About Us
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In 2022, Jansvans celebrated 50 years in business.
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It was in October 1972 from humble beginnings that Jan & Effie Nicolson established the business from
the basement of their home at Viewfield Road Portree.
The “vans” being derived from the sale and repair of Caravans and Mobile Homes
The “Jan” from the initials of the co-founder John Alick Nicolson
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This is the truck that made it all happen
Purchased during the 1974 national drivers strike from Paul Begg from Bilston in Midlothian for the grand sum of £1200. Pictured is the late Alastair Henderson returning from Hull, a round trip of 1010 miles.
Loaded with a new Willerby caravan. Also our mark 2 Land Rover which was purchased from a farmer in Laurencekirk reg WSR 975 being loaded for the piggy back journey to Portree.
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Getting loaded in Barrow-in-Furness with a catamaran yacht which was to be transported to Ose on Skye. On contacting the Glasgow Police about a wide load, Jan was asked “Are you a danger to other road user, young man?” he tentatively replied “I don’t think so”. Which was met with “Oh well, just go for it”
In 1982, after some lengthy negotiations with the local council, Jansvans was able to purchase the site in Portree Industrial Estate. Our building was the third to be built on the estate. Macphie Builders now Skye Express and Skye Floors and Gaeltec which is now Gaelnet being the first two. This was to be our first self build project and the yellow Bedford truck which is pictured was purchased especially from the County for £500 and was used to transport rock from Penifiler.
The late Alastair Cruickshank (Crookie) busy erecting the steel work for the original Jansvans building in Portree Industrial estate in 1982. Crookie was our third member of staff, he joined the growing team of Etta Nicolson and John (The Bodach) MacKenzie.
Iain ‘Bhicaraidh’ MacAskill operating the Ewan Macrae (Crossal) crane to erect the steel structure of the original Jans building in the winter of 1982.