THE WAGON

The wagon was built by Orton, Sons & Spooner in 1905 for Martha – one of the five fairground females I worked to re-establish in my PhD – and George DeVey of Westcountry fairground firm, Anderton & Rowland’s. Passed down through three female generations of the firm – Martha, Laura and Delcia – I acquired the wagon in 2024 and embarked on an extensive restoration process to return the wagon to as close to original as possible. Since completion, the wagon has been hauled by ex-A&R Showman’s engine ‘The Gladiator’ which it is now reunited with in preservation.

Traditional Signwriting

Lining

Decorative Work

background & research

The wagon – known as a ‘Showman’s Living Wagon’ or, on occasion, a ‘Palace on Wheels’ – was originally built to be moved on the railway, hence the reference to ‘living carriage’ on the cut glass in the door and denoted by its appearance: its low and wide body, and box-like form, meant A&R could easily transport the wagon on the railway, which they used to much affect in the early twentieth century.

Two early photographs of the wagon survive and were used as inspiration for the lining scheme utilised during the restoration process. The wagon was opulent – in their heyday, the wagons were how showmen advertised their success – and luckily much of the ornate interior has survived, of notable impact and impress is the ceilings.

Conversations with Delcia, during the PhD study, meant many stories of the wagon were known and were instrumental in the restoration process, for example: the dent created by a stray bullet from a shooting gallery, at some point in the wagon’s history, has remained visible; and Martha – who performed as a ‘mesmeric subject’ at A&R’s ‘Palace of Varieties’ and who kept her performing snakes in the belly box of the wagon.

the process

After acquiring the wagon in 2023, I embarked on a restoration process that involved many others: two key people being Dave Leach and Kenny Roseveare – in a full-circle moment, these two had helped my Dad with the restoration of ‘The Gladiator’ forty years before. Dave worked extensively on the mollycroft roof and glasswork, with Kenny undertaking much of the woodwork repairs and joinery. New cut glass was crafted by Aaron Stephens, following the tracing of the original Orton, Sons & Spooner glass pattern from the wagon preserved at the Avoncroft Museum, Birmingham.

The wagon has had a full exterior restoration: the panels, chassis, turntable and roof have all been traditionally coachpainted by hand, by Craig Morris. The lining out of the wagon – with additions of signwriting and decorative work – has been undertaken by myself.

Here, 23.5 carat gold leaf has been applied, with green and off-white lining – colours synonymous with Anderton & Rowland’s. The names of the three previous female owners have been included on the turntable of the wagon. The mollycroft glass and vents have been replaced, whilst new carved corners have been crafted by Roger Gluyas and gilded by me.

Much of the interior has survived and what is missing has been restored as sensitively to the original as possible. New tiles – based on a Victorian design – sit around the 1911 Hostess No. 24 stove, restored by Osborne Restoration. The angel lamps that frame the fireplace were crafted, from the original Mellors Catalogue drawings, by Mark Prior. Some cut glass mirrors were missing and so new ones were made by David Smith, and the reupholstery of the seating, and fabrication of new curtains, was undertaken by Leila Upholstery.

timeline

The restoration started in September 2025 and the wagon made its first outing to Royal Cornwall Show, in June 2026. This was treated as a test-run before the ‘actual’ debut, at Torbay Steam Fair in August 2026, who were celebrating Anderton & Rowland’s with the return of five of their Showman’s engines as well as the wagon.

This fair enabled many special moments: George DeVey III, grandson of the original owners of the wagon and the brother of recent owner, Delcia, spent a nostalgic time inside the wagon recalling his memories of the last 89 years with the wagon, whilst Delcia’s son, Robert, got to see the wagon in its restored splendour.

The restoration process of the wagon, and the debut of it at both Royal Cornwall Show and Torbay Steam Fair, have been documented by filmmaker Dan England. A short documentary film ‘The Wagon’ will soon be produced.