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This page: Another pre-war brochure, this time featuring Nomad caravans from the late 1930s.

Nomad Covered Wagons from the thirties.

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A classic touring 'van

Another series of scans sent over by Nick, from an amazing collection of pre-war caravan brochures that he managed to discover in 2007. Scanning and sending them all over was quite a marathon, but he is keen to share this material online so that other old-caravan fans can read them too.

1937 Nomad Master, De Luxe and Custom Coach.

This old sales brochure comprised of four printed sides of information, which can be viewed via the following thumbnail images:

Caravan sales brochure from 1937"

The front cover shows a young lady dressed in very traditional clothing, stood in front of a Nomad caravan, or 'Covered Wagon' as they liked to call them. I can't say that I've heard or read much about Nomads so this bit of literature is really interesting.

The badge fitted to the caravan shown looks to be very ornate indeed, and seems to hark back to the early pre-automobile days of caravanning. The manufacturer was obviously eyeing up not just the UK market either, with its "Ready for the Roads of the World" slogan that is also visible.

The first page, headed "Why the Covered Wagon Wins", goes into some more background detail, and also draws attention to an interesting fact about these wagons, the fact that they had Anglo-American origins...

"The Covered Wagon trailer coach sets entirely new standards of construction, design and finish.

It is built to go wherever a car can go; for the rigours of an Arctic night or the beat of a tropical sun.

The Covered Wagon comes from the largest trailer factory in the world. The steel chassis and shell are the product of American large-scale engineering. To this construction is allied the finest British cabinetcraft - a combination that makes the Covered Wagon the mobile home supreme.

Check off the safety factors, the comfort factors.

That is all we want you to do.

SAFETY FEATURES

All-steel chassis electrically welded heavy duty axle and springs, oversize tyres.
Spring-steel drawbar to absorb road shock and ensure easy riding.
Double-lock ball coupling.
Steel safety chains.
Electric brakes under driver's control operating backwards and forwards; obviate all snatch in towing.
Steel armoured panels, resistant to road-weaving, impact and fire.
Steel bumper bar, chromium plated.
Twin tail lights, stop light; clearance lights to give warning to oncoming or overtaking traffic.
No-sway no-swing axle location.
Jack-action caster wheel, twin rear jacks.

COMFORT FEATURES

Double walls, 1.75" dead air space, sealed draught-free, dustproof floor.
Drop-down steel sash windows, absolutely water-tight; sealed when closed with rubber.
Screens to all windows, doors and ventilators to exclude all insects.
Ice-box for hygienic conservation of food.
Large capacity water tank with non-rusting double-action water pumps.
Central radiant heating.
Spacious separate toilet room with chemical lavatory, water-fed wash-basin, self-draining floor for bathing facilities.
Low/high voltage transformer for mains heating, lighting and radio.
Roof aerial.
Luxury Spring beds."

With all that kit on board, oak or mahogany interior, and steel armoured body panelling, it must have weighed quite a bit! I wonder which company in the USA supplied the chassis and coachwork? Page 3 gives a brief specification for the three caravans in their range - the Master, the De Luxe, and the Custom Coach. The first two models were four berth 'vans. The Custom Coach was an altogether plusher van, as outlined here:

BRIEF SPECIFICATION
Length 20ft 6in, Width 6ft 6in, Height 7ft 10in, Interior Width 6ft 2in, Headroom 6ft 2in.
Steel chassis. Close-coupled twin axles, steel armoured panels, double walls, electric brakes, bumper, caster wheel, twin tail-lights, stop-light, clearance lights. Screens to windows, doors and ventilators.

Accommodation
State-room with separate entrance door; living compartment with transverse dinette forming second double bed at night. Separate toilet compartment with wash-basin.

Equipment
All furniture and panelling in mahogany with gold stippled roof, or oak.
Ice box, water installation, petrol-gas vitreous enamelled cooker with in-built oven, oil fired water radiator, roof aerial, transformer, electric lights, pile carpet, best quality upholstery, curtains to tone. £495-0-0 delivered London.

How many examples of the Noman caravan were built I do not know, but I doubt they found too many buyers - few people who have owned cars capable of towing such well-equipped caravans, or Covered Wagons.

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Old Classic Car (C) R. Jones 2025. Content not to be reproduced elsewhere.

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