2012 Swift Challenger Sport and Sterling Eccles Sport: Pictures and layouts

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by Marcus Dubois

Swift Caravans has launched two all-new lineups to replace the popular but ageing Charisma and Europa lines. Called the Swift Challenger Sport and Sterling Eccles Sport, these ranges are completely new from the chassis upwards and feature restyled interiors in what is a departure for Swift in this caravan class.

Click here to see a gallery of the new 2012 Swift and Sterling models

Previously the Swift Charisma and Sterling Eccles occupied a segment in Swift’s caravan lineup for those looking for an affordable yet well equipped tourer. Yet while these new models occupy the same price bracket, Swift has made huge strides to improve the feel and finish of the vehicles both inside and out. The “Sport” suffix offers a useful clue here: the aim from Swift appears to be to create a caravan which emulates bigger brothers the Challenger and Eccles, but with a light enough weight to be towed by ordinary family cars.

New from the chassis upwards

Caravan Times got a sneak preview of the new Swift and Sterling models last month, and what immediately became apparent was the striking change in exterior shape. Clean, modern lines are the order of the day here, with a fuel-saving aerodynamic front echoing the Challenger of last year.

The front panel is particularly striking and features an optional panoramic front sunroof which extends into the roofline with dramatic effect. Swift here opted to use GRP for the front panels, citing the material’s greater durability when facing road debris. Meanwhile ABS is used on the all-new full height rear panel, and the awning channels are semi-recessed to keep the simple lines of the caravan.

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Little Clacton caravan arsonist caught on CCTV

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by Chris Jefferies
A caravan dealership in East Anglia has caught an arsonist on CCTV starting a fire inside a forecourt motorhome, it has been reported.
The blaze, which started early yesterday morning (August 1st), then spread to three other motorhomes, four cars and a caravan, doing more than £200,000 of damage in the process, according to the East Anglian Daily Times.
Carmel Button, managing director of the garage told the local paper that staff have watched the whole “terrifying” incident on CCTV and this evidence has sparked a police investigation.
“We’ve had things stolen before but nothing has happened to us like this. I haven’t got a clue why we’ve been targeted. We are still trading, we’ve got to,” she said.
The dealership has been open for 30 years and moved to Little Clacton ten years ago, the owner added.
Leading Firefighter Jim Bowyer praised his crew for the way in which they dealt with the incident, as no-one was hurt and the fire was extinguished in under two hours.
Local police are treating the incident as arson and are appealing for anyone with any information to come forward.

Double delight as Yorkshire family wins brace of AA awards

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by Chris Jefferies
Two Yorkshire caravan sites have proved that good hospitality runs in the family, after a daughter and her parents both scooped the AA Five Pennant Award last week.
Helen Hill, the owner of Cote Ghyll Caravan and Camping Park, phoned her parents to tell them her good news, only to find out that their holiday park has also scooped the top accolade, the Northern Echo reports.
Her mother, Barbara Armstrong has been running the nearby Golden Square Caravan Park for 28 years, and this honour will hopefully boost their business, which has been “very quiet” this summer, she told Caravan Times.
“It’s been disastrous this summer,” Ms Armstrong said. “We were alright up until the end of May, but due to the weather lots of people are taking shorter breaks just or aren’t turning up.”
For this reason, the park is particularly grateful to its loyal regulars. One woman, who had visited with her husband every year for the past 20 years, quit her job in April after she was told that she would not be allowed the time off for her touring holiday, Ms Armstrong added.
Golden Square Caravan Park is situated in the North York Moors National Park, and offers deluxe all-service pitches from March to October.
Just across the Moors, Ms Armstrong’s daughter Helen runs Cote Ghyll, which boasts modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi internet connections on a small and exclusive 18-pitch site.
Neither site could be accused of rolling out the red carpet to impress the judges, as the AA’s inspectors arrived incognito and the owners were only made aware that they had visited when they heard the decision.

Cornish Caravan Club site goes back to the 70s for birthday bash

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by Chris Jefferies
Caravan owners heading to the South West for a late summer break can catch some retro fun at the Caravan Club’s Merrose Farm site, which is celebrating its 40th birthday next month.
On September 24th the Cornish holiday park will be laying on 1970s themed entertainment as well as a raffle, a buffet and a guest appearance by author Christopher Macgowen.
The 176-pitch site, which is conveniently situated near Truro, boasts modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi internet access, while laundry facilities and late-night arrivals are also available.
Guests can explore the nearby Roseland Peninsula, which the Caravan Club claims is “as pretty as its name”, with sheltered beaches, quaint fishing towns and of course, plenty of wild flowers.
Meanwhile, caravan lovers staying at Merrose Farm can visit the nearby Eden Project conservation site, for a fun day out.
Prices for a late summer break at this Caravan Club site start from £6.15 per pitch per night, plus £5,70 per adult and £1.85 per child.

