Bailey Pegasus GT65: photos and details revealed of new Alu-Tech range

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by Ben Wilby
Bailey Caravans has unveiled a new mid-market range – the special edition Pegasus GT65, which they are hoping will become the ‘club-class champion’.
The most striking feature of this new range is the vertical skylight, which is similar to the one featured in the Unicorn II, which recently won the 2012 CaravanTimes innovation award.
The Pegasus GT65 has the same design with the front window split into three sections, the middle of which runs all the way to the roof, creating a distinctive look that allows a large amount of sunlight in.

Bailey has an excellent reputation with mid-market caravans – the Pageant has been the most successful range in the company’s history and Bailey is hoping that the Pegasus GT65 continues this illustrious history.
Five models will be available, ranging from two to six-berths, and will continue the Pegasus tradition of being named after Italian cities.
Despite the range being middle market the tourers will feature a variety of specifications and extras that you might not expect to see in this price range.
Exterior
Aside from the distinctive window design, a variety of new additions help the range not only stand out from the crowd but also stand up to the variety of problems that can occur with modern touring.
The vehicle has Bailey’s famous Alu-Tech body shell that is known for being both stronger and lighter than traditional construction.
The Alu-tech has also acheived Grade III classification for heating and thermal insulation ensuring that the tourer will remain warm in bad weather. This effect is enhanced by the new GRP outer skin, as previously seen on the Unicorn II.
On a cosmetic level there is a new graphic design with an understated blue colour scheme.
As with the Unicorn II this includes 14″ Michelin tyres, and a new wind-down chassis-mounted spare wheel carrier and spare wheel are included.
And much like with many other recent Bailey models, AL-KO ATC Trailer Control System, AKS 3004 stabiliser and shock absorbers all feature on the caravan to ensure it remains safe on Britain’s roads and beyond.
Bailey has also thought of security, introducing a new high-security entrance door lock, while the AL-KO Secure wheel lock remains part of the standard package.

Interior
The new windows give the interior a unique look and a feeling of space is created by the vertical sunroof, despite the slightly narrower 2.24m (7’4″) body width.
The trademark Bailey Walnut finish is present and correct but has been updated with new furnishings such as the curved cabinets and slate-effect worktops.
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COMPETITION: Win one of 25 pairs of tickets to Manchester Caravan Show

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UPDATE: Thanks for your entries, this competition is now closed
by Chris Jefferies
If your New Year’s resolution is to get out more in your caravan then what better place to start than at the Manchester Caravan Show?
This year’s event (17 to 20 January) features plenty of exciting exhibitions, including towing training tester sessions, celebrity speakers and plenty of inspiring holiday ideas.
What’s more, there are over 200 exhibitors confirmed for Event City, including ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/swift/">Swift, Eterniti and the Caravan Club.
On-the-door tickets will cost £9, and CaravanTimes readers can get advance tickets for £7 by quoting the code CRT1. But if you want to go along for free, then all you have to do is enter our latest competition.
Simply answer the question below before midday on Friday 11 January and you could win one of the 25 pairs of tickets that we’ve got to give away.
Best of luck to all of you who enter and happy caravanning!
UPDATE: Thanks for your entries, this competition is now closed

Used Caravan of the Week: 1959 Vintage Westfalia 310-4

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by Ben Wilby

Christmas is behind us and 2013 is just beginning, so how do you fancy starting the new year with an old tourer that will stand out at caravan parks across the whole country?

A new listing on eBay will make that a reality for the lucky auction winner – offering an incredibly rare Westfalia 310-4 caravan for sale.

While the tourer is not in the greatest condition, it still lives up to the company’s reputation for build quality and is an impressive model that is still useable despite being over 50 years old.

History

Originally founded in 1844 as a heavy horse-drawn cart manufacturer, the Westfalia Company will be a familiar name to any VW fans out there. Their biggest success was the ‘pop top’ conversions of the Type 2 Volkswagen that proved hugely popular from 1968 to 1979.

This began after the company was approached by a VW owner who asked Westfalia to add a ‘camping box’ to their vehicle, something that was so popular it went into series production soon after.

In 1962 the company released the first motorhome to feature light plastic material on the furniture and this confirmed Westfalia’s commitment to innovation within the field.

The company continued to produce the VW Westfalia model for Volkswagen until 2003 and continued to work with other vehicle manufacturers as well as produce their own range of motorhomes.

After announcing their bankruptcy in 2010, they found new support and have unveiled a new range of motorhomes that are due out later this year.

While VW models and motorhomes proved to be their most popular items, they also produced a range of tourers – including the 310-4 that is listed on eBay.

These are incredibly rare now and some estimates have stated that there are as few as 50 left in a useable condition.

Kit and caboodle

Despite its age the vehicle is near intact and is only missing the original gas powered fridge.

