by Chris Jefferies
Premium caravan buyers demand the very best, not only in terms of specification, but also when it comes to safety and security aspects.
With this in mind, Bailey of Bristol has pulled out all the stops to make sure that their new Unicorn Series II range is safer on the road and well-protected against theft.
In this video, we talk to Bailey chief Nick Howard, who explains that these caravans are often targeted by thieves due to their desirability, so the designers have to go the extra mile with added security measures.
We also talk to Steve Budding of Wheel Solutions, who worked with Bailey to come up with a brand-new wheel bolt, which offers added durability. Steve also gives some helpful tips on when and how you should torque your caravan’s wheel nuts.
Prices in the 2013 Bailey Unicorn range start at just £18,895 and MTPLM weights range from 1,350kg for the two-berth Seville layout, to 1,686kg for the twin-axle Unicorn Barcelona. For more details click here
Wrong turn for caravan driver causes chaos on motorway
by Niki Greig
An Australian pensioner who towed his caravan for 12 kilometres the wrong way down a motorway has had his licence revoked.
The incident, which happened in February, took place on the Citylink Toll road in Melbourne, Australia. Other vehicles had to swerve out of his way to avoid a collision, including an HGV lorry.
The driver, 81-year-old Ronald Jackson, was filmed on several CCTV cameras blindly ignoring all oncoming traffic. Local authorities say that they closed the fast lane in an effort to stop the pensioner and one of their vehicles tried to intervene but was ignored by Jackson.
Yesterday (13 August) a lawyer for the defendant argued that he had unknowingly suffered a stroke in the lead up to the accident that could have caused him to become disoriented and confused.
The court heard that the driver had held his licence for over 63 years and his only previous offence had been a speeding ticket acquired over 30 years earlier.
He had also recently passed a driving refresher course not long before the incident.
Mr Jackson pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was fined 1500 Australian Dollars (£1,000). Local motorists can return to the road safe in the knowledge that Ronald won’t be driving again in Victoria State.
Watch the video below to see Mr Jackson causing a trail of devastation.
Lancashire tops new caravan sales league according to NCC poll
byArash Hekmat
Lancashire boasts more new caravan owners than any other part of the UK, according to new figures from the National Caravan Council (NCC).
In 2011, 1,862 new tourers were purchased by residents of the north-west county, making it the clear winner ahead of Derbyshire in second place with 1,262.
Other counties where caravan ownership proved popular included Gloucestershire, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire, North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire.
The list was compiled using data from the Caravan Registration & Identification Scheme, owned by the NCC to provide a national register of all the touring caravans manufactured in the UK.
According to the council, the figures show there is still a great deal of demand for caravans and motorhomes despite economic data suggesting that non-essential spending is falling among consumers.
But with these impressive sales figures for the year previous, the industry is now optimistic ahead of the Motorhome and Caravan Show at the NEC in Birmingham this October, where plenty of 2013 models will be launched.
Motorists urged to drive safe with caravans following cyclist collision
By Arash Hekmat
Motorists have been reminded to ensure they drive safely when towing caravans this summer after a cyclist needed to be airlifted to hospital following a crash involving a tourer.
This is Gloucestershire reports that the man was left in critical condition after a crash with a Range Rover that was towing a caravan through Aston Cross.
The 53-year-old was transported to the trauma unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
Although residents have campaigned for better road safety in the area, Tewkesbury Borough Councillor Adam Tugwell said that he was not aware of the location as a hot spot for collisions.
“It is unusual that there should be an accident in this spot,” he told the newspaper. “Obviously we don’t know the reason for the accident at the moment.”
Adam Slaughter, Swindon Village parish councilor, said that caravans should be no more dangerous on the road than other vehicles.
“As long as you carry out basic checks such as the tow hitch and the lights, then caravans are safe,” he was quoted saying.
UK drivers must ensure they do not contravene laws governing the weight of caravans that they tow. For those who passed their tests after 1997, further practical testing may be required before heavier loads can be towed.
‘Major changes’ needed at Northern Irish caravan park
by Tom Walsh
A Northern Irish caravan park is under threat after local councillors warned that “major changes” are needed to ensure that it stays sustainable.
Browns Bay caravan park sits at the northern end of the Islandmagee peninsula on the east coast of County Antrim but could be edging towards closure following a Larne Borough Council meeting.
Larne Times reports that consultancy firm Place Solutions has been asked to carry out a feasibility study on the future use of the council-run facility.
Consultant Sharon Scott gave details of the park’s performance and showed that despite more money being needed to upgrade the facility it was still not making enough to cover these costs.
Councillor Bobby McKee highlighted that Curran caravan park had been leased to a private operator and been successful. He proposed that this could be an option for Browns Bay.
However, Alderman Jack McKee supported the notion of closing the park adding: “Do we really want to keep this burden round our necks?”
Guardian archive gives a glimpse into 1950s caravanning gripes
By by Niki Greig
Caravans have long been a popular holiday choice for the discerning tourist, but the hobby has certainly come a long way since the post-war boom that brought them to prominence.