Caravanners demand refund after slurry stink ruins holiday

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by Chris Jefferies
Caravan owners in Northern Ireland have abandoned a holiday park in their dozens this week after the foul smell of slurry from a nearby field became overpowering.
Complaints about the stench at Drumhoney Caravan Park even led to environmental health officials being called in, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
The odour in question was caused by a nearby farmer spreading pig slurry on his fields, a move which left the caravan park’s owner out of pocket, as he was forced to fork out refunds to the fleeing customers.
Around 50 people were affected by the stink, the local paper adds, with many leaving the 50-pitch site on Monday evening (July 25th).
June Wilson, a regular who was staying at the site for her 12th year in a row, said: “It was just nauseating, it just puts you off eating.”
Site owner Ivan Bradshaw said that he had attempted unsuccessfully to contact 14 local government departments to report the problem, and he felt “totally and utterly let down” by the authorities responsible.
Robert Ford, director of environmental health services at Fermanagh District Council, responded that his department had launched an investigation and would “try to ensure that it does not happen again”.

Bowls Club site bids to provide competition for Norfolk caravan park

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by Chris Jefferies
Caravan owners visiting Kings Lynn could soon be spoilt for choice, as a bowls club in the nearby village of Pentney is considering setting up a 50-pitch site for touring holidaymakers.
Pentney Bowls and Leisure Club is already a popular venue, which attracts around 200 people a week to its Saturday night country music event, including several camper van owners, Lynn News reports.
Now, the club has submitted an application to Breckland Council to develop an empty field at its site into a fully-fledged caravan park, complete with shower and toilet facilities and a log cabin style shop and office.
Such a move would mean added competition for nearby Pentney Park Camping and Caravanning Site, which offers several serviced pitches and holiday homes.
However, the new Bowls and Leisure Club site would only be open for half of the year, during the busier months of May to November, the local paper added.
Furthermore, families may remain loyal to Pentney Park, as it boasts an indoor and outdoor heated swimming pool, a gym and a sauna, whereas the Bowls and Leisure Club offers regular darts and bingo nights to entertain its guests.

Police appeal after Swift Challenger stolen from caravan storage site

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by Chris Jefferies
Caravan storage is a popular way for owners to increase security and reduce their insurance premiums, but even this sensible measure doesn’t ensure that your tourer won’t be stolen.
Ambitious thieves in the Shropshire area have made off with a Swift Challenger 490L from the Wem Industrial Estate storage centre.
Police believe that the incident occurred on Sunday night (July 24th) and the missing tourer is estimated to be worth around £9,000.
What’s more, the owners had planned to take the family ‘van on holiday next week, site worker Bill Nevett told Caravan Times today.
The owners were clearly keen to protect their five-berth ‘van, as the thieves had to break a wheel lock as part of the audacious raid.
Furthermore, the perpetrators had to evade a night-time dog patrol and pass a swipe-card operated security barrier.
Local Police Constable Dave Carpenter is appealing for witnesses to help track down the culprits.
“The thieves may have been spotted entering or leaving the industrial estate late on Sunday night. I would also ask for any information concerning the current whereabouts of the caravan,” he said.
Mr Nevett added that hopes are high for a successful outcome as the site’s CCTV cameras recorded the license plate of the vehicle used to steal the van, as well as footage of the driver.
“This is an extremely rare and most unusual event for us, but we are 100 per cent confident that we will be able to track them down,” he said.

Caravan parks industry reports mixed summer business

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by Chris Jefferies
The rising cost of fuel has partly offset the rise in popularity of staycation holidays this summer, with caravan parks reporting mixed results for the busy season.
Despite recent research by the national tourist board VisitEngland that suggested that caravan park owners have fared better than B&B owners in 2011, many individual cases have been far less positive.
George Stevenson, owner of the Invercauld Caravan Club site in Aberdeeenshire, recently told the Donside Piper and Herald that he was experiencing his “worst summer in six years”.
One of the factors blamed for the lack of visitors is the rising cost of petrol, which has made many caravan owners think twice before planning long-distance journeys.
However, this can benefit some sites, with regulars likely to stay longer, as Kerry Crow, manager of the Silverbank Caravan Club site, told the local paper.
“We have had a very good summer season so far with the site often full but there has definitely been a change in the attitude of visitors,” she said.
“In previous years we would see people stay for one night before travelling to another part of the country but this year the majority of visitors are staying in one place longer largely because of the price of fuel.”
The research by VisitEngland, which was released as part of the tourist board’s July Business Confidence Monitor, shows that 45 per cent of caravan site proprietors reported visitor numbers at a similar level to those seen last year.
Nonetheless, 86 per cent of caravan park owners said that they were either very satisfied or quite satisfied with the performance of their business.

Towing capers and calamities: Top five funniest caravan videos

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by Chris Jefferies
Caravans have long been a source of fun for amateur pranksters and Top Gear presenters alike, so this week on Caravan Times we run down the best of the net for towing disasters and flashy tourers alike.

5. Aston Martin towcar


Ever looked over with envy at your neighbour’s towcar and wished you could afford one? Normally the object of desire is a Land Rover or maybe even a Porsche Cayenne, but this Tabbert Vivaldi owner has an even flashier ride, which would have cost at least £90,000 when new.