The pipe work remains for those who wish to fit a new one, although with the rising costs of butane and difficulty in finding a fridge from the 1950s in working condition it would seem more sensible to fit an electric one.

Little of the vehicle has been changed or modified. It still has the original badges and lights, including two working clam shell designs and the rare middle back light remains intact.

Although this is impressive, the picture of the badge shows that it needs a little TLC to return it to its former glory.

This is seen in other areas of the tourer as well. The seats and curtains match but are dated and look as though they have seen a lot of use. They also do not appear to be the original covers which may be a problem for purists.

As well as this it has some small dents and areas of the bodywork have been patched – though nothing major has been done to the shell of the tourer.

Other issues, such as water stains from the windows, a leaky water tank and gas pipes that need replacing, confirm that this tourer will require a patient owner, happy to spend the time to restore it to its former glory.

Despite all these problems much of the caravan is in great condition. The four corner steadies are in excellent condition and the hob and water pump both work fine. Along with this there is a working electric hook-up that brings the tourer more up to date.

Other features include four opening windows, a gas bottle holder, a wardrobe, an original table, seating and bunks and a working sink and tap.

From the outside it certainly has a unique style that will help it stand out, while the 780kg weight means that it can be towed by just about anything.

It may sound like the negatives outweigh the positives but considering the age and rarity of the tourer, this should prove hugely popular with both caravan fans and VW Campervan fanatics.

Fact file:

  • Price: £1,040 (reserve not met)
  • Length: 9’10”
  • Width: 6’6″
  • Weight: 780 kgs
  • Berth: 4
  • Axle: Single

Click here to view more details of the 1959 Westfalia 310-4


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Bristol B&B to pitch four Airstreams on their roof

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by Jack Beresford

Bristol may have a rich caravanning heritage, but one couple is hoping to give the tourer experience a new twist for those visiting the south-west city.

Husband and wife team Andrew and Carla Brooks took over the Brooks Guesthouse, close to the popular St Nicholas Market, two years ago.

Since then they have been turning the venue from a backpacker hostel to an upmarket bed and breakfast.

Yet it was only in recent times that Mrs Brooks hit upon the unique idea of creating an urban caravanning experience.

With the premises featuring a flat roof, the couple came up with the idea of having four 1950s American-style caravans in the free space.

“I have always been a big fan of the 1950s and Americana and these caravans are very much a part of that style,” she explained in an interview with South West Business.

“We will be importing the caravans from the US and hopefully will have them ready for guests to use by the autumn.”

Having won approval for the plans from the city council, it is only a matter of time before the Brooks’ caravan dream becomes a reality.

Star Trek favourite beaming down to Manchester caravan show

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by Jack Beresford

Marina Sirtis, the actress famous for playing the role of Councillor Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation, will have her phaser set to stun when she heads to the Caravan & Motorhome Show in Manchester.

The British-American star is set to beam down to EventCity on Thursday January 17th where she will officially open the popular tourer event.

And while she is unlikely to see any of her Klingon or Borg adversaries at the meeting, organisers will be hoping to attract a wide variety of visitors, following on from the success of the 2012 show, which brought a record 31,489 caravan fans.

It is certainly shaping up to be a star-studded event, with Bill Oddie and John Craven both already confirmed to make appearances at the show.

And with 200 different exhibitors including manufacturers Swift, Bailey, VW, Lunar and Elddis due to be showcased, you may want to set your car to warp speed in order to beat the crowds.

VIDEO: Top tips for preparing your caravan for winter storage

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by Chris Jefferies
Preparing your caravan to lie empty during the winter months is a crucial job, and if done properly it can save you a lot of hassle in the spring when it’s time to start touring again.
With this in mind, we’ve been seeking some expert advice from Towergate Insurance and Golden Castle Caravans, who have been talking us through the essential steps.
Simple tasks like draining down the water system and removing soft furnishings can help protect your caravan’s most sensitive items from the harsh winter conditions.
What’s more, we find out why it’s advisable to take out any documents relating to your ownership of the caravan and store them inside your house.

Northumberland caravan parks nominated for local tourism award

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by Jack Beresford

Representatives from the Seafield Caravan Park in Seahouses and the Ord House Country Park in East Ord will be out in force for the North East England Tourism Awards on Thursday 31 January.

They have both been nominated for the prestigious awards evening, which is designed to showcase the achievements of tourism in the local region.

These particular operators have won praise for the level of customer satisfaction recorded and the overall efforts of those working at both facilities.

Speaking to the Berwick Advertiser, the chairman of the North Northumberland Tourism Association was keen to highlight the importance of this feedback.

“Figures from VisitEngland recently showed that we’re in the top three nationally for visitor satisfaction, ahead of some more ‘famous’ tourist hotspots,” he said.

