Dormobile - History

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Dormobile - a short history…

The company was originally called Martin Walter named after the family that started making harnesses in the late 1700's, they progressed to carriages in the late 1800's and by the early pre first world war years they were selling a number of different makes of car and commercial vehicles. Now there was also an established coach works that produced small commercial vehicles up to full size truck and bus bodies, even Rolls Royce bodywork, joining other names like Mulliner and Park Ward. During the First World War they helped with military vehicles of all sizes and types.

Martin Walter production continued, albeit with difficulty due to the shortage of materials, so like others in the same industry they tried to produce products for export, which stood them in good stead for the Fifties and Sixties. The development of the motor caravan stemmed from the Bedford CA, this was quickly to become the mainstay of the travelling salesman and delivery driver. Martin Walter found out that people were sleeping in the vans at the weekend as well as over-nighting in the week, so they introduced the folding seat design, which was patented and named Dormatic. This created the demand for a stove and sink to be added, the patented Dormobile roof with 2 bunks gave the CA a 4-berth capacity.

By the late Fifties and early Sixties demand for the CA and other models was so great that special delivery trains were used to bring in the base vehicles. Although production figures were lost in the demise of the company, photographic evidence shows over 10,000 conversions were produced as well as Ford, GM, Fiat, Chrysler, Land Rover, Triumph, Austin, VW, Morris Standard and many other makes.

Management of the company had been a problem post war and with the dramatic success of the motor-home market, cash flow problems appeared. The company was split in to a number of divisions and at one stage employed over 750 people in multiple plants throughout Kent.

The beginning of the end was looming, poor management, government taxation and the development of a myriad of different products led to the last motor-home conversions in 1984 and the final collapse of the company in 1994. Sadly Italian and German companies now dominate the motor-home market

In 1997 The Dormobile Ltd Company became available and after 2 years negotiation the Dormobile name and goodwill were purchased from the Official Receiver. The company was supported and then sold to SHB Hire Group in 2002.

Dormobile, now based in Romsey near Southampton, specialises in the supply of spare parts to the original Dormobile vehicle market, the production of the famous Classic lifting roof and offers the conversion of new and older Land Rover vehicles for the overland and recreational vehicle market.
Specialised seating and stainless steel furniture are typical of the quality products that Dormobile have been able to introduce with the investment provided within the SHB Group.

Owners of the revered VW air-cooled buses have also benefited from Dormobiles reintroduction of the Classic lifting roof conversion for their vehicles. It is a constant surprise to find the how many of these vehicles, which are full of character, are still on the road all over the world!

In 2002 Dormobile continued with the introduction of a Land Rover Discovery conversion and other recreational vehicle based products.