear storage box under the wagon isn't very deep because of the axle. It would have had clean- out tools,water and food dishes maybe.
p.j.

02 May, 2010 20:07
Anonymous said...

Large diameter wheels are much better for moving through mud. Though this would have been a relatively light wagon, wheels of this size can carry plenty of weight if made well and of the right wood. Circus fans are just too used to the overbuilt and massive wagons of the 1920s.

03 May, 2010 01:36
Harry Kingston said...

Anonymous,
Thanks so much and yes you are right as I am used to the wagons of HW and Cole with huge wheels and every inch in that wagon loaded with something and stuff hanging all over both sides.
Great days of the circus.
Again thanks for you great answers as we can learn something new about the circus that we did not know.
Harry

03 May, 2010 08:23

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