Britzka

A britzka or britschka (with numerous spelling variations[lower-alpha 1]) is a type of horse-drawn carriage. What was originally an open wagon in Poland and Eastern Europe, became a passenger vehicle in Austria and was exported to Western Europe where it became popular as a travelling carriage. The carriage had four wheels, a long body with two seats (face to face), and a folding hood over the rear seat. The body could be converted to sleep two people full length. There was an elevated seat for the driver in front and a rear platform with a rumble seat for servants[1][2][3]

American Britzka design (1850–1870)
Austrian Britschka design (c. 1870)

The term is a variant of the Polish term bryczka, a "little cart", from bryka, "cart", possibly coming into English via several ways, including German Britschka and Russian brichka (бричка).

The Great Western Railway engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel used a black britzka as a mobile office whilst surveying the route of the railway. Nicknamed 'the flying hearse', it carried a drawing board, outline plans, engineering instruments, his favorite cigars, and a pull-out bed.[4][5]

Notes
  1. Variously spelled: briska, britchka, britschka, britska, britzcha, britzka, britzschka, and britzska. Nicknamed briskie and brisker by English post boys and coachmen.[1][2]

References
  1. Smith, D.J.M. (1988). A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles. J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd. p. 22. ISBN 0851314686. OL 11597864M.
  2. Walrond, Sallie (1979). The Encyclopaedia of Driving. Country Life Books. p. 48. ISBN 0600331822. OL 4175648M.
  3. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Britzska" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  4. Bryan, Tim (1999). Brunel : The Great Engineer. Ian Allan. p. 35. ISBN 0711026866. OL 22238161M.
  5. "Great Western Railway". Brunel 200.
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