One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000; the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it

Believed to be the last remaining example of 99 originally made, a “revolutionary” hammer finished aluminium caravan named a Berkeley Statesman has gone on sale.

 

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Costing £1,065 when new in 1951 – the same price as a terrace house – and rebuilt at great expense by its current owner Tim Mitchinson after he found it hidden on a farm in Bedfordshire in 2004, the two-floor structure is described as being “a wonderful piece of history lovingly restored to its former glory.”

The 22-foot long by 12-foot high caravan features a living and dining area, a 1950s style kitchen with a range of appliances, two bedrooms capable of sleeping four and a shower room complete with a modern shower and an ingenious sink from an old railway carriage.

The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.
An advert for the Berkeley Statesman following its launch at the Earl’s Court Motor Show in 1951
The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.
On occasions, Berkeley Statesman caravans have known to take to racetracks
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Of it, Mitchinson told the Discovery Channel:

“I thought it so ugly it, it had to be mine… [Restoring it was an] exercise in insanity… But it [is] absolutely unique… She arrived on the back of a lorry and I thought: ‘We’ll have a go.’ … A beautiful silver phoenix… It’s been blood, sweat and tears… A remarkable restoration.”

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post in December 2017, he added:

“I need to sell it so [my]  house can be extended but I will miss it terribly. I am really proud of rescuing what is a valuable piece of social history.”

Estate agents RM English are marketing the Berkeley Statesman for just £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500) and point out that it is currently located in the centre of York. They add: “It will need to be transported off-site by a low loader trailer.”

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The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York. The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York. The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.The King of Caravans – One-of-a-kind “big caravan-house” with patio on the roof for sale for £30,000 ($38,500, €33,200 or درهم141,500); the current owner bought it for just £1 and spent £70,000 restoring it – For sale through RM English estate agents in York.

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