Step back in time and see how the UK’s most iconic vehicles have changed

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON DRIVEN:

HOW ICONIC VANS HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME

Research by Northgate shows how society’s most loved vans have changed over the years.

• From Ice Cream Vans to Ambulances, in-depth research shows how recognisable vans have changed from their first models.
• Royal Mail and UPS are ready for the future with their latest electric vehicles. These may look like concepts, but they are in fact, fully functioning.
• Get wheel soon; The first ever ambulance, an Austin K2, was referred to as ‘Katy.’

From the iconic ice-cream vans that many remember as a child, to the red Royal Mail vans that deliver post every day, these recognisable vehicles have VIP status on UK roads – to rescue and deliver no matter the weather. However, these vehicles have changed drastically over the years, with some being worlds apart from their original models over seventy years ago.

Northgate have taken a trip down memory lane to reveal how society’s most loved vans have changed over time. From ambulances to camper vans, Northgate has looked at eight of the most recognised van styles and their adaptations over time, beginning from their first-ever model and leading to how they embrace the UK roads today.

Ambulance

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Ambulance was the first to embrace van life back in 1943, followed by John Lewis. Not only did the ambulance come before the national health service, but the first was an Austin K2 named ‘Katy’.

Starting out as green with a big red cross on its side for its military service, the emergency services vehicle moved to blue, cream and white, before the yellow and green style that is so easily recognised today.

Ice Cream Van

The UK was first introduced to the sweet treats on wheels back in 1965. The Ice Cream van then became iconic as 30,000 graced the streets in the 60’s, which has now sadly reduced to an estimated 5,000.

The memorable red Ford Transit is in fact not the latest model – the ice cream van got remodelled by Mercedes back in 2013 boasting rear and front cameras to allow for safer driving around children.

Royal Mail Van

The first Royal Mail van was the Morris J Type launched in 1957, with several models following since. While all are painted in the iconic red colour associated with the UK’s most well-known postal service, the Dodge Space van also featured a yellow roof.

In recent years, Royal Mail has been focusing on reducing the emissions of their fleet, trialling and adding more electric vehicles to their business.

VW Transporter

With an abundance of travel inspiration on Tik Tok, some may say the video-sharing platform has helped revive the VW Transporter and Motorhome as the ideal reno project to travel the world. While the vehicles actually date back to the 50’s they’ve kept their original charm and style in every remodel since.

Neil McCrossan, Sales and Marketing Director at Northgate says, “Whether they’ve helped you move house, delivered your parcels or musically called you to the street to serve a summer treat, for many of us these vans have been a part of our everyday lives since we were a child. It’s incredible to see how much these iconic vans have changed over the years. Many of us will remember seeing a few of these models driving around at some point, which ones can you remember the most?”

More information on how these vans have changed over time can be found here: https://www.northgatevehiclehire.co.uk/blog/features/vans-through-the-years