Email hell
Despite state-of-the-art computer equipment, some of your emails have been delayed and a few even seem to have vanished into the ether.
Although once described as "morally bankrupt", I do have some principles to which I try hard to adhere. One is that if anybody writes to me with a query or a request, they receive a personal reply. Thus, if you feel 'ignored', please re-submit your missive directly to my email address shown in the panel on the left.
However, in spite of technology, I did receive the following emails which will be of interest to other readers…
Badge engineering
Readers Paul and Sandra Carter from Swansea wrote:
"We read with interest your piece on the Home-Car PR59 in the June issue. We were at the last NEC motorhome show and looked at both the Lunar and Home-Car ranges. It seemed to us that the Home-Car PR59 is exactly the same 'van as the Lunar Premier H592 but with a different colour scheme. Both are clearly excellent value for money, with the Lunar an even better bargain at £28,895.
"At the show we placed an order for the four-berth version of the Lunar, the H622, with automatic transmission and cab air-con from Brownhills and we are due to collect it from Cannock later this month. This will be a big improvement on our ageing Autoquest 400, which has given us years of fun.
It's now time to enjoy the pleasures of a fixed bed!"
These are two good choices of motorhome! The Autoquest 400 was a grand 'van in its day. I'm sure it will give lots of pleasure to its new owners.
You are quite correct in saying that some models
of Home-Car and Lunar mirror each other (badge engineering). My supposition is that they feel they can increase their dealer coverage in this way. Home-Car is a very well-established European brand. I'm led to believe that the intention is to make
a few spec alterations to give each range a stronger identity in the future. As it happens,
a fellow journalist I know
has just bought a PR59 for his own use.
You may wish to keep a note of the highs and lows of the first year with your new 'van and let us know how
you get on with it (a couple
of photographs would be nice, too). Have a great time in
the Lunar.
The upsiders
Recently, I met a couple, June and Ron Bryce from Milton Keynes, in their Auto-Trail Cheyenne, on the Caravan Club Site at Ludham Bridge in the Norfolk Broads. It was only their second visit to the Broads in 43 years. As teenagers they had sneaked away for a weekend's camping in the Broads all that time ago.
"We were young and we were camping," said June with a twinkle in her eye. "So we didn't actually see very much of the Broads."
After that weekend, the couple had drifted apart. June planned to go to New Zealand, and she spent some time in Australia before returning to live in Kent.
Ron, on the other hand, went on the road, touring abroad in a converted ambulance with his band, 'The Downsiders'. The couple didn't see each other again for more than 35 years.
Then, just a few years ago,
a mutual friend told Ron that June was living in Kent.
The couple met up and the old spark burst into flame. So this second visit to the Broads was actually their honeymoon. They had married just the week before on a motorcaravan trip to the Isle of Skye.
"How were they enjoying the Broads, and each other, after all that time?" I asked. "Nothing much has changed in 43 years," said June, her eyes still twinkling.
Multi-storey motorcaravanning
Just as with buses (none for a while, then three come along together) the same is true for queries about converting a double-decker to a motorhome.
This may well be connected to the recent retirement of the iconic Routemaster bus from London's streets. Despite a campaign to keep some in service, on 9 December 2005 the last Routemaster built travelled Route 159 for the final time.
Some will survive in preservation and some have been bought by sightseeing tour companies. The owners of a significant few plan to convert them into motorhomes, presumably with Cliff,
The Shadows and
the rest of the gang accompanying any 'Summer Holiday'.
One such owner, Jackie Humphry,
is proceeding apace with the conversion but had a specific query regarding usage, as did a couple who are converting an ex-Pickfords furniture van.
Jackie takes up the story.
"We have just bought a double-decker bus, which we are converting into a holiday home for ourselves, and are trying to find information on where this can be legally parked overnight around the UK. We were wondering if there are any sea-view sites where we can park up? Are you able to assist?"
Not good news I'm afraid. You will have difficulty finding commercial campsites that will accept anything as large as a double-decker bus. First, the height of the vehicle will probably mean your camping neighbours are in shade and second, many campsites will struggle to accept the weight of the vehicle, especially if the majority of their pitches are on grass. Temporary campsites, such as those at outdoor motorcaravan shows, steam rallies, transport fairs, music festivals, and the like, probably will accept you… as will some holiday rallies arranged by the Motor Caravanners Club. In all cases you will need to check with the organisers in advance.
Whether or not it is legal to wild camp in the UK remains open to dispute. My advice is to use common sense. I think you would be alright overnight in, say, a remote Scottish highland car park, but not on the seafront in a crowded resort such as Brighton.
Try contacting the Self Build Motor Caravanners Club for more help and advice.
Sorry I can't be more positive. A friend of mine, who converted
a coach, advises you to think carefully before proceeding further. But whatever you decide, please keep in touch and if you send some pictures of your conversion, I'll try to publish them.
One reason I've published my reply is to suggest that folk think about envisaged usage before converting any sort of very large vehicle. Another is to appeal to readers. If you know of (or manage) a campsite that will accept a converted double-decker bus, please send in the details and I'll forward them to Jackie and print them in my column for the benefit of other owners of large, converted vehicles. As an aside, I wonder if some sites are becoming prissy, not accepting anything that doesn't conform to their idea of what a motorhome should be, i.e. a small white box, preferably made within the past five years.
A friend with a sound but not over-pretty Veedub camper was recently turned away from a site as the owner didn't want any young hippies! As a retired headmaster of 72 years, he was "well pleased" about being considered (a) young and (b) a threat to 'civilised' society.
More seriously, his 1975 Devon does have a few
battle scars but it is taxed, insured and tested. Is it reasonable to consider anything that is worn or unusual as being 'unacceptable'? Are folk really that vacuous now? What do you think?
The full ramblings can be found in the November 06 issue of Practical Motorhome
Happy motorhoming!
Jack Bancroft |
