Phaeton (carriage) Phaeton (carriage) A phaeton (also phaéton) was a form of sporty open carriage popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Drawn by one or two horses, a phaeton typically featured a minimal very lightly sprung body atop four extravagantly large wheels. With open seating, it was both fast and dangerous, giving rise to its name, drawn from the mythical Phaëton, son of Helios, who nearly set the earth on fire while attempting to drive the chariot of the sun. With the advent of the automobile, the term was adapted to open touring cars, also known as phaetons. The
HMS Phaeton (1883) 1914. Mr Frank Bibby, gave the charity money to buy the "Phaeton" and to refit her at Birkenhead as a training ship. The "Phaeton" was renamed TS "Indefatigable" and moored off New Ferry in Liverpool on 15 January 1914. The previous "Indefatigable" had been condemned by the Inspector of Training Ships in 1912 as unfit, and was towed to the West Float at Birkenhead on 5 January 1914, and sold for scrap on 26 March. The figurehead of William IV from the old "Indefatigable" was transferred to the ex-"Phaeton". An Admiralty warrant for a Blue Ensign defaced with a liver