How do I test used pram brakes on a slope and the fold lock?

How do I test the parking brake on a slope?

RoSPA’s first-use list is: lock and unlock the brakes, then push. Which? adds a circuit and says make sure the brake holds well, particularly on a slope. Trading Standards South West says check the parking brake works both forwards and backwards. Business Companion (Trading Standards Institute) uses the same forwards-and-backwards wording and asks whether the brake engages properly.

1. 1
   Unfold and lock the chassis first Do not test the brake on a half-open frame. RoSPA says check the product is properly unfolded and locked together before you use it.
2. 2
   Apply the brake on the flat Step on or click the parking brake. Push the handle gently forwards, then pull backwards. Note whether either rear wheel still turns.
3. 3
   Release and push Take the brake off and push a few metres. The pram should roll. If it still drags, the mechanism may be seized or misaligned — record that as a failed release, not a pass.
4. 4
   Repeat on a slope Park facing down a driveway or pavement slope, apply the brake, and take your hands off. Which? specifically asks whether it holds on a slope. Then face up the same slope and repeat.
5. 5
   Write down what happened Held on the flat / slipped on the slope / released cleanly / would not release. That is the test record. MayTally does not convert it into a score.

Keep any child well away from the hinge while you fold or adjust. Trading Standards South West and RoSPA both warn that fingers can be trapped in moving parts.

How do I check the fold lock stays upright?

Which? says try the fold yourself a few times and make sure it does not catch. Netmums says folding mechanisms are often the first part to break, and that the pram should lock in place when it is upright so it will not collapse. NCT’s reuse list says the locking mechanism should work so the pushchair will not collapse with a baby in it.

1. Fold it yourself — do not only watch the seller (Which?, Netmums).
2. Unfold until you hear or feel the lock. RoSPA’s wording is properly unfolded and locked together.
3. Push down on the handle and lift the front slightly. Note whether the frame starts to jack-knife.
4. Fold and unfold several times. Which? and Netmums both say do this more than once.
5. Leave it standing upright and see whether it stays locked (Netmums).

What do Trading Standards say about two locks?

Trading Standards South West says make sure there are two safety locks to stop the pushchair folding while a baby is in it, and to try before you buy. London Borough of Bromley and Business Companion say a folding chassis must have a primary and a secondary locking device, and both should engage.

What if the brake or lock fails the test?

Report what you saw, then read what those sources say next. RoSPA lists brake and lock checks before a child goes in. Which? puts the slope hold and a catch-free fold on the pre-purchase list. Trading Standards South West treats two working locks as part of the buying guide. None of those pages ask you to 'see how you get on' with a brake that slips.

• Brake slipped on the slope. That is a failed Which? slope check. Do not treat a working flat-ground hold as a substitute.
• Only one lock clicked. Trading Standards South West and Bromley describe two devices on a folding chassis.
• It folded when you pushed the handle. NCT and Netmums describe that as the collapse they want the lock to prevent.
• You could not operate it yourself. Which? says you will fold this day in, day out — if you cannot work it on the driveway, you do not have a completed test.

In shortLock, unlock, push, then repeat on a slope. Fold it yourself several times and confirm it stays locked upright. If the brake slips or the second lock does not engage, the sources above treat that as a reason not to proceed. That is their checklist, not a MayTally safety score.