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Daily Archives: October 31, 2013

Which Motorhome completes biggest ever VW test.

31 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by chrismacgowan in Motorhomes

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"Which Motorhome", Christopher Macgowan, MMM, motorhomenews, VW Camper

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Which Motorhome, the UK’s number one magazine for motorhome testing, has just completed its biggest ever group test of 11 VW campervans. Exclusively featured is the first UK appearance of the German-built Volkswagen HymerCar Cape Town, the first Hymer on a VW and the first of a whole new range of HymerCar van conversions. Hymer has even set up a separate brand to market these.

Compared with the Hymer are 10 UK-manufactured campers, all on the VW T5 in either short or long-wheelbase format. These were all variants that eschew the most common side kitchen style of layouts.

Vans tested were the Autohaus Quinte – with a high-top and unique rear lounge layout, Auto-Sleeper Topaz – a long–established model from the UK’s oldest converter, Bilbo’s Lezan and Nexa – from current holder of our Campervan of the Year title, CMC Reimo MultiStyle – a past Campervan of the Year winner, Danbury Active and Doubleback – the Doubleback is the only VW with a slide-out, almost doubling its interior floor space on site, Hillside Doveridge – an unusual SWB high-top with a toilet area, Jerba Sanna – from this high-quality Scottish converter and Rolling Homes Livingstone – with its all real wood cabinets.

All the campers were tested by Which Motorhome’s highly experienced road testers, who found a surprising variation between them. The results of this test, along with the winner are published in the December issue of Which Motorhome, on sale on 14th November.

Which Motorhome was established in 1986 and is widely recognised as the leading magazine for those looking to buy their first motorhome or upgrade their existing motorhome to a new model.

Every issue of Which Motorhome includes a vast number of tests and the magazine is often first to test new motorhomes as they are launched. Which Motorhome covers everything from new A-classes to luxury low-profiles and secondhand bargains, so there is something to suit all budgets!

Editor, Peter Vaughan said: “The VW camper market has been enjoying a real boom in sales over the last couple of years and we couldn’t wait to see how Hymer’s entry into this highly competitive market would fare against established UK players.”

Managing Editor, Daniel Attwood, added: “Which Motorhome magazine does it again with a massive test of some of the most exciting VW campervans currently on the market. Some of these campers are built in Britain while others are built by continental converters, but they all have one thing in common – that very desirable VW badge on the front. Read which our expert team judged to be the best in this issue of Which Motorhome magazine.”

Which Motorhome

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

The Wanderer at Broadway.

31 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by chrismacgowan in General

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Beverley Larion, Christopher Macgowan, motorhomenews, The Caravan Club, The Wanderer

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Colin Elliott from the Caravan Club with The Wanderer at their site in Broadway.

The Wanderer is the oldest caravan in the world and was made in 1884 by Bristol Wagon Works Company for Dr William Gordon Stables and has travelled tens of thousands of miles in its lifetime. The Edwardian holiday home weighs two tonnes and is 30 foot long. It boasts a bookcase, china cabinet and musical instruments in its stunning interior. It can be pulled by two horses and first went on tour in 1885 and was last used in 1960. It will now be housed at the Caravan Club site in the Costwolds.

Beverley Larion from The Caravan Club said: “We would prefer to keep it at the Caravan Club rather than in a storage facility so our members can enjoy it. The Edwardian holiday home was made 128 years ago. It’s great for historians and enthusiasts to see this unique vehicle which was the first ever custom-built for leisure caravan”

The caravan was inspired by traditional horse-drawn Romany wagons and it was restored in the decade running up to the Caravan Club’s centenary in 2007. Described as a “shed on wheels”, it was used by former owner Dr Stables as he traveled on holiday pulled by two horses named Captain Corn-flower and Polly Pea-blossom.

Ms Larion added: “It’s the most beautiful display of craftsmanship internally.”

It was made in 1884 by Bristol Wagon Works Company for Dr William Gordon Stables [SWNS]

Gwilym Owen owns the Motor Museum where the Wanderer was previously stored. He said: “It’s had a little bit of modernisation over the years, such as new wheels and axle from a 1930’s Austin and a more modern hitch but everything else is basically the same as it was when constructed. It’s very much like a garden shed on wheels and I can imagine it was very cosy in its day, especially if you tried to fit more than one person inside it.”

SOURCE: DAILY EXPRESS.

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

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