Rolling Homes Stanley campervan

Not the typical layout for a small campervan, this Ford pop-top has a rear kitchen and toilet

If you fancy a Ford campervan with the classic side kitchen layout there are plenty to choose from. Indeed, Shrewsbury-based Rolling Homes offers its Kingsley, Kingsley S and Hudson conversions on the latest Transit Custom, but it has also launched the Stanley using a similar interior design to the previous VW T6.1-based Livingstone. This has a completely different interior arrangement, with a rear kitchen, a choice of single beds or a double and a cassette loo in the rear corner.

Long-wheelbase Ford Transit Custom

The Stanley is based on the long-wheelbase version of the new Transit Custom, which measures 5.45m long. Prices start at £67,995 based on a Leader spec van with the 110hp engine and 2.8-tonne maximum gross weight. Even this entry-level model comes with the 13in SYNC 4 touchscreen with app connect, DAB radio and Bluetooth.

Step up to a Trend base vehicle (from £71,695) and you can have a 136hp motor, automatic gearbox and even four-wheel drive. Front and rear parking sensors, a rear camera, heated seats and air-conditioning are now included.

Top of the tree is the Limited (from £74,855) which has power folding mirrors, alloy wheels, keyless entry, LED lights and a Thatcham category 1 alarm, as well as the option of 150hp and 170hp engines. A PHEV (plug-in hybrid) option will also be available.

Handmade furniture

However you spec your Stanley, it’s the layout that’s the real reason to buy – along with the undoubted appeal of Rolling Homes’ handmade lightweight oak furniture (yes, real wood) with Corian worktops. All this finely crafted cabinetry can be found at the rear of the camper, with the main galley unit on the nearside and the toilet, wardrobe and fridge on the offside.

Standard spec includes sheep’s wool insulation, a 105Ah lithium battery, blackout curtains on twin tracks and a three-year warranty on both the conversion and base vehicle. The Stanley is both type approved and has NCC approval.

Of course, you can tell that this isn’t your standard campervan layout because the roof hinges the other way to give maximum headroom in the kitchen area. It’s a top-quality German roof from SCA and comes with a large (2.03m by 1.32m) upper mattress on Caraflex springs for comfort. In summer, the whole of the rear canvas can be opened up as this is a panoramic roof.

Single beds or a double

In this layout the seating area is quite separate from the galley and it features the swivel cab seats and two individual RIB crash-tested rear seats with Isofix and integral seatbelts. These seats fold flat to make two single beds or you can slide them together to form a double. The luxurious leather trim seen here is a £2,500 option.

Rear kitchen & toilet

At the rear, the kitchen has a surprising amount of (Corian) worktop for such a compact camper and the real wood panel around the window gives it the Rolling Homes touch. There’s a two-burner hob and sink combination unit with split glass lids and those lovely oak cabinets include a couple of large shelved cupboards and two drawers (one with divisions for cutlery).

Opposite, in the rear corner, the optional Dometic cassette toilet (£790 extra) is hidden away when not in use and the furniture here no longer needs to be deeper as the van itself has greater internal width than a T6.1. Forward of the loo, there’s a good-sized wardrobe and then the 50-litre compressor fridge, mounted off the floor for better access but still with a useful worktop above. There are USB and 230V sockets here as well as the controls for the Eberspächer diesel heating.

As ever with a Rolling Homes camper, slight changes to suit customer needs and preferences can be accommodated. The show model featured metallic paint, the Lighting Pack, extra sockets and a payload upgrade.

Rear kitchen layouts like this offer a cassette toilet and single beds in a compact pop-top camper and the new Ford’s larger dimensions make this design more practical. Rolling Homes’ furniture adds desirability.