carlight history |
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The Casetta, Cosmopolitan, Carribbean and Continental...names
from the 1960s but much updated models for the 1970s. Fully
double-glazed, attractive “smoked” windows were
adorned with pelmets; deeply upholstered, plush seating converted
to extra-comfortable bedding; and Carver Trumatic space heaters
with the latest Piezo lighting technology gave fuss-free,
thermostatically-controlled instant warmth.
Again, it was attention to detail, detail, detail, throughout
the range. Cupboards with specially designed clips housed
wine bottles; fresh water flushing toilets; soap and tumbler
holders in washrooms; a baize-lined cutlery drawer; integral
magazine racks...indeed, no luxury was spared.
Storage was ample – as you would expect with any Carlight
– and lockers were roomy and easily accessible.
Owning a Carlight in the 1970s was just like owning a home
from home...an airing cupboard to keep clothes warm and dry...a
cocktail cabinet lined with mirror glass from which to serve
the dry martinis...the specially-designed kitchen drawers
– one to hold vegetables, the other to store bread.
Floor coverings were carefully considered throughout every
living area. Plush, high quality carpeting was used for the
main living area while the kitchen and washroom were floored
in an attractive light-coloured vinyl for easy cleaning.
The 1970s caravanner was much more likely to be travelling
further afield – even abroad – for longer periods
at a time, so refrigerators were fitted as standard throughout
the Carlight range. An extract from a letter written by a
Carlight owner reads:
“You may be interested to know that
we’ve put 80,000 miles on our Carlight Caribbean.
We’ve worn out one set of tyres but otherwise everything
has operated A-OKAY after four years of being more or less
continuously on the move on some of the most tortuous and
“kinky” European roads, with mostly my own servicing
to rely on. We have wandered in every European mainland
country, sometimes more than once, with the exception of
Russia and Albania”.
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