Usually known as a Gypsy caravan, the Romani peoples prefer the term Vardo, Romani for 'living waggon'. The Ledge is similar to the Burton except the Burton is straight sided from the waggon bed up, while the Ledge has sides built on a ledge to take them out over the wheels, and the Brush top which has the door at the back. There is a slight slope out from bottom to top on the sides which again gives this waggon a distinctive front and rear profile.

This waggon type is the most beautiful of all the carved and painted waggons. Alongside this the travellers and circus waggons are garish, but they were decorated to attract customers, while the Ledge waggons were decorated for the joy of decoration. The only waggon that matches this type for workmanship is the rare Gypsy Pot waggon.

Occasionally a family built Ledge can be found but most were made and decorated to order by first rate waggon builders, carvers and painters. While there was a standard format to the Ledge waggon the decoration was specific to a clients order, the internal decoration especially was very personal.

Again due to my disinclination to cover good wood this waggon is not a match for any known waggon and is not museum quality (the wheels are wrong), but follows closely the Dunton of Reading waggon in the Reading museum (UK) in construction (Dunton was a waggon builder).

As I was learning to build waggons, to use the miniature tooling required and had limited skills I did not attempt to match the traditional carving but rather adapted what I could for this model, like the original builders I decorate for the pure joy of it and would prefer to use timber not paint.

This was the waggon I always wanted to make but never expected to. You never know till you try.



Rimu sapwood, milled from old 100x25mm planking. Wheels, steps, shafts and running gear are Rewarewa (new timber), waggon bed base (summers & soles) are Rewarewa from forest falls. Waggon floor and footboard are Totara from an old fence post. Pan box is Totara on a Tawa frame with Maple trim. Brake blocks are Rewarewa with rubber bonded to the brake face. Spindle rack door is Maple. Stable door is Totara with Maple trims and Birch carving. Sides, front and rear walls are Rimu 4mm and 6mm planks, with maple trim and birch carving.

Windows (all workable sash windows) are Totara facings on a Tawa frame. Window frames are Tawa. Window storm shutters are maple louvers in a Totara frame. Cratch (luggage rack) is Rewarewa. Mollicroft roof is in Tawa with leather over Tawa on the roof, the main roof is leather over Tawa. All trim is Maple, carvings are Birch, and the flying duck is a commercial inlay. (Could not find a horse).

All window glass is Cellulose Acetate (exposed and developed film); window decoration is miniature screen work in brass placed on the inside of the window.

The running gear is bolted with 69 brass bolts.

The door Lamps which are not usual on a Ledge waggon, are pieces of brass from an old industrial switch with pieces of old theatrical hooded bulbs added. All metal work is brass. The model is finished with two coats of varnish.