“The exceptionally high standard of so many tourism businesses in the county, and especially here in the north, plays a major part in that.”

BBC Look North presenter Carol Malia will host the event, which is taking place at The Sage in Gateshead. The winners will then be entered into the 2013 VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

This is not the first time that Seafield has been in the news, with the site last year revealing plans to expand its premises.

Police appeal after Swift Rapide stolen from Leicester home

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by Jack Beresford

The very real risk of caravan theft was rammed home once again this week, as police called for help following the theft of a tourer in Leicester.

As the Leicester Mercury reports, police are now calling for assistance from anyone who may have witnessed the vehicle being taken away.

The incident occurred at some point between 13 and 14 December, the police have explained, with the caravan taken from an area of Casterton Lane in Pickworth near Oakham.

According to the report, the vehicle in question is a white Swift Rapide 12/4.

Speaking to the news provider, PC Paul Anderson was eager to talk to anyone with information on the theft.

“We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the caravan being removed from the property or saw the caravan being towed around the area to contact us,” he said.

The incident comes just days after police in Lancaster launched a similar appeal, following a string of tourer contents thefts in the region.

North Wales holiday parks call for flood evacuation plan

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by Tom Walsh

While many parts of the UK were enjoying their Christmas festivities a number of others were being hit by floods.

North Wales is a region that normally bears the brunt of adverse weather conditions and an assembly minister (AM) is now calling for new laws to help people living in holiday parks in the area’s many seaside resorts, Daily Post North Wales reports.

Darren Millar, Clwyd West AM, believes that floods have a devastating effect on the region’s holiday parks and recently won a ballot to introduce an individual member’s bill in the National Assembly.

“One of the provisions I am considering is the need for Natural Resources Wales to be involved in the licensing to ensure proper flood evacuation processes are in place. There are no requirements at the moment which I think is remarkable,” Mr Millar told the news provider.

The Holiday Caravan Park (Wales) Bill would also tackle the problem of people using static caravans all year round, which he claims is a drain on Welsh public services.

Noisy neighbours force man to spend christmas in his tourer

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by Jack Beresford

A Scotland-based man opted to spend a quiet Christmas day in his much-loved caravan, following a dispute with housing chiefs in the region.

John Sharp suffers from muscular and fatigue conditions and has recently had two strokes.

Understandably, he had been eager to enjoy a quiet Christmas at home but his plans were put on ice by the noise emanating from his neighbours upstairs.

While they are also disabled, Mr Sharp’s gripe is aimed directly at his landlords the Clyde Valley Housing Association, which has done little to fix the issue as the Daily Record reports.

As this had been going on for nine months, he decided to head out to his beloved holiday vehicle for a spot of relaxation.

“The caravan is there so that I can get a rest, relax and sleep. I can’t do that in the house with all the pounding,” he told the news provider.

Burglaries reported at Lancaster caravan park

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by Jack Beresford

Caravans in the Lancashire region could be under threat following a series of burglaries in the area which have seen many valuable items taken.

As the Lancashire Evening Post reports, there have been three separate incidents at a park in Lancaster over the past few weeks.

The first of these is believed to have taken place on November 25th, with the most recent incident occurring on December 6th.

In each instance, the Crook O’Lune Caravan Park was the target, with thieves making off with a number of valuable personal items including some china and pottery sets.

One of the raids saw the offenders force their way through the living room window of the caravan, where they began to steal anything of value within.

Speaking to the news provider PC Caroline Bell called for help in catching the criminals.

“I would appeal to anybody that has been at the caravan park in the past few weeks and thinks they have seen anybody acting suspiciously to contact police.

“I’d urge people to be vigilant and to ensure their properties are secure.”

Ensuring your tourer is fitted with a state-of-the-art burglar alarm can reduce the risk of ending up as the victim of this kind of crime.

Dorset based Golden Cap caravan park redevelopment plans approved

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by Jack Beresford

Golden Cap caravan park owner Martin Cox has been given the thumbs up to move forward with plans for the redevelopment of his Dorset-based site.

Campers heading to the park will be able to benefit from a new range of amenities under the plans, with improvements including a new indoor swimming pool, restaurant, laundry, wildlife pond and new static caravans.

The approval comes despite notable opposition to the plans from locals, with Bridport News reporting that some 170 letters of object were sent to the West Dorset District Council.

Many of the objections focused around concerns over the potential increase in traffic the new park would bring.

Despite this, local officials opted to back the proposals, with 19 conditions attached to the new park.

Speaking to the news provider, Mr Cox expressed his satisfaction at the announcement.

“We were very pleased that the plans were approved which reflects the amount of resources given to the design and preparation of the proposals,” he said.

Earlier this month, a husband and wife team in the East Midlands saw their caravan park plans rejected by local council officials.