How times have changed! The Guardian has unearthed this article from their archives, which harkens back to a bygone era and shows that the pioneers of modern caravanning holidays weren’t all overly enamoured with the upcoming pastime.
In 1956, one family from Manchester swapped their usual boarding house for a fortnight in a caravan for the princely sum of six guineas (the equivalent of £18 today) after seeing an advert that promised “all modern conveniences” on a site with flush sanitation, electricity, laundry and fishing.
Unfortunately what they got was a small caravan in poor condition with terrible equipment and sanitation. The husband commented that “the wife wanted to come home after the first day but we stuck it for three until the heavy rain made it unbearable.”
The unfortunate family had been victims of a shortage of caravan sites. This lack of suitable sites opened up an opportunity for corrupt owners to exploit tourists by providing shoddy facilities, the Guardian reports.
This experience can’t have helped endear many to caravanning and may unfortunately have put many people off it for life.
An MP estimated that the caravan population of the UK was growing by 3000 ‘vans per year in the 50s, although this was thought to be pure conjecture by the Ministry of Town and Country planning.
The local authorities at the time decided what land was to be made available, but it seemed that little or in some cases, nothing was being done to control the situation.
Of course we must remember that this was all when the average price of a four berth caravan was £350. Times were very different and caravanning wasn’t quite always the relaxing experience it is these days.
Swift Challenger Sport and Sterling Eccles Sport relaunched for 2013
by Chris Jefferies
Swift Group has relaunched its mid-range Swift Challenger Sport and Sterling Eccles Sport collections for 2013, offering more practical features to make for a comfortable caravan holiday.
The Challenger Sport was one of the biggest success stories of 2011, scooping Best Newcomer and the much-coveted Caravan of the Year award in our annual readers’ poll.
This is reflected in the sales; with the Challenger Sport and its sister range the Sterling Eccles Sport outselling their predecessors, the Swift Charisma and the Sterling Europa, by more than 40 per cent.
For 2013, Swift has made only minor adjustments to this winning formula. The Swift Challenger Sport 636 layout has been tweaked, reducing it from three bunks to two, and the compact two-berth Challenger Sport 382 has been dropped.
Due to public demand, the panoramic sunroof is now fitted as standard. There’s also a new Truma Dual Fuel combi boiler, with programmable timing for both the water heater and the space heater, while the fridge has been upgraded to the Thetford 113-litre model.
These upgrades are reflected in the prices, which now range from £15,495 for the Challenger Sport 442, to £18,799 for the Challenger Sport 636 – an increase of around 7% when compared with this time last year.
The nine new versions of the Swift Challenger Sport will all be on display at the 2012 NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show, which runs at the NEC Birmingham from 16 to 21 October.
NCC cancels 2013 London caravan show due to venue problems
by Niki Greig
It has been announced that the popular Motorhome, Caravan and Camping will not return to London’s Excel Centre in 2013.
After an in-depth consultation between the venue and the organisers NCC Events, too many logistical issues were identified and they were left with no option but to look for a new home for the show.
Movement and storage issues with valuable exhibitor products had been identified as insurmountable and the tough decision was taken to cancel the existing plans.
Anthony Trevelyan, Chairman of NCC Events, said: “Excel is a magnificent venue as we have witnessed during the Olympics and provides a world class visitor experience.
“The decision to cancel the 2013 event has not been taken lightly and it is not a criticism of ExCeL’s visitor facilities.”
But it was felt that without the guarantee of adequate storage space, the show would simply not have enough space to set up and down.
In addition, the location of the venue in a Low Emission Zone was due to cause problems for the large volume of caravans being brought in, and so this operation would have to be staggered.
The suitability of the venue for the event was also called into question due to the lack of suitable camping in the vicinity.
Local problems
Visitor concerns were raised through feedback included rising costs of accommodation, food and transport, despite a lower ticket price.
In response to the decision David Pegler, managing director at ExCeL London, said: “We are obviously disappointed not to be welcoming the Show back for a second year but understand how important it is for show organisers to meet the requirements of their target audiences.”
More than 300 companies attended the popular 2012 show and visitor numbers proved high at 43,000 over six days.
Whilst the event is currently cancelled, there is still the possibility of a more suitable venue being found.
NCC Events will now centre its efforts upon delivering the UK’s biggest caravan show, the Motorhome & Caravan Show, which will take place at the Birmingham NEC from 16 to 21 October 2012.
2013 Swift and Sprite Caravans to get extra kit and higher price tags
by Chris Jefferies
Swift Group has announced a range of improvements across all its ranges for 2013, along with a price review for all of its touring caravans.
The company, which builds Sprite and Sterling caravans as well as the popular Swift collection, has added the Tracker Retrieve stolen caravan tracking system to all its 2013 models.
This move should lead to a reduction in caravan insurance premiums for many, and the system comes with three month’s free subscription.
These changes come amid a company-wide price review, which will see roughly six per cent added to the price of a new Swift or Sterling caravan, although the Sprite range sees the smallest increases of just under four per cent.
