Lot Ended
Description
Wonderful period caravan with teardrop Art Deco styling; restored 25
years ago and carefully maintained since; all the kit you need to go glamping;
one of only four known to survive
A joiner by
trade, Daniel Thomson began making showman’s caravans in 1908 from his premises
in Carron near Falkirk in Scotland. As car ownership became more widespread in
the 1920s, he also offered a range of small caravans which could be towed by
cars of the period and were fully kitted out with all the necessary equipment to
go camping.
By the 1930s he was building
streamlined models tested in a wind tunnel at the Royal Technical College in
Glasgow to optimise aerodynamic efficiency. Thomson died in 1963 and the company
he had founded was renamed as T-Line and continued making caravans of much
larger sizes until the business folded in the
early 1980s.
The Thomson Dart was unveiled
at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show and was billed as the 'smallest and lightest
caravan available'. Built on an all-steel chassis with aluminium bodywork and
cane fibre insulation, it had a large rear door hinged at the top, opening
leaded windows on each side plus an opening skylight in the
roof.
The well-equipped interior had a settee
which folded out to make a double bed, a fold-away dining table, plenty of
cupboards, built-in electrics and ceiling lights plus a paraffin stove for
cooking and a wash basin. Weighing 6cwts, it was 10ft long x 6ft wide x 6ft
high.
This delightful Dart comes with a
certificate from the Historic Caravan Club (HCC) stating that it was built in
1948. In 1999 it was acquired by a Hampshire couple who spent a year restoring
it, as detailed in articles and photos on file.
This included restoring the chassis, strengthening the body and
fitting modern PE insulation to keep it cool in summer and warm in winter. The
interior was also fully retrimmed and the electrics modernised.
They kept it until 2008, taking it to many shows
and rallies in company with a Scammell lorry and a larger showman’s caravan that
they also owned. The next owner, also an HCC member, had
further work carried out by J&C Mansfield in 2008 including a repaint in the
current cream over green.
Our vendor acquired the caravan in 2019 and
also joined the HCC. He has continued to look after the Dart well, including
fitting two new tyres, new brake pads and new wheel bearings. He also had the
bed/settee retrimmed in the same cloth as used on the seats of the famous Flying
Scotsman steam locomotive – top quality stuff that looks great and should last
forever!
As you
can see in the photos, this Dart looks utterly charming and comes with all the
kit you need to go glamping including a wonderful period tea set and a canopy
that stores away under the settee.
Well-known to
the Historic Caravan Club, it is also extremely rare, being one of only four
Darts thought to survive.
If you need to know whether it will fit in
your garage, it is 80in High at its highest point.
Consigned by James Dennison - 07970 309907
- [email protected]