1960s Vintage Camper Van | Dormobile Bedford Romany Tour! 

Just looked back at a photo of my Mum sitting in their Van in 1965 which my parents had bought! They much later donated it to my family when we had 2 small children in the 1970s. Wonderful holidays and a lifetime of Campers including the last one - Ford Transit converted especially for wheelchair users with a garage for a mobility scooter for my Husband. Sadly it was stolen from outside our home 6 months before he died in 2014. My Son and his wife have just bought a 2006 Volksvagen Devon Camper and my their Son ( my Grandson) is working part-time using his electronic expertise with a VW Camper adaptation company! So my parents and the Bedford played a very large part of our lives - I thank them for it and I very much miss being able to join them at my ripe old age!! Sheila Searchfield

Love this video as we had one when I was small. Being the eldest I slept in the bunks with my sister. It was like our own little den. Then we had more siblings so my parents bought a very old folding caravan and joined the back of the camper onto the caravan with a picnic tent which my mother altered to fit. 3 kids in the camper, a small one in the caravan with my parents. We loved it, running from one end to the other. Must have looked strange as people always asked about it. I still remember her telling us to stop giggling and get to sleep. Happy days.

My parents bought one of these many years ago, on an F plate. Had a deeper windscreen if memory serves. We travelled high and low with that van, as a family of 5! Me being the youngest had to sleep on the floor alongside the galley (on a lilo admittedly) It was a whole great bunch of memories for us and once dad bought an awning to go over the back doors ( what you'd call a driveaway awning these days) we actually went on hols with my nan and gramps! Yes ! 7 people travelling in a romany dormobile ! That engine certainly earned its corn! Seem to recall dad getting a more powerful engine from a victor I think which did improve the speed/economy however it was still cursed with the "three on the tree" gearchange which seemed to take at least two lamp posts distance to change gear! But we loved that van despite the cross channel ferry handling! Great times! And this one looks peach- well done Dormobile!

My grandad sadly passed away we got his 1960 out of his garage after 14yrs loads of memories for us all 👍🏻

My late ex Father in Law had a late 60's Romany CA campervan. I've never seen one since that had the extras style his had. It had a deeper windscreen (so MK2), the headlights had a 'cowled' fibreglass? appearance. The side flash went into a curved 'fin' and if I remember correctly the rear indicator lights were mounted in the 'fin' along with a red stop/side light. I've seen the front cowl effect on other CA conversations but never a front and rear treatment that his had. The interior plastic Formica type woodwork was in a greyish wood effect. The sliding doors had a catch built in so they could be driven open. No seatbelts back then either so today that would be a nightmare of sliding off the seat whilst driving 😯 Enough of memory lane in 2024. Cheers DougT

Love this video guys. This van is exactly the same as the one that my Dad had when I was a nipper. We went all over the UK and Europe back in the 60s. Great family holidays. I remember flying the van from Lydd to Le Touquet rather than getting the ferry and driving down to Gibraltar. Amazing memories and I guess that’s why I have a van now. Love this. Thank you ❤❤

My parents bought a Dormobile in 1960 and kept into the 1990s. In the 1960”s we explored Europe, travelling behind the ‘Iron Curtain’ travelling through the USSR and East Germany and Poland. Often we were the first people from the West the locals had ever met. The van created interest everywhere we went. I remember a crowd gathered round us just off Red Square in Moscow as my sister and I demonstrated how the bunks, sink etc worked. We had to take a lot of spare parts with us for the van so we were really laden. The little table you describe under the wardrobe was actually a seat so you could sit to cook. And yes the canvas bunks did rot and I went through mine!

We used to have a series 2 Bedford CA Dormobile (JST 618G). That little 'table' pulled out from the bottom of the wardrobe was in fact the cooks 'seat'. When you lifted the carpet there were TWO wells for gas bottles for the cooker, Fabulous vehicle. When Dad bought it it was because to was the only vehicle big enough to take a family of 7. 4 kids sat sideways on the back seat folded down with big brother taking the 'Cooks seat' for himself. a frame tent added to the back made extra room on camping trips and the luggage rack above the cab provided grandstand views at various events like air-shows, banger races and the like.

