Tragedy hits East Sussex caravan park as two die in blaze

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by Chris Malone

A fatal accident in Sussex has underlined the need for caravan owners to exercise caution while on holiday.

News that a fire swept through a tourer at a popular holiday park on Saturday (August 13th) night should serve to underline the fact that care is needed when heading off on a touring break.

Two Haven caravan park employees and a holidaymaker attempted to fight the flames until fire crews arrived, but were unable to save the two occupants.

The pair, believed to be in their 40s, were dead before firefighters were able to pull them from the mobile holiday home, which they had owned and pitched at Combe Haven in East Sussex since 2007.

“Our team members and guests are shocked by this tragic accident,” a site spokesman explained.

“The owners of the caravan were valued and popular members of the community at Combe Haven.”

It is not yet clear how the blaze began, but the deaths highlight just how important it is for caravan owners to install smoke alarms and make a fire safety plan before using their tourers.

A range of fire safety equipment is available for caravans, including fire blankets, extinguishers, CO detectors and smoke alarms.

Advice for caravanners using the Hindhead tunnel

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by Chris Malone

The new Hindhead tunnel, one of the largest road tunnels in the UK, opened last month, allowing drivers on the A3 to take a 1.2-mile underground shortcut when travelling between London and Portsmouth.

However, caravanners using the route might be wise to pay attention to advice from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), which claimed it is concerned about Brits’ lack of experience using such large tunnels.

It noted that vehicle fires in Europe’s Mont Blanc and Gotthard tunnels have claimed 50 lives between them, with many of those fatalities coming because drivers mistakenly stayed in their cars, rather than exiting the tunnels.

This is not the thing to do, according to IAM Drive & Survive head of training Simon Elstow, who advised that caravanners and other drivers only attempt to put out fires if someone is in immediate danger.

In all other cases drivers and passengers should leave as quickly as they can, before alerting the authorities.

“Motorists heading for Europe this summer are likely to use a road tunnel. Remember, if there is a fire or an accident, don’t wait to act – fire and smoke can be fatal,” Mr Elstow advised.

“Leave the vehicle and walk to a safe place.”

Caravan pitches available at horse driving trials championship

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by Chris Malone

Caravanners are being given the chance to camp and work at the Queen Victoria’s Review Ground in Windsor Great Park as part of the British Horse Driving Trials Association’s National Championships.

The event begins on Friday September 9th and concludes on the 11th, and the Caravan Club has revealed that members can book pitches for the weekend.

Those who wish to can act as a steward on one, two or all three of the days and can spend any time off enjoying the new Country Fair and entertainment, which includes gun dog, falconry and classic car displays.

The second day of the show will see the annual British Driving Society Show and dog agility classes take place.

Caravanners will be asked to pay £40 to pitch their mobile home from Wednesday September 7th until Monday September 12th.

Other caravan sites in the Windsor area include Stroud Farm and Westhorpe Farm.

Chris Goslings Caravan Diary: Chestnut Farm Meadows, Norwich

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by Marcus Dubois

For many caravanners the holy grail is a small site in picturesque surroundings with plenty to see nearby. Both the Caravan Club and Camping and Caravanning Club are known for their secluded 5-caravan pitches, where visitors can properly enjoy the tranquility of the countryside.

In this week’s Caravan Diary Summer Special presenter Chris Gosling may have stumbled upon one of these gems. Chestnut Farm Meadows is near Horsford in Norfolk and while there, Chris stumbles upon a caravanning-related find of his own…

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Bailey to build custom caravans for C&CC training centre

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by Chris Jefferies
Caravan owners looking to sharpen their skills will soon be able to try their hand at towing a Bailey Orion as part of a new partnership with the Camping and Caravanning Club.
Members and non-members alike can book onto a towing training course at a number of accredited centres across the UK and get top tips from professional instructors, while towing a custom-made Bailey caravan.
The sessions, which are priced at £99 for a full day’s training, focus on increasing road safety awareness, whilst giving caravanners the skills to manoeuvre their outfit with confidence.
Bailey launched the entry-level Orion range earlier this year, and the Bristol-based ‘vanmakers claim that these models are ideally suited to the job, due to their aerodynamic shape and lightweight Alu-Tech construction.
Robert Louden, Director General at The Camping and Caravanning Club said: “We are delighted to work with Bailey and we hope our members enjoy towing with such safe and reliable units.”
In other Bailey news, the manufacturer has expanded its retailer network, offering customers more support at three new centres.
These outlets are Costwold Edge Caravans in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, Teeside Caravans in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, and Wandahome Caravans in Knottingley, West Yorkshire.
Each site will be taking delivery of new Bailey models, including the recently launched Olympus Series II, in September.
Bailey now boasts a grand total of more than 80 retail outlets and 40 approved service centres, the largest network for a single caravan brand.

Bizarre caravan fire ‘may have been caused by overheating brakes’

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by Chris Malone

Firefighters from Burnham-on-Sea were recently called to a blaze at a caravan that appears to have begun in bizarre circumstances.

The seaside resort town is located in Somerset and features a number of camping sites.

Little was left of the tourer after crews from Bridgwater and Burnham managed to quell the flames, but it is not thought that anyone was harmed in the incident.

The fire service was called at 14:09 BST on Wednesday (August 10th) and attended the blaze on the A38 at Pawlett, according to Burnham-on-Sea.com.

On their arrival, the mobile home was already engulfed in flames and despite the efforts of officers, the vehicle was completely destroyed.

A spokesman told the online resource that crews used breathing equipment and a reel jet to extinguish the blaze, but were unable to stop the fire before the caravan was rendered useless.

