Kids and Karts: A big craze in the uk when I was a kid were go-karts (jiggers we called 'em round my way) Simple to make, pram wheels from an abandoned baby walker, 3 planks, 1...

cockney greg Loc: London E17

A big craze in the uk when I was a kid were go-karts (jiggers we called 'em round my way) Simple to make, pram wheels from an abandoned baby walker, 3 planks, 1 attached by a nut and bolt for steering, a main body, and the third to bear the rear axle. You steered with your feet and a piece of string slung either side, and a stick on a fulcrum that scraped the ground as a brake. The only other requisite was the boy power of a mate who pushed it and jumped on when you got a pace up, many happy hours were spent by all. If you lived in a street with lots of kids you would share and share alike. Bring back any memories?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

cockney greg wrote:

A big craze in the uk when I was a kid were go-kar... (show quote)

My childhood! On a certain day of the week, people would put out big things for garbage collection. That's when we'd make the rounds looking for baby carriages. The parts would go into carts. We would also go to the lumber yard and get old wooden nail kegs for the front of the carts. Those carts were a way of life for the kids in my neighborhood. We used broom handles to push them, taking turn in the cart.

cockney greg Loc: London E17

jerryc41 wrote:

My childhood! On a certain day of the week, people would put out big things for garbage collection. That's when we'd make the rounds looking for baby carriages. The parts would go into carts. We would also go to the lumber yard and get old wooden nail kegs for the front of the carts. Those carts were a way of life for the kids in my neighborhood. We used broom handles to push them, taking turn in the cart.

I think we were a lot fitter as kids in those days Jerry!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

cockney greg wrote:

I think we were a lot fitter as kids in those days Jerry!

Definitely! Today, both the driver and the pusher would be texting.

Remus Loc: Norfolk, UK

We called them trolleys in the midlands. The best pram wheels were those with "double ball bearings". One day two of were on our trolley going down the road which was really steep for about half a mile. There was a bend at the bottom which we'd forgotten about. The resulting crash, at about 35 mph, left me with concussion snd my mate with a lacerated arm. Didn't stop us making another trolley though.

cockney greg Loc: London E17

Remus wrote:

We called them trolleys in the midlands. The best pram wheels were those with "double ball bearings". One day two of were on our trolley going down the road which was really steep for about half a mile. There was a bend at the bottom which we'd forgotten about. The resulting crash, at about 35 mph, left me with concussion snd my mate with a lacerated arm. Didn't stop us making another trolley though.

Good lads, the quest for mach 1, a bit like the film The Right Stuff! :thumbup:

Spindrift62 Loc: Dorset, England. U.K.

They were Soap Boxes in West London in the 50's as the deluxe models were made with a 'body' made from a wooden box made to carry bars of either 'Sunlight' or 'Pears' soap if I remember correctly. Like Remus the odd concussion and a few stitches were par for the course and the driver had the added bonus of bruised back/kidneys from the box edge. Happy days!

cockney greg Loc: London E17

Spindrift62 wrote:

They were Soap Boxes in West London in the 50's as the deluxe models were made with a 'body' made from a wooden box made to carry bars of either 'Sunlight' or 'Pears' soap if I remember correctly. Like Remus the odd concussion and a few stitches were par for the course and the driver had the added bonus of bruised back/kidneys from the box edge. Happy days!

:thumbup: Very happy!

Dannj

Here in NY in the '50s we made "scooters" by nailing a wooden crate upright to the end of a piece of 2x4...borrowed from a construction site...attached half a roller skate to each end and created havoc "scooting around the neighbourhood. We'd modify the inside of the crate for storage and showed off our decorating skills with whatever paint we could find. Oh for the summers of my youth!

cockney greg Loc: London E17

Dannj wrote:

Here in NY in the '50s we made "scooters" by nailing a wooden crate upright to the end of a piece of 2x4...borrowed from a construction site...attached half a roller skate to each end and created havoc "scooting around the neighbourhood. We'd modify the inside of the crate for storage and showed off our decorating skills with whatever paint we could find. Oh for the summers of my youth!

Happy days Dannj.

alf85 Loc: Northumberland, UK.

Happy Days, 66years has gone by since i last built one of them.
Regards, Alfie.

cockney greg Loc: London E17

alf85 wrote:

Happy Days, 66years has gone by since i last built one of them.
Regards, Alfie.

Time for another Alfie :thumbup:

Remus Loc: Norfolk, UK

greg, I see from the photo in your first post that the kids are wearing full protective gear, like we all did. Now it would be helmets, knee and elbow pads and an Injury Lawyer running alongside just in case the council needed prosecuting for not repairing a pothole or such.

cockney greg Loc: London E17

Remus wrote:

greg, I see from the photo in your first post that the kids are wearing full protective gear, like we all did. Now it would be helmets, knee and elbow pads and an Injury Lawyer running alongside just in case the council needed prosecuting for not repairing a pothole or such.

If you wore socks you were considered a snappy dresser in our days Remus!

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

I remember them as "go-carts" or "trolleys". I have a nice scare on my left calf from one. My mate had one, we lived on a hill so going to the top and then speeding down was great fun. Unfortunately on one occasion when it was my turn to "Drive" I managed to hit an immoveable object, which stopped the trolley dead in its tracks I proceeded to carry on. A large nail protruded out from the front of the trolley gouged a large hole in my leg. My next concern was going home to my mum and showing her the damage. :oops: With the risk of getting a clip round the ear.