Swanning around in a Cygnet
When classic-car and caravan fan Chris Howell heard about a one-owner tourer from 1969, he just had to investigate. Andy Jenkinson reports
When classic-car and caravan fan Chris Howell came across an excellent example of the 1969 Cygnet, he knew it was just the tourer he had been looking for
CHRIS HOWELL IS a very keen enthusiast for that classic British car, the Austin A35, but that’s not his only passion – he also loves classic caravans.
Practical skills
Chris works at caravan dealer Golden Castle, based near Cheltenham, where he is in sales – although he cut his teeth in the workshop. Hence his practical skills when it comes to restoring a car or tourer. Chris has owned a few older caravans, which he and his family have used for holidays over the years. But he always wanted to find a classic tourer that was lightweight and easy to store and tow. Until a couple of years ago, he hadn’t really seen anything suitable. Then, by chance, he discovered his ideal classic tourer: a oneowner-from-new, 1969 Stephens & West Cygnet 9 TC four-berth. It had been kept under cover ever since the owners bought it in early 1970, from longgone dealership Simpson’s Caravans of Coventry. So the Cygnet only got rained on when owners Mr and Mrs Hartnell went away in it. They had originally bought the little caravan to replace their tent, and were planning to tour Europe. Now the Cygnet came into Chris’s hands by chance, when the couple visited the dealership looking for a cover for it. They were by now the owners of a newish Lunar, but had never traded in their much-loved Cygnet. However, they needed more storage space, so the Cygnet was about to go and live outside, protected by a cover.
A new home
A brief chat with Chris confirmed that the little Cygnet could find a new home with him. The Hartnells were impressed by Chris’s passion and care for his cars and tourers. So, now renamed Cyril, the Cygnet has become the pride and joy of the Howell family. The Cygnet brand began life as an offshoot of luxury tourer manufacturer Stirling Caravans,
owned by Stephens & West, at Love Lane, Cirencester. The company began in the 1950s, building luxury static caravans then smaller luxury tourers, all with a top-quality finish. They also made boats for a while, but in 1963, they entered the lower-priced tourer market with the Waterbird Cygnet. Designed to be towed by small cars such as the Mini, the Cygnet was lightweight and had a body length of just 2.75m.
Larger models
The Cygnet became very popular, with many exported to Holland and Denmark. By the end of the 1970s, the manufacturers were producing larger models and adding extra spec. But by the early 1980s, the parent company – like so many caravan makers then – went into liquidation. With the brand gone, Cygnets would become rarer as the years rolled on. The 1969 range had insulated sides and the roof was a singlepanel design. The 9 TC came with a compartment-well for the chemical toilet – there were no cassette toilets back then! The side dinette made up into a double bed. The kitchen was on the nearside, opposite the wardrobe, with a single settee at the front, which converted into bunk beds for the children. The Cygnet’s kitchen would be considered quite basic by today’s standards, but back in 1969, this would have been the norm, with a twin-burner cooker and grill. No fridge was fitted then, and the only modernisation was the provision of mains power and adding 12V lighting – gas lights were standard-fit. Perhaps surprisingly in such a compact tourer, the kitchen had good storage and the wardrobe was also quite large. A gas heater had been added at some stage, too – don’t forget, the Cygnet was originally designed for summer use only, hence the single-panelled roof.
Time capsule
All in all, this Cygnet is a bit of a time capsule and to keep it very much that way, Chris has added various period pieces, such as a rather chic 1960s tea set. The Cygnet didn’t have hot water, and to supply water to the kitchen tap, you had to hand pump it using the Whale pump (which is still in working order). Cyril the Cygnet is a class act, and Chris and his young family are very much attached to this piece of UK caravan heritage. As well as their Cygnet, Chris has now acquired a 1969 Bailey Maru – it certainly needs some TLC, but it won’t be long before he begins restoration work.