Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pushchairs

Join our Pram forum for pram advice. Plus read our round up of the best pushchairs currently available.

Original poster

Silvercross Kensington- any oppinions?

61 replies

Needle · 06/03/2010 20:54

Hello all

My mother always had a Silvercross Kensington pram, and has offered to buy one for my husband and I for our first baby (due July 2010) I was just wondering if anyone had ever had one, or used one, and could provide any advice, as I was really too young to form an informed oppinion of the one my mum had!

Many thanks,
Needle x

OP posts:
johnworf · 06/03/2010 21:42

Ni needle.

I had one of these when my sons were small. They are 18 and 21 now I loved it and was very sad to part with it. Even at the age of 2, a toddler could like down when sleeping. I used to have a toddler seat on the top of the pram too when I had my second son (although I'm not sure if you can still buy these as they're probably considered unsafe).

They are very robust and certainly good in all weathers. The tray underneath is large and you can fit loads of shopping underneath it.

I also had one of the big sun canopies which was hard to see over as I'm only 5' 2"

Downside is they can be hard to manoeuvre up and down steps. If the fabric hood gets wet then you need to fully dry it out as it can go mouldy. You need somewhere to 'park' it in the house. Also, when I had mine I didn't drive anywhere so only really advise getting one if you do a lot of walking. Oh, and forget trying to get it in the boot of your car unless you drive a transit van !

Still loved mine though and was sad when it went (by the way, hold their value very well too).

thisisyesterday · 06/03/2010 21:50

i think they're really lovely, but in all honesty it relly depends on your lifestyle!

if you're mainly out and about in the car they aren;t the easiest things to lug in and out of the boot, and they certaainly aren't easy getting round shops.

if you tend to walk then not so bad, but no rough terrain!!!

i know a few people who have bought classic prams, only to trade them in after a few months for something a bit more easy to use.

but, they are very lovely!!

Original poster
Needle · 06/03/2010 21:52

Hi Johnworf

Thank you for that- there are a few points that people had already mentioned- the size thing mainly, although we have a big Volvo V70, so it should fit in the boot- (although husband's theatre company does actually have a transit, normally used for transporting set!)Although as a rule I walk everywhere if possible. My mum used to be able to get 4 kids in hers when we were small, she only stopped when it eventually collapsed under the weight!

No one had mentioned the mouldy hood issue, so that's worth knowing, thank you! As for not being able to see over the sun canopy, I'm 5"8', so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'm glad someone has backed it though- everyone I know who hasn't had one has gone "ooooh, you don't want to get one of those!"

OP posts:
Original poster
Needle · 06/03/2010 21:54

Thank you thisisyesterday,

I do tend to walk everywhere, and I've a total vintage fiend, so I think I've been swayed!

OP posts:
johnworf · 06/03/2010 22:06

needle if you walk everywhere then they are fab. And babies seem to love them too as they're lovely and bouncy.

The few times I did put it in the boot of a car, the wheels do actually come off (they did on the one I linked to), so if you put the hood down then it should easily fit into a Volvo.

Btw, I never had a bag to match as they were hard bodied too IYKWIM! I just had a normal changing bag over the handle.

LOL@ 4 children in one pram. I can actually believe it

Original poster
Needle · 06/03/2010 22:12

Yep, me and my baby brother, plus my friend Becky and her baby brother. I have pointed out to her that we swore to have our babies at the same time, but apparently she doesn't fancy it just now.

I've got a design for a changing bag in mind anyway, in nice druable courderoy, which opens out into a quilted changing mat- nice and comfy and completely washable- which, if I can get my bum in gear I'll try and get going on soon. Saying that, I started knitting a pram blanket in November, and have only completed 2 patches out of 20!

OP posts:
tethersend · 06/03/2010 22:23

I love mine.

I got a seventies one from ebay, and I think it is amazing for newborns as they can lie totally flat.

Downsides:

  • You cannot get into some shops
  • Not easy to get up and down steps
  • You cannot use buses; trains only with difficulty
  • Old ladies will stop you every 50 yards to congratulate you on having 'A proper pram'. This leads to conversation which can turn to casual racism alarmingly quickly.

Upsides:

  • You rarely see anyone else with one
  • You feel like a vintage queen
  • You can fit a month's shopping in the basket underneath
  • You don't need a changing/feeding bag; everything fits in the pram! I used to carefully tuck everything around a usually sleeping baby.
  • You can put the baby down to nap in them in the house
  • You can cast pitying glances at other babies in their inferior prams

Definitely get one, but do get a cheap umbrella fold buggy as an alternative or back up- there will be times when you need it.

Original poster
Needle · 06/03/2010 22:29

tethersend That's exactly what my mum said!

Anyway, I was sold at Vintage Queen- I make vintage clothes for a living and my social life is centered around the London vintage scene, so it seems the fashionable choice- I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't completely impractical in every other respect. My only concern is getting it on the tube. I don't think I'll be able to somehow...

