Club History
The Dormobile Owners’ Club – a short history.
The Dormobile Owners’ Club was founded in 1992 by two owners, Allan Horne and Derek Dodd who met at the `Vale of the White Horse’ show, when displaying their Bedford Dormobile CAs – a Romany and a Debonair. They were unhappy with their current club, and felt that the vehicles that were the most famous motorcaravans of the era needed their own club.
Gaining permission from the Dormobile Company in Folkestone, the club soon gained a following. With such a famous name, some confusion was bound to follow, with owners of `other makes’ assuming that all motorcaravans were `Dormobiles’. We had `Auto Sleeper’ etc., owners wishing to join.
The other confusion was the fact that the Dormobile Romany based on the Bedford CA, was so popular in the 1960s, that at that time all Bedford CAs were colloquially called `Dormobiles’
This led to CA Van and minibus owners asking to join. It was decided from the outset, that the club would be only for Genuine Dormobile Motor Caravans built by Martin-Walter Ltd (later Dormobile Ltd.,) in their Folkestone factory.
An interesting fact is that the Dormobile was never called a Motorcaravan or a Camper by the company. They were always just Dormobile Caravans.
Following the unfortunate closure of the Dormobile company, with the loss of so many skilled jobs, one of our club members, a Land Rover Dormobile owner, saw a need for the supply of spare parts and interior fixings, and started a new Dormobile company specialising in the updating and converting of Land Rovers and VWs.
Unfortunately, being somewhat undercapitalised, this company struggled, and was sold on and is now part of the SHB Vehicle Hire Group based in Romsey, Hampshire. This company is successful and it was agreed to accept their new Dormobile conversions into the club, and SHB donate membership to the club for every new owner.
As the Dormobiles get older, ( and the original club members too ), the club has contracted somewhat, but still offers all the help and advice an owner could need.
The Midlands/North is the liveliest area, with many events throughout the year.
This is the club for real enthusiast Dormobile owners.