
A Van Built for Europe – Patrick Oman’s 1968 Pantechnicon | Season 5 – Episode 9 (Part 1)
Wheels Jan 31, 2025
Moving home is commonly ranked as one of life’s most stressful events, just behind death and divorce. In the late 1960s, entrepreneur Patrick Oman identified a gap in the Irish marketplace for long-distance removals, challenging the CIE (Córas Iompair Éireann) monopoly. To seize this opportunity, he commissioned Ireland’s first Pantechnicon—a groundbreaking 11-metre-long, 60m³ removals van that revolutionised the moving industry.
CIE MONOPOLY
Fifty years ago, Patrick Oman from County Kildare began as an antiques dealer and restorer, expanding into reupholstery and cabinet-making. As his business grew, he built a skilled team and acquired a van, leading clients to request help moving antiques and artworks.
In the late 1960s, the only company offering long-distance removal services was CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann), which, according to Patrick, had a less-than-stellar reputation.
As Patrick’s removals business grew, he needed a larger van to stay competitive. However, obtaining a van license was challenging since the government to protect CIÉ’s monopoly only granted them to companies established before 1922 and the foundation of the Free State. This restricted long-distance moves (over 30 miles) exclusively to CIÉ.
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SEMI STATE CIÉ
Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) was established on January 1st 1945, by merging Great Southern Railways (GSR) and Dublin United Tramway Company (DUTC) under the Transport Act 1944. GSR, formed in 1925, operated rail, bus, and lorry services and could acquire road competitors. A 1950 Act made CIÉ a semi-state body, and in 1958, CIÉ absorbed Great Northern Railway’s services in Ireland.
GAP IN THE MARKET
In 1968, the B&I Line introduced the MV Munster ferry, connecting Dublin and Liverpool, accommodating 1,000 passengers and 220 cars. Seeing an opportunity, Patrick Oman circumvented CIÉ’s protectionist rules by loading his van and driving directly onto the ferry, bypassing the 30-mile CIÉ limit. This allowed him to focus on international moves, though he still needed a large van. Recalling his frustrations, Patrick explained: “I couldn’t buy or import one because the government banned vehicles competing with CIÉ. But you could import a bus.”
VOLVO B58 CHASSIS
Manufactured in Sweden from 1966 to 1982, the Volvo B58 was Volvo’s first mid-engine luxury and dual-purpose express bus chassis, outside its heavy goods vehicles range. The adaptable B58 chassis with a 10-litre engine, as Richard Sharman noted in Coach & Bus Weekly, could be configured for midi-coaches to double-deck buses. Early models featured an Alexander Y body, a K19 five-speed gearbox and a 49-seat interior. The B58 could maximise load space, solving Patrick Oman’s “big van” problem.
ACTIONING HIS IDEA
At that time, Dennison Trailers from Naas, County Kildare, owned Irish Commercials—the Volvo agents in Northern Ireland—and they imported a Volvo B58 by driving the bus chassis across the border, cleared it through customs and delivered it to Patrick Oman.
Patrick then donned warm clothing and a crash helmet, added plywood for wind protection, and drove the bare Volvo chassis onto the ferry. In Liverpool, he continued to Warrington to Marsden–Vanplan, later Marsden Coachbuilders Ltd. Within weeks, Marsden Coachbuilders built Patrick an impressive van, which he named “Izabella.”
BUILD COSTS
Patrick reckons that the bare chassis probably cost in the region of £10,000 to buy in 1969 and the same amount again for the hand-built Marsden bodywork.
IZABELLA THE PANTECHNICON
“Pantechnicon, from Greek pan (“all”) and techne (“art”), was a large London establishment opened in May 1831, featuring a picture gallery, furniture and carriage sales, and a warehouse. Its special wagons became known as ‘pantechnicon vans,’ shortened to ‘pantechnicon’ by 1900.” In 1969 Patrick’s van was being described as a Pantechnicon as it had the cab incorporated into the overall size of the van and it did not have a separate cab.
The Oman Pantechnicon featured an exceptionally efficient load space, with its entire 11-metre length dedicated to cargo up to roof height, accommodating up to 60m³ of goods. Patrick noted, “this was the biggest amount of goods anybody could take.”
Additionally, the van was equipped with five full-length loading doors along its sides. This design was intended for trips across the Irish Sea, where a full load was necessary since not every household could provide enough goods to fill the Pantechnicon. Typically, loads ranged from 10m³ to 20m³. The multiple side doors allowed the van to be loaded without needing to offload in the same order, enabling easy access to individual loads as the vehicle travelled through England and onward to the continent.
Have You Seen Izabella?
Only one drawing exists of Izabella, Ireland’s largest Pantechnicon moving van, and no known photographs have been found. If you have a photo of this historic vehicle, please share it with us.
Join Us For Part 2
“The Swansong of Izabella – Ireland’s Biggest Pantechnicon Removals Van”. Our story continues with Izabella plying her trade across Europe, until the services of Mr. Fiasco were called upon to salvage a disastrous run to Rome. Later, in the early 1990s Izabella was recovered from the Italian Alps and recommissioned for humanitarian efforts.
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Sources of Information and Photo Credits:
An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha (Department of Foreign Affairs)
British Association of Removers
Canvey Island Website
CIE
Coach & Bus Weekly – Richard Sharman
Coach Build Forum
Coupar Angus Electric Vehicles website
Dennison Trailers – George Dennison
Dublin Civic Trust
Harrods delivery van – Paul Farmer
Irish Ships website
Pantechnicon: A History of Removals and Storage Through the Evolution of it’s Vehicles – British Association of Removers (B.A.R.)
Roberto Quondamcarlo website
RTE Archives
Wiki
Our thanks to Patrick Oman for his assistance with this story. Special thanks go to Dennison Trailers as well as Stephen Thorp and Paul Fox of the British Association of Removers for their invaluable contributions.
Tech Specs
- Patrick Oman Volvo B58 Pantechnicon Specifications:
- Make: Volvo
- Model: B58
- Year: 1969
- Engine: 9.6-litre horizontally mid-mounted I-6 Volvo HD100/ THD 100D
- Transmission: Wilson semi-automatic K19
- Suspension: air-ride
- Coachbuilder: Marsden/ Vanplan
- Length: 11m
- Load space: 60m³
- Width: 2.52m
- Height: 4.2m
- Crew: 1 – 5 & 2-fold down bunks