Charabanc

Common card · No. 328631

A charabanc or "char-à-banc" (often pronounced "sharra-bang" in colloquial British English) is a type of horse-drawn vehicle and an early motor coach, usually open-topped, common in Britain during the early part of the 20th century. The term remains in use for some public service vehicles in a small number of countries. Traditionally, a charabanc has "benched seats arranged in rows, looking forward, commonly used for large parties, whether as public conveyances or for excursions". It was especially popular for sight-seeing or "works outings" to the country or the seaside, organised by businesses once a year. The name derives from the French char à bancs ("carriage with benches"), the vehicle having originated in France in the early 19th century. Although the vehicle has not been common on the roads since the 1920s, a few signs survive from the era; a notable example at Wookey Hole in Somerset warns that the road to the neighbouring village of Easton is unsuitable for charabancs. The word...

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