I remember going on a family holiday in a Dormobile, think it was a VW, in the late 60's to Scotland. I remember my Dad complaining the clutch was very heavy to use.

I had my first campervan holiday in one of these in 1967 with my schoolfriend Sarah Scot and her dad. We went to Norfolk and it was so hot Mr Scot drove with the sliding door open. Oh happy days.

In my penultimate year at Woodhouse Grove School, Bradford, Yorks, along with my classmate David Corbett, his younger brother Peter (later professionally known as Matthew), one of their friends, and I went to Paris in Harry Corbett's Bedford Dormobile, in our Easter holidays 1963, 61 years ago! We camped in the Bois de Boulogne and had a great time despite the Parisians absolute refusal to understand our schoolboy French.

In 1966 we had a blue dormobile that my grand father brought for our family. My parents slept on the seats folded down my sister and I (13 and 11) were on the stretchers above and my other sister and brother (4 and 6) slept on the floor behind the seats!! Were visited for five months from South Africa.

The "table" which pulls up from the front of the wardrobe is intended as a seat for the cook and a step to assist in climbing up into the stretcher bunks.

Bedford is the great retro camper 👍👍👍

Great memories of childhood with one of these. Bedford CA dormobile. My dad's first camper van of many. He bought it from Tettenhall near Wolverhampton in late 60's. It yellow with a white stripe. It had a top loading gas powered fridge with the exhaust via a piece of copper pipe out the window... luckily we didn't all die from CO poisoning 🙃. Anyway like father like son we now enjoy life in a T5 birchover. Keep up the great chanel.

We once saw a ca 1950 ties Ford Bedford in orginal as a RV,the interigor in all teak wood orginal cream withe if I remember. But the wooden interigor, yes it was more like a boat living area, but, but, but, that young bloke had it after an unkle! It was something extra! It was in Sweden on a carpark for several big shopingcenter's! By the holyday mood, i hope you have seen mr Hyulo, going on the car show in Amsterdam in, The holiday sabotöör! That small 2CV is someting extra!🚙

Friends of ours used to have one of these in the early 70s in a mustardy yellow colour and we saw them every year at what used to be the Ganavan Sands caravan site just outside of Oban in Argyll and Bute. There were about six or seven families who all returned to the same site year after year and spent weeks just kicking about the sea, sand and hills letting us kids run about from breakfast till teatime and beyond sometimes with no worries for our safety. Lovely times and this vid has brought back some great memories of that time and sitting with pals eating sandwiches in the dormer. Great vid 👍

Absolutely love this video, brings back so many memories from when I was a child in early 70's my dad had a red with white stripe, I have so many memories from that van sleeping in the back on the way back from hols, both the rear seats were put down and my sister and I went to sleep whilst travelling obviously no seat belts then, the van was so underpowered one time we was travelling to Dorset and the van was so loaded we got to a hill and it would not get up it, my mum my sister and me and the dog which was only aJack Russell then had to get out of the van and walk the hill whilst dad reversed up the hill because of the lower gearing he got up there. Sausages at the side of the road for lunch whilst travelling to holiday, so many memories, the final memory of that van was watching it being sold I cried my eyes out when that went but I think I was only around six years old.

My father had the van version back in the late 60s early 70s which he converted into a camper. He put a high top on it and spent ages stitching some canvas sheets together to make an awning. He also made a cover for the front passenger door in the open position and placed a bucket as a loo. Had many a good holiday 😊 I do remember getting towed up some hills because it was so gutless 🤣 that's a fantastic restoration. So even in the 60s there were self builds and we often camped off grid! The sand dunes at Burnham on Sea was a great spot to a cheap holiday off grid

Super video! My parents rented one of the earlier versions for three months in 1961. Two adults and three kids, adults on the bed, youngest on the rear floor, the other two kids on the roof bunks. I don't remember that it felt cramped at all. We travelled along the coasts from Southampton, around Cornwall, Wales, and as far north as Oban, collecting little plastic stick-on souvenir flags on the way. Brilliant time. Now I have a Citroen Jumper-based van with all the bells and whistles but its just not the same, no "pioneer" feeling at all!

ooh what a beauty .. around 2000 i had a 1980's dormobile based on a bedford CF ... and of course we want to see a Dormobile Defender

That’s so clever! I would love to see a tour of the Land Rover.