Souped-up Sprites
Looking closer at the Sprite range, and Swift has introduced a new layout in the form of the Sprite Major 4 FB, which boasts a fixed double bed as well as a full-width end washroom.
In addition, all of the 2013 Sprites will get dual-fuel heater and space heater, as well as the 112-litre Thetford digital-control fridge.
The smart exterior design is carried over from 2012, and a range of factory-fit and dealer-fit options are available to make this compact range even more comfortable.
Sadly, it seems as though the Sprite Lite range of ultra-lightweight caravans will not be continued into the upcoming season, while the Sprite Musketeer EB has also been dropped.
Prices in the 2013 Sprite collection will range from £12,485 for the two-berth Alpine 2, to £15,260 for the twin-axle Quattro FB.
This means that they face strong competition from the Elddis Xplore range as well as the Bailey Orion collection.
When it comes to compact lightweight touring, these upgraded Sprites have certainly set a high standard for the upcoming season.
Earlier this week, CaravanTimes took a first look at the brand new Swift Challenger SE, and next week we’ll be looking at the changes to the Swift Challenger Sport and Conqueror ranges.
Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes
The world’s fastest motorhome breaks world speed record in Germany
by Niki Greig
Now when we think of caravans and motorhomes on the road, we often think that slowest is safest but a team from Germany have recently set a world speed record for a motorhome.
The team, German suspension specialist Goldschmitt, have engineered a motorhome that has topped the world speed record, which they themselves set in the first place.
They smashed the previous record of 207kph, set with a Hymer Car motorhome, by 15mph with a new time of 222kmph. That equates to 138mph, almost twice the legal limit on British roads!
This time the company converted a Mercedes Viano Westfalia Van by optimising the engine and the chassis, but to keep in line with regulations the van was left as standard.
Inside the van, it’s all ready to go and camp in and even the pop-up roof was left in place.
Of course this wouldn’t be possible in Britain on the road but this is Germany and we all know of their Autobahns where speed isn’t an issue.
You can see the record breaking Viano in action in the video below, just don’t attempt to beat their record!
The record-breaking motorhome will be on display on Goldschmitt’s stand at the 2012 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon which runs from 25 August to 2 September 2012.
Introducing the Mehrzeller – is this the caravan of the future?
by Niki Greig
Trust the Austrians to come up with what must be the most bizarre shaped caravan we have ever seen and when you look at caravans all day every day that’s saying something!
If you’re one of those people who doesn’t like to follow the trend and prefers to stand out from the crowd then the Mehrzeller may be the caravan for you.
To some it may resemble several golf balls stuck together but to the discerning eye it might just be a thing of beauty and, like some the futuristic houses on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, it carries sleek angular lines that could make it a caravan of the future.
With stylish interior features, including high spec kitchen and bathroom facilities, dishwasher and flat-screen TV, this caravan is similar to a normal caravan.
Scattered throughout the ‘van is LED lighting which will definitely come in handy as, save for the back door, the caravan has just two windows. This will definitely save on curtain fabric but also might make for a slightly claustrophobic feeling.
The interior also somewhat resembles Superman’s fortress of solitude, all smooth clean white lines with white leather upholstery and recessed fittings.
This would definitely make for a cool atmosphere on a hot sunny day.
The outside can even be tailored to customer’s wishes with a selection of graphics.
Personalised design
This creative concept has come from a design firm based in Graz who felt that “People want to be mobile but at the same time, have a strong desire for a lasting home and their own personal four walls.”
What is also a bonus is that the design can be entirely personalised by the customer. The company Mehrzeller explain that, “Using our Configurator, we set up a design that is unique for our customers, including their own layout that they can identify with.”
“The configuration is generated by a computer using the customer’s inputs, and then the final design is done by parameters from the architects to yield an attractive and practicable result.”
We are always open to new and innovative caravan ideas, whether or not it becomes the caravan of the future is up to the consumer.
Our only problem with this one is the colour, we have a feeling it would get very dirty, very quickly with all that white!
Caravanning family escapes overturn crash unharmed
A caravan owner and his family were lucky to escape unscathed after their tow car and tourer dramatically overturned on a stretch of motorway near Hoo in Medway.
The family, travelling on the motorway with their caravan in tow, are lucky to be alive after their car and its accompanying tourer overturned.
The incident, which saw a 4×4 vehicle flipped, occurred on the A228 Ratcliff Highway, near Hoo in Medway just before 1pm yesterday (August 8th), according to Kent Online.
Emergency services were quickly dispatched to the scene of the crash, with firefighters helping the family from the wreckage while police closed off the section of the Rochester-bound carriageway between Bells Lane and Dux Court road to deal with the debris.
Paramedics were on hand to help the family, though initial reports suggest that no one was seriously hurt in the incident. The crash served as a timely reminder of the dangers facing caravanners travelling on UK roads.
As Institute of Advanced Motorists head of policy Tim Shallcross explains: “You have got to be vigilant – you have got to remember the whole combination [of car and tourer] is longer and wider and you have got to take account of that.”
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