4. Near miss caravan flip


Handling tests are a regular part of the process when getting a new caravan approved for the market, but this test driver nearly ended up crashing horribly. The video’s uploader claims that it was skilful driving that saved the day, but if you look closely you can see the front corner of the caravan bouncing off the tarmac and righting the rig.

3. The caravan that drives itself


Towing can be quite a difficult and tiresome experience, especially for newcomers to ‘vanning, so one ingenious inventor has created a self-propelled caravan. The only drawback is that the power from the 1.4-litre Renault engine results in some pretty violent wheelies.

To see our top two funniest videos, Click here 

2012 Lunar Ariva / Quasar range: An opulent feel for your home from home

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by Chris Jefferies
Lunar Caravans has revamped its entry level range of Ariva and Quasar tourers for 2012, with one new layout and domestic style furnishings to create a much more “opulent” look.
In keeping with the rest of the 2012 Lunar range, these models have 100 per cent LED lighting throughout, as well as a redesigned bathroom with a water-saving shower.

The exterior design has also been refreshed, with sharper graphics across the range, although Lunar has kept the conservative colour scheme for the bodywork.
In terms of layouts, the four-berth Quasar 524 and the five-berth Quasar 525 have been phased out, to be replaced by the all-new Quasar 494.
This four-berth model features a convertible dinette in the front and two bunk beds in the rear, while a nearside kitchen and a rear-end bathroom complete the layout.
Amongst the fixed birth models (the 534 and the 544), couples can benefit from the new pocket-sprung mattresses for added comfort.
Meanwhile on the 462, there are new his and hers wardrobes in the bathroom, resulting in more storage space.
Lunar has said that its main aim in this range is to… Read more 

Are you impressed by the new Ariva / Quasar range? Share your thoughts in our Lunar group.


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Used Caravan of the Week: 1973 Carlight Caribbean

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by Chris Jefferies
True veterans of the caravan manufacturing industry, Carlight have been making tourers since the 1930s and they pride themselves on building ‘vans that stand the test of time. With this in mind, this week’s Used Caravan of the Week is a 1970s throwback with plenty of retro charm.
With a distinctive front end, this model will certainly stand out at a holiday park, as the middle roof panel is raised slightly in the style of a pop-top, resulting in generous 6’3″ headroom.
History
This model is the 15 foot version, featuring a traditional convertible dinette in the front, with a convertible table, doors on both sides, a rear-end kitchen and a compact bathroom, which completes the layout.
What makes this vintage ‘van really stand out is the delightful domestic flourishes, such as a chest of drawers with a bowed front and red curtains with tasselled tie-backs.
However, the seller admits that this model wants a bit of work, as the side door to the main room needs the door frame re-fitting and the door re-hanging.
What’s more a replacement skylight (included) needs fitting, and there is only one working trailer leg, while the paintwork, carpet and kitchen worktops are due some attention.
This aside, though, the seller claims that it is “all ready to go”, with the brakes and lights in good working order.
Kit and caboodle
This tourer comes with all its original interior furniture and soft furnishings, as well as a cooker and fridge that both work “fine”.
Also included in the price are a full gas bottle and a brand new leisure battery, and all but one of the lamps still works.
The Trumatic gas space heater and water heater are untested, so this may provide some pause for thought for cautious buyers.
However, if you’re looking for a challenge, this could prove to be a very rewarding restoration project.
Given that this model was worth £7,767 in its day (more than £43,000 in today’s money) this is a very affordable piece of British caravanning history, which could be yours for much less than £1,000.

  • Price: £800 (or nearest offer)

  • Gross vehicle weight: 1,473kg

  • Overall Length: 18′ 1″

  • Width: 7′ 1″

  • Berth: 2

  • Axle: Single

Click here to view more details of the 1973 Carlight Caribbean for sale


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BBC2 wants to hear about Isle of Wight caravan holidays

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by Chris Jefferies
Touring holidaymakers heading to the Isle of Wight this summer could get on TV as part of a new BBC documentary celebrating the British family holiday.
And you could get involved with this project, as Caravan Times is helping out to make sure that the voice of the caravan community is heard.
BBC2 is looking to hear stories from campers and caravanners visiting the popular tourist island, with a focus on how their experience of holidaying has changed over the past few years.
Has your life changed since your last holiday? How is this year’s holiday going to be different? Perhaps it’s your first time on your own with the kids? Maybe it’s your last holiday together?
Whether it’s your first holiday in Britain, you’re dreading the holiday, or you have a burning passion for camping and outdoors holidays, the BBC wants to hear from you.
The documentary team want to make sure that all of Britain is represented, from first time campers, to single parents, British Asian and Caribbean families, grandparents, step-parents and big family get-togethers.
Filming will take place on the Isle of Wight during the school summer holidays. If you want to tell your story and are happy to be on TV, please contact us via e-mail: editor@caravantimes.co.uk