AWESOME. When i was a kid back in the 70's we had one of these. We had some great holidays.

Killer. Cute little camper van. Should we be saying “We’ve come a long way since 1962.”

Many memories there. We had the Morris J4 Dormobile. Bloody ice box at night.

Fantastic job (as always) by the team in the New Forest.

My Dad had one of these as his first Camper, instead of a car. They were relatively affordable since they didn’t have purchase tax. It was very low powered, even by the standard of the day….. all vans were in the 60s. I guess no worse than the contemporary “splitties” but for fun now not commuting…..! Magic though.

More like this. Please

Loved the video. Takes me back to my childhood when my parents owned one of these campers. Our model had the slatted rear windows and the 5 of us travelled all over the uk in it. Has given me a huge love of campers and motorhomes. Hence why I now have a Chausson motorhome and a VW T5 camper. ❤❤

I used to have a Bedford CF campervan with sliding doors. I wish I never sold it. Cracking vans.

It's amazing my Bedford all restored ❤

Brilliant camper! Nucd edit with the period music style too. Definitely want to see inside the landy 🤙

Another fab video. Thanks, I'd love a trip around that Land Rover Camper!

What a beautiful van. Take care Gill

Great video, so many memories for me. Mine was UK plate number ARK969C. It was slightly different in that it was a Bedford Normandy according to the badge, not sure what year it was, but I purchased it in 1976. Originally it was the light green and white, but I painted it blue & white. We did 12,000 miles around Europe and UK. It had louvre windows on the back doors which helped with ventilation especially when cooking. The cooker had peizo electric ignition. Very useful vehicle and I wish I could buy another. Lovely stuff thanks for posting this, it really made my day.

Excellent video - love the innovation in the old vans and also the simplicity ie no electronics etc

This is so cool! Almost looks as if it belongs in a museum! Beautiful 😍 🤩

Hi nice , I have a VW Dormobile which my nan brought new from VW and I have had it for about 20 years still with all the original interior love it 👍🚐

Great video, we love the classic stuff

Love it! Much prefer that type of pop top and the simplicity of so many features. Didn’t quite understand how the dining set up works, shame you didn’t show that. Would love to see the Landrover.

Absolutely loved this, took me right back in time, I grow up with the Dormobile range, the Bedford was the most popular, but my favi5was the Ford Thames 400E, wow when as a little boy in 1959 I saw one of those Doormbiles I was hooked, thanks,

Very cute! I love it! Is fantastic!

Still see these over here in oz at the car shows.

I was shocked when I saw this. I used to own 129 XPL. It was falling apart when I got it from a Mr Denny, who had owned it from new. So pleased to see it like this, it's a lovely old thing and now looks fantastic. It had a 4 speed box from the factory by the way.

Lovely vehicle, great vlog Shaun

What a great review. Mum and Dad bought one of these in the mid 60's, and I have very many happy memories of them, my brother and I touring Wales (mostly), particularly Anglesey. The three gears were 'challenging' on the mountain roads though 😋

We loved this, would definitely like to see the landy 👍

Great to see this video, its my favorite van, my father had the van version when I was a boy and those sliding doors were amazing to a small child. No thought about safety back then, if it was a hot day you could drive alone with the door fully open. My brother in law had a 1963 VW version, I'm guessing it would be worth a lot of money today, people seem to go for the old VW's and pay a lot for them.

