Concord coach

The Concord coach was an American horse-drawn coach, often used as stagecoaches, mailcoaches, and hotel coaches. The term was first used for the coaches built by coach-builder J. Stephen Abbot and wheelwright Lewis Downing of the Abbot-Downing Company in Concord, New Hampshire, but later to be sometimes used generically. Like their predecessors, the Concords employed a style of suspension and construction particularly suited to North American conditions in their era. Their runnng gear was suited to a wide range of road conditions, and it was repairable without highly skilled metalworkers. Leather thoroughbraces suspend passengers who are in constant motion while the coach is moving. The swaying is accepted by passengers for the shock absorbing action of the leather straps and for the way the special motion eases the coach over very rough patches of roadway. This suspension, which was developed by Philip de Chiese in the 17th century, was long replaced by steel springs in England.

The coaches developed out of earlier models, such as the “melon-shaped” coach illustrated by Captain Basil Hall, and was probably first built in this final form in Upstate New York, and were often known as “Troy coaches” or “Albany coaches”.

The Abbot-Downing Company, however, continued making these coaches for over 70 years, well after most their competitors, and the name became used as a generic term.

They were high-end, expensive vehicles; the cost was justified by long service life. The thoroughbrace suspension reduced stresses on the structure and improved passenger comfort.

Railroads began replacing stagecoaches in the middle of the 19th century, but Concord coaches remained in commercial use into the 20th century and continue to be used in parades and for publicity purposes by Wells Fargo Bank.

Concord coaches were made from wood with iron fittings. European coaches—constructed for smooth roads—could not withstand the rough American roads without breakage. Instead of using metal springs, the Concord coach body was suspended by strong leather straps called thoroughbraces, which enabled the vehicle to be constructed lighter than typical European coaches. A larger Concord might weigh 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) and could stand over 9 feet (2.7 m) tall.

Inside there were three bench seats which accommodated 6, 9 or 12 passengers, depending on model. Bench seats at the front and back of the coach had limited headroom. Passengers on the center bench had no backrest but steadied themselves with a broad leather harness suspended across the coach by straps from the roof. Another six passengers could travel on the roof.

There was an external luggage compartment or boot at the back of the coach and another boot for valuables below the driver's seat at the front. The rear wheels had wooden brake blocks which pressed against the iron rims of the wheels, controlled by the driver with a foot lever to his right at the side of his footboard.