Alfie meets Katy

GrannyJen · Apr 19, 2021

We loved our Eriba but it had limitations for 8 weeks on the road and carrying two bikes ...

So please welcome Katy.

A couple of advantages: A big rear door - 90cm wide, to take two bikes rather than struggle with the A-frame rack we had with the Eriba.

A fixed bed, no getting home, rearranging the furniture to eat, then again to sleep.

Underneath the fixed bed, a huge garage, can even carry the bikes in there if required.

Edit: and if the two people who have just parked up in the grey T5 180 want to come over and say hello then please do

OGII · Apr 19, 2021

Congratulations, I hope it makes all your travels and goals easier and more comfortable.

But. Sport & fun. On a caravan..... No, just no.

AlisonF · Apr 19, 2021

Welcome Katy :thumb

GrannyJen · Apr 19, 2021

OGII said:
Congratulations, I hope it makes all your travels and goals easier and more comfortable.

But. Sport & fun. On a caravan..... No, just no.

Yes, it's for the terribly sporty and young at heart ...

or at a push two knackered old biddies.

Can take a canoe inside, this particular one is designed to carry a motorcycle, lots of stuff to be carried on a strengthened roof, even discount vouchers for beach shoes and sunglasses .... :shocked

Skylark2.0 · Apr 19, 2021

Very fancy, were looking forward to cycling with you both!

larrylamb · Apr 19, 2021

GrannyJen said:
We loved our Eriba but it had limitations for 8 weeks on the road and carrying two bikes ...

So please welcome Katy.

A couple of advantages: A big rear door - 90cm wide, to take two bikes rather than struggle with the A-frame rack we had with the Eriba.

A fixed bed, no getting home, rearranging the furniture to eat, then again to sleep.

Underneath the fixed bed, a huge garage, can even carry the bikes in there if required.

Edit: and if the two people who have just parked up in the grey T5 180 want to come over and say hello then please do

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I had a good look around one of these a couple of years ago at the NEC. Great package and nice to see someone designing a box "thinking outside the box". :cheers

andyinluton · Apr 20, 2021

Baring in mind the problems others are having with their towbar wiring, have you checked that the caravan fridge works on 12v when hooked onto the van with the engine running?

GrannyJen · Apr 22, 2021

andyinluton said:
Baring in mind the problems others are having with their towbar wiring, have you checked that the caravan fridge works on 12v when hooked onto the van with the engine running?

My fridge is not wired for 12v. Apparently it is too big, it has a large freezer compartment, so it only runs on gas (the quickest) and 230v. I was told by the dealer that this is becoming increasingly common, especially with continental caravans where big fridge/freezers are now the norm.

Apparently, and I've not yet RTFM, it will hold it's cooled temperature for 6 hours at least on the road but if I was concerned then on one of my "rest breaks" put it onto gas cooling whilst I'm having my cup of tea and Tuna mayonnaise sandwich as that cools things the quickest.

It is not really a problem for me as I've trundled for days with frozen stuff in the Cali coolbox being only barely defrosted by the time I had got to the South of France through 36c temperatures so I understand how thermally efficient these fridges are.

GrannyJen · Apr 22, 2021

larrylamb said:
I had a good look around one of these a couple of years ago at the NEC. Great package and nice to see someone designing a box "thinking outside the box".

Superbly versatile. A storage compartment can become an extra long load carrier just by removing a slide-out bulk head, canoes and surf boards can go on the roof with the cycles inside. The showeroom/toilet has a slide out extension that means the shower can be widened to almost 2/3rd of the width of the caravan, in fact almost every space can be easily modified to have an alternative use.

I've heard people say it's a bit spartan, but just like the Cali, burner hobs, sink, fridge, no cooker, grill or microwave but then it's not for us to live in, more a tool for us to come home to. Even the same yacht floor as the Cali, just wipe clean,

WelshGas · Apr 22, 2021

GrannyJen said:
Superbly versatile. A storage compartment can become an extra long load carrier just by removing a slide-out bulk head, canoes and surf boards can go on the roof with the cycles inside. The showeroom/toilet has a slide out extension that means the shower can be widened to almost 2/3rd of the width of the caravan, in fact almost every space can be easily modified to have an alternative use.

I've heard people say it's a bit spartan, but just like the Cali, burner hobs, sink, fridge, no cooker, grill or microwave but then it's not for us to live in, more a tool for us to come home to. Even the same yacht floor as the Cali, just wipe clean,

Does it have a Leisure Battery?

