Break char-a-bancs
Break is a very broad term, starting from Skeleton Break, a carriage used to train young horses, ending with Cavalier Breaks, luxury carriages driven by their owners. The word itself means to break the resistance of a young horse which has just been handled.
Among many carriages of this type, a few that have very distinctive design should be mentioned. Let’s start with the Break design: The group includes both versions with a reach coupled to suspension such as Mail Coach or lighter carriages with elliptic springs and without a reach. The box seat has capacity for a few benches for several or even a dozen or so guests.
Depending on the design type, we can name the following break versions: Skeleton Break, Charabanc, Shooting Break, Built-up Break, Roof-seat Break. The design differences are minor and their names are often misnamed. For example: Roofseat Break and Built-up Break. As the name itself suggests, Roofseat break was built using a part of elevated box seat’s roof and placing two seats for several people there. In Built-up breaks, where the top and bottom edge of the box seat are parallel, a few benches are located, each for 3 or 4 people, similar to rear benches of Road Coach or Park Drag.
