LIVING VANS

Carters Steam Fair has always travelled with traditional showman's wagons, or living vans. Throughout the years the family has lived in many different wagons, starting with a 24' Abbey van which John and Anna Carter shared with five children and two rottweilers! "We travelled a short season," Anna says, "but it wasn't that short! It was pretty epic living like that." The family then bought a 30' Southern which Seth currently owns, and a small 18' Southern, and travelled a special kitchen van for cooking. The kitchen van would have been something quite commonly seen on fairgrounds in the early 20th century, but by then they had pretty much disappeared, as most modern living vans are fitted with kitchens.

At that point, the children lived in the big van and John and Anna lived in the little one, using the kitchen and bathroom in the kitchen van. As the kids got bigger, they soon wanted more independence; when Seth was about 18 and Joby about 15, they bought a Bristol bus between them and converted it to live in. When Seth met his future wife Tania, Joby bought a 1942 Brayshaw living van from his father and, after restoring it, moved in to that. Their parents bought a handsome Vosper wagon around that time, which Anna still lives in to this day.

As a whole, these vans date from around the 1940s, although the family have owned older ones in the past. The 1940s and 50s ones have good strong chassis, pneumatic tyres, and are solidly built. Even so, it takes a lot of work to keep them looking good and functioning well. They are fitted with water tanks for washing, and have belly boxes for storage along the underworks. All the wagons with the Fair now, except for the little 18' Southern, are fitted with kitchens, so the kitchen van is no longer travelled.

Carters Steam Fair also owns a number of small 1960s caravans, which serve as living quarters for the full time workers on the fair. They are becoming rare in themselves, and need a bit of TLC to keep in good working condition after the ravages of the season.

By their nature, showmen have traditionally been prone to showing off – and their homes were the best way to do it! Extensive use of mahogany and exotic veneers in the interiors, Aga cookers, grand wooden staircases to the front door, servants' entrances… even marble fireplaces were built into these extraordinary wagons. Click on the links at right to explore the living quarters of Carters Steam Fair.