GrannyJen · Apr 22, 2021

WelshGas said:
Does it have a Leisure Battery?

Yes,. All the internal lighting is 12v as is water pump and other bits. I'm not sure about the water heater, I suspect that may be 230v. It is also wired with USB sockets.

Velma's Dad · Apr 22, 2021

Shocking cultural appropriation. Everyone knows "Katy" was the Austin K2/Y ambulance in Ice Cold in Alex (John Mills, Sylvia Sims and Anthony Quayle).

Amarillo · Apr 22, 2021

GrannyJen said:
My fridge is not wired for 12v. Apparently it is too big, it has a large freezer compartment, so it only runs on gas (the quickest) and 230v. I was told by the dealer that this is becoming increasingly common, especially with continental caravans where big fridge/freezers are now the norm.

I find it hard to believe that even quite a large fridge/freezer can’t be kept cold on 12v. Maintaining a cold temperature takes little power: it is getting them cold which is difficult.

GrannyJen · Apr 22, 2021

Amarillo said:
I find it hard to believe that even quite a large fridge/freezer can’t be kept cold on 12v. Maintaining a cold temperature takes little power: it is getting them cold which is difficult.

I agree.

GrannyJen · Apr 22, 2021

Velma's Dad said:
Shocking cultural appropriation. Everyone knows "Katy" was the Austin K2/Y ambulance in Ice Cold in Alex (John Mills, Sylvia Sims and Anthony Quayle).

View attachment 77145

But you have to remember that when the Hymer arrives he will be called Bill, so I had no choice. My biological mum was a FANY but not using that :shocked

andyinluton · Apr 22, 2021

Velma's Dad said:
Shocking cultural appropriation. Everyone knows "Katy" was the Austin K2/Y ambulance in Ice Cold in Alex (John Mills, Sylvia Sims and Anthony Quayle).

View attachment 77145

Thats shorter & lower than a Vw GC600 weighs less and still sleeps 4 and carries a full size spare wheel. Thats progress for you.

GrannyJen · Apr 22, 2021

Anyway,

The first test. Had the tow-bar rack lashed down, the bikes secured on the rack. All very easy to load. Noseweight with it all up is 74kgs, pretty much what it is empty.

Velma's Dad · Apr 22, 2021

GrannyJen said:
But you have to remember that when the Hymer arrives he will be called Bill, so I had no choice. My biological mum was a FANY but not using that

Ah we had a FANY living in our old house, at the end of the war. It had been used as a training school for the SOE, and of course the FANYs provided both support staff and in some cases deployed operatives on SOE missions in occupied Europe. FANY is actually still in existence, as a voluntary unit with a unique quasi-military structure. One of their roles is to provide surge capacity staff for government comms centres in a national emergency. A quirky organisation but with a truly illustrious history.

GrannyJen · Apr 22, 2021

Velma's Dad said:
Ah we had a FANY living in our old house, at the end of the war. It had been used as a training school for the SOE, and of course the FANYs provided both support staff and in some cases deployed operatives on SOE missions in occupied Europe. FANY is actually still in existence, as a voluntary unit with a unique quasi-military structure. One of their roles is to provide surge capacity staff for government comms centres in a national emergency. A quirky organisation but with a truly illustrious history.

We now know that our Mum, a French speaker, was in France before D-Day. I was brought up in a prefab just around the corner from the house where Violette Szabo lived and my Mum would often pause as she went past it. I now speculate if they had ever met each other. My Mum never ever talked about her War service, all we know came from a photograph that used to perch on the sideboard of a small, diminutive woman wearing her Air Force uniform and the cross of Lorraine given to her by representatives of the free French after the war. She would only speak superficially about "nursing French hero's". So frustrating to be an historian and know so little about my own mum's history.

I am now a friend of the corps.

Alfie meets Katy

GrannyJen

OGII

AlisonF

GrannyJen

Skylark2.0

The adventure with Starlight Expess begins

larrylamb

Cali owner.

andyinluton

GrannyJen

GrannyJen

WelshGas

Retired after 42 yrs and enjoying Life.

GrannyJen

Velma's Dad

Amarillo

Tom

GrannyJen

GrannyJen

andyinluton

GrannyJen

Velma's Dad

GrannyJen

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