A Walk down Memory Lane

Classic caravans, lovingly restored to their former glory – that’s what we saw and admired today.  Most of them were accessorised with camping items from former years, and several seemed to have a classic car attached too.

  

Dubbed “the oldest known Liteweight in existence”, this Kiwi classic was built in February 1950 and was the 22nd caravan to be made.  The restoration has only just been completed this month in time for the show.  Our first caravan was a Liteweight, and we purchased it in the 80s, but the shape had changed considerably by then.

1950 Liteweight

“Wee Belle” (1959)  is one of the small number of Bellevue caravans built in Cambridge by Ian Plaw.  This one was restored just a couple of years ago.

1959 Bellevue Wee Belle

The red and white Concord attracted an awful lot of interest but I couldn’t find a date of manufacture for this one.  It looked very smart with the matching sun shade and deck chairs, and people were intrigued with the fancy chrome bike rack on the back.

Concord caravan with chrome bike rack on the back

Leaving these classic beauties behind, we walked up to see huge lumbering caravan named “The Cottage”, which featured on TV last evening.  This is not one that would be towed on the road, we presume, as it is 40ft long and has an axle weight of 9410lbs.  With a huge bed, lounge with lazyboy recliners and kitchen with a freestanding countertop, it is massive, and made to be parked permanently on site somewhere.  Not quite us, we prefer one we can tow behind us.

The Cottage

Back inside the huge indoor show area, we stopped off to see what was happening in the Resene Caravan Do-Up Challenge.  Two older caravans were having a make-over, and all the interior fittings had been removed for repainting.  New curtains were being whipped up, I noticed, and no doubt the upholstery will be redone as well.  We will have to pop back tomorrow (the final day of the show) and see the final results. 

Working on the make-over

I trudged up the hill in the blazing sun to get another photo of the huge number of people at the show.  Caravans and campers on site have now reached 525, and day trippers continue to pour in.  The exhibitors must be well pleased with the number of people attending.  Some are sure to be ordering new caravans.

View from the hill