However, they were able to establish that the cause was accidental, with overheating brakes the bizarre culprit.

Flintshire caravan park scoops garden award for 19th consecutive year

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by Chris Malone

Caravanners staying at the beautiful Tree Tops family-run caravan park in Gwespyr this summer might have noticed the stunning floral arrangements that brighten up the campsite.

The park’s gardening team has been rewarded for its efforts by scooping first place in its category in the Wales in Bloom awards.

Tree Tops is located close to Prestatyn, which features a number of touring sites near to the sea.

General manager Andy Walker explained that David and Christine Ball have been tending to the site’s gardens for two decades and have been instrumental in it winning the same prize an amazing 19 years in a row.

“We’ve got an excellent gardening team,” he told the Flintshire Chronicle.

“They’re very dedicated and hard working – it’s their life’s work, they’ve been doing it for 20 years. It’s their passion, a labour of love. They’re fantastic and I’ll panic when they finally retire.”

Nearby Holywell also fared well in the Wales in Bloom Awards, coming second in the Small Towns category.

Caravanners urged to check out Bristol summer events

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by Chris Malone

The Caravan Club has suggested that families looking for somewhere to take the kids this August bank holiday head to Bristol.

One of the attractions which might excite children is the chance to spot 60 gorillas, which have been hidden across the city as part of the Wow! Gorillas art exhibition.

The initiative is to help mark the 175th anniversary of Bristol Zoo Gardens – another great attraction for caravanners holidaying in the area.

According to the Caravan Club, Brunel’s SS Great Britain is also a great day out, with the ship being moored at Bristol Dock.

It is hosting a special foodie fun event over the bank holiday weekend, with guests being able to look at the vessel’s new galley – which features an animatronic ship’s cat to keep the rats away from the grub – and even meet Mr Brunel himself.

The Victorian ship lets visitors step back in time and experience life aboard the world’s first great ocean liner.

Caravan owners looking for a convenient place to stay near Bristol can choose from two certified Caravan Club sites – Baltic Wharf Caravan Club Site and Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park.

Watch the video below to see the decorated gorillas being delivered into Bristol by boat:

VIDEO: Inside the 2012 Bailey Olympus Series II

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by Marcus Dubois

Bailey Caravans has relaunched the popular mid-range Olympus Series for 2012. Named the Bailey Olympus Series II, this range offers a choice of four layouts, from two to six berths.

Caravan Times was at the official launch, and this video features exclusive interior and exterior footage. Key improvements include a redesigned front-end, with polyclassic windows, double glazing and a colour-matched gas locker. Meanwhile, on the interior, there is new wood panelling and a vibrant new furniture design, called Panama.

Prices for the Bailey Olympus Series II range from £14,795 for the two-berth 460-2 layout, rising to £16,795 for the twin-axle 640-6 layout.

PREVIEW: Inside the 2012 Swift Challenger Sport and Sterling Eccles Sport

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by Marcus Dubois

Updating an already popular range such as the Swift Charisma or Sterling Europa was always going to be a hard task. Yet Swift Caravans has managed to pull it off – by replacing the entire ranges with two brand new futuristic lineups.

The Swift Challenger Sport and Sterling Eccles Sport are entirely new caravans from the ground up – and next week Caravan Times will bring you a video feature with the new look for 2012.

To whet your appetite in the meantime, take a sneak peek here with our trailer.

Want to know when you can see the new Swift feature? Click here to be the first to hear about new videos

Carlight Caravans begins full production again for 2012

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by Marcus Dubois

Say the name “Carlight” to a caravan enthusiast and you’re likely to receive a smile, with perhaps a fond memory of a family friend’s van, or questions about the marque and its heritage.

With an enviable history tracing back to the 1930s, the luxury caravan manufacturer could boast the unique claim of having produced a model throughout eight decades and one World War.

This fine run was brought to a sudden halt in 2002 when the last models were produced, before a hiatus that left many wondering if we were to see another Carlight outside of the classifieds.

So it was with some excitement that Caravan Times greeted the news earlier this year that Carlight were back in business, offering an ambitious new line-up of handcrafted caravans built to their traditional standards.

With a large number of new models launched this summer, the return of this venerable brand has seen little in the way of fanfare.

Yet if you’re new to caravanning and find it hard to see the appeal of these white boxes on wheels, seeing a Carlight for the first time is something akin to spotting an old Rolls Royce. Even if you don’t like cars, you may find yourself quietly appreciating the presence and quality of the vehicle.

Eight new models for 2012

Rather than dip a toe in the water with one or two models, the Lincolnshire factory is…
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Caravan Club: Don’t miss out on Britain’s great holiday potential

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by Chris Malone

Brits have been encouraged to try caravanning as a great way to get out and explore some beautiful new locations.

The Caravan Club recently conducted a survey in the run-up to its Find the Freedom competition – winners will receive a new Swift Challenger Sport 514 caravan worth £16,000 – which found that almost half (46 per cent) of UK residents repeatedly spend their holidays in the same destination.

According to the organisation, these people could be missing out on potentially great adventures, where they could be waking up to a new stunning view each morning.

With 50 per cent of respondents stating that they do not feel they have had a holiday unless they go abroad, the Club is keen to point out that there are some fantastic breaks to be had in the UK, with everything from surfing and bird-watching to cultural city vacations.

“The Caravan Club is convinced that people are falling back in love with the UK as a holiday destination, with caravanning becoming increasingly more popular,” explained director of marketing Lawrence Bate.

“It’s promising to see that nearly 70 per cent of people surveyed said they didn’t need a holiday itinerary in place before heading off on holiday. This is exactly what caravanning is about, jumping in the car and heading off.”