Thankyou so much for showing us this beautiful Van. First saw one of these while out walking with my Mum in the early sixties, and, it blew my tiny mind. To think that you could get all the basic amenities of a House into a tiny van!!!. Like Mr Bramley below I was hooked ever since. Thanks again

Wow! What a great review on a seriously fabulous camper.

Great van. I would definitely like to see more of their vans, especially the Land Rover. Thanks for sharing.

What I find really interesting is that the layout and versatility of that Dormobile is really similar to what I have in my 1987 Ford Transit Autosleeper Frisky, though my two bunks in the pop top are more like hammocks because they aren't tensioned like the Dormobile ones. I wonder why it is that the two double bed, end hinged pop top with side kitchen has become so ubiquitous, because I'm sure it isn't be best layout possible

I’d love to find out more about all of the vehicles in the showroom. Would be interesting to see the newer Bedford compared to this one to see how the conversation developed over time. Thank you. Appreciate the time it takes to produce these videos. 👍

I'd love to see the land rover!

Had one back in 1970, our first camper, cost us £125, went to Spain three times in it, albeit a bit slowly, particularly over the Pyrenees😎😎😎

Omg , soooo cute, love it ❤️ very practical too.

I bought a Bedford CA Martin Walker Conversion at Slyfield Auction, Guildford….I remember I won it for £245 inclu fees. It was running on 3 cylinders, but that was just the vacuum pipe. 😅

Hi just come across your videos and all I can say is you brought back priceless memories, in 1973 I started my apprenticeship with Syd Abrams Manchester as a panel beater, my first mode of transport was a Bedford HA van at a cost of £ 10 because it did not start, a set of plugs and points and away she went, it was a D reg. Then I bought a K reg an ex butchers van. About 10 years ago I had the chance to buy a HA dormabile from Stockport in white with the pop up, my biggest regret I did not buy it. Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories ( I must admit a tear was shed ). Do they allow visitors to their factory because I would love to go. Thanks again. Barry.

What a beauty

This was an amazing video! Gave me some great ideas for my 60’s camper van

So lovely...I think our Nugget is the great great grandson....hahahaha.....can you show us the Bedford, please

Pretty cool

This vintage Dormobile has many ideas that could and perhaps should be incorporated into modern motorhomes and caravans. Perhaps not in the same exact way, but the rear built-in step is an idea that Swift should have incorporated into their Basecamp caravan range. A built-in Thule step (et al) on a caravan with a side door, tends to rock when used. However, with the rear corner steadies down, Basecamp had a perfect opportunity to create a stable built in step with that rear door. That is but one example. The people that really need to watch this video (and similar) and/or visit that display are modern day motorhome/caravan designers.

My father had one before his VW Devon Caravette.

Loved the video. Can we please have one of the Land Rover conversion?

Please show us the defender camper next time

Do Dormobile have a record of the vans they converted? We had a Bedford YBD 111 when I was a child in the 70s. It was sold and has seemingly disappeared into the scrapyard in the sky. I would love to know if any history of it remains. We all adored the van.

Very cool, will you be attending the Motorhome show at the NEC this year.

So clever…VW could learn a thing or to 😉….ps I have a T6.1 campervan 🤣

My parents had a light blue transit dormobile before emigrating to Australia, April, 1968. I can't remember what it was like inside. I think it had the 'upstairs' roll out bunks like this one. Could you please do a preview on the Mk 1 Ford Transit Dormobile ?

fab

👍❤️

If you're looking at 1963 this interior and fittings would be more luxurious than you would have in your home. Spices wouldn't inclucde cumin or curry. Pasta? Never heard of it. People believed Panorama with spaghetti bushes (An April Fools day joke). You say the price was a bargain but you could buy a 2 up, 2 down for less than that price. House price average in 1963 was £254.

And look at the price!

Oh and the van had a gas light under the offside bunk

I remember them how much is the domabile how much is the Dormobile Romany?

Is this lovely Bedford Dormobile, for sale?

Oh wow this makes me want to have and enjoy .👍❤️🐾🫶