OP posts:
Habbibu · 06/03/2010 22:36

We have a balmoral. dd slept in iy in our bedroom from birth, ds sleeps in it loads, is gorgeous and we have nice old ladies who stoop us. Get a sling for more complicated journeys, don't buy new, though - ebay should haver lots.

johnworf · 06/03/2010 22:37

needle tad optimistic on the tube, methinks

Original poster
Needle · 06/03/2010 22:45

Thanks Habbibu I love the colourschemes of the Balmoral, but I think the relative convenience of the folding chassis will swing it for us. There are a few on ebay and I did point this out to mamma, but she is insistent in getting us a new one, so far be it from me to complain!

johnworf Yeah, I thought that might be an issue! I must admit, I had naievely thought that the bus might be a possibility.

OP posts:
tethersend · 06/03/2010 23:09

Oooh, I'm in London too, needle .

It's great taking it to parks and markets, people in Broadway market were chasing me down the road in the summer , but get something else for the tube and bus.

I'm vintage obsessed also... where do you sell your clothes?

Original poster
Needle · 06/03/2010 23:28

I sell privately mostly, although DH is a theatre director, so since I've been with him I've done more costuming than dressmaking- plus none of the people on Etsy who stock vintage maternity patterns will ship to England. I've been watching Mad Men for the last few weeks and it's killing me! I'm itching to start sewing for myself again, but I've never had to accommodate a bump before, and most of my old designs were very snug on the waist!

Where in London are you based? We're in Wood Green, out near Muswell Hill.

OP posts:
ka32 · 07/03/2010 10:08

Needle

I had one for all of my first lot - 4 in total, eldest 20 down to 11. It was mine and was passed to me by my mum. I loved it. I had the toddler seat and used it with reins on it iyswim? Very easy to push, great if u do a lot of walking, but must echo the old ladies will stop u every five yards comment!! It used to take twice as long to go to the shops coz i got stopped so often.

Sadly, ex has it in his roofspace, and i don't think it would fit in the boot for my ka, so not really suitable for this time around, but I would have one again in an instant. I love them.

Original poster
Needle · 07/03/2010 10:21

ka32 - that's great, thank you! I don't think there was ever any other option for me really- I still have the Kensington dolls pram (sitting all alone in our unpainted nursery) which to be honest is bigger than most modern prams, my mum did actually use it once for my little sister, although I don't remember why. The only problem for me is that I don't drive, and live in London, so it means that I can't get about with it, as the concensus seems to be that getting on the tube or bus is totally impossible

OP posts:
ka32 · 07/03/2010 10:30

Needle

You would never get it on or off the tube or buses i don't think. But if you plan on walking it is an excellent pram, babies r really comfy in it for such a long time, we used it upstairs as a carrycot for no4 for ages and ages and he slept in it if we were out for the day better than in the buggy. But we had a huge people carrier and a big volvo estate. But i still had an old pliko for quick trips on the train and stuff. But my advice would be you won't need a moses basket, cradle or anything like that, and if you have room to keep it up in the house, then bite your mum's arm off.

Can you tell I would really really love to justify one for this time lol

Original poster
Needle · 07/03/2010 10:42

Lol, We've got a Volvo Estate too, and luckily my old Moses basket is still in good condition (another benefit to having children young!) I think my mum would have been disappointed if I'd turned her down on her offer to be honest- (her divorce settlement has just come through and she's desperate to treat us!)

As for the tube problem, It's really just my vanity which is affected- I did so like the idea of swanning around town with the pram!

OP posts:
MillyMollyMoo · 07/03/2010 11:22

Oh hubby is trying to persuade me to sell ours to fund school fee's this thread is making me very sad

MillyMollyMoo · 07/03/2010 11:26

As for the tube problem, It's really just my vanity which is affected- I did so like the idea of swanning around town with the pram!

Well we used to live about an hour and half walk outside town which prior to getting the Balmoral I would never have entertained walking but with the pram I didn't mind so much, in the summer anyway.

Original poster
Needle · 07/03/2010 11:32

I could probably manage to walk as far as Islington, but I think the centre of town would take about three hours to walk! I walk a lot, but that's a little too far even for me!

I can understand why you'd be sad to part with the Balmoral- Looking on Ebay,they're only going for about £200, so perhaps you could convince him that it's not worth it?

OP posts:
MillyMollyMoo · 07/03/2010 11:39

Three hours is a step too far for anyone i'd say, plus thinking about it you'd probably be lynched for taking up more than your allocated 3" of pavement in the city !

Original poster
Needle · 07/03/2010 11:47

Ahah! No! This is one of the great things about the pram- I'm totally claustrophobic on busy London Streets and this pram is basically the solution to all my personal sace issues- people will just have to get out of way!

OP posts:
MillyMollyMoo · 07/03/2010 11:53

I wouldn't bank on it, I've been sworn at with a phil and teds taking up too much room apparently.
However there was one lovely incident with an entire rugby team helping me on and off the tube and flirting with DD (and maybe me a little bit) all the way to Walthamstow lol

Original poster
Needle · 07/03/2010 11:56

Ah! That's sweet- there are certainly some stations which are easier than others to manage. Unfortuantely, Turnpike Lane isn't one of them!

OP posts:
stinkypinky · 07/03/2010 12:11

Make sure it fits through your door. Will not even go through my patio doors so not an option for me. So envious of you! I have to make do with a toy one.