Durham Grange

Returned today from three nights on my own at Durham Grange CC site whilst SWMBO is sunning herself with her sister in Greece.

We have been to Durham many times before so it was nothing new but restful all the same until about 3pm on Friday when loads of kids arrived.

Glad to be away today really.

Just one bit of advice if visiting Durham,have a visit to the castle well worth £5 ( or £3.50 if you are sadly over 60 ) for a guided tour,never been before for some reason.

The Cadiz behaved itself with no dramas.

Was on a serviced pitch and had the usual problem of the waste kitchen sink water appearing in the shower,even after I renewed the connection at the caravan outlet as the one I was using was crap.

I did see a chap on one site who had constructed a sophisticated drainage system with plastic pipes resting on blocks but it just seems something else to cart about and we don't go on serviced pitches that often.

There is just not enough "fall" to stop waste water backing up,if anyone has any bright solutions that doesn't involve carting lengths of drainpipe and wooden blocks around let me know.

I had a run down to Catterick Caravans and Ropers ( also in Catterick ) for a browse round.

( Honest dear I didn't buy anything,well not a lot ).

Whilst at Ropers I asked if they would be willing to do any Bailey warranty work on vans they haven't sold and they said it was no problem so I think I may give them a try if any future warranty problems arise.

If a new van is ever in the offing might also strongly consider them,have heard good reports.

Only problem is that it is twenty miles further away but so be it.

Still  not very happy at YC Leisure's non-customer service so they have probably lost a customer.

Whilst browsing about I noticed a number of Ropers display vans also had the "Bailey Letters" problem.

Ian

Letters #2

YC Leisure are going to put in a warranty claim for some letter replacements and post them out for me to fit.

Anyone fitted any ??

Ian

Letters

Further to the post regarding the letters on the front of the Cadiz,I contacted Bailey and receved this reply:-

To Mr Broadhead

Thank you for your email.

We have been advised by the decal manufaures that this is a primer concern, when the decals are put on the caravan a primer is used to enable the decal to stick property, if to much or not enough it used it can affect the decal itself, as in your case.

Please contact your selling retailer so they are able to submit a warranty claim through to us for replacements.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Kind Regards

Jo Barrington

Customer Services Co-ordinator

Bailey of Bristol

I have contacted YC Leisure to see if they can put me some in the post when they arrive as I am not running backwards and forwards for two letters replacing.

This cannot be an isolated incident ( minor though it is ) as I mentioned previously another unicorn on our storage has it.

Ian 

Sandholme Lodge

Just had a few days at Sandholme Lodge site which is about eight miles west from North Cave in Humberside.

A very quiet and pleasant site hidden away up a winding single track lane from the village of Newport.

It caters mostly for seasonal caravans which gives it a bit of a ghost town air when few seasonals are there.

It is a site which unfortunately is laid out by someone who is not very familiar with caravanning as the pitches are quite small and very tight which spoils it a bit,plus the electric posts are at the front of the pitches so are just asking to be knocked over.

Also the Wastemaster/toilet emptying point involves lifting it up a step which isn't very heplful.

It has a couple of fishing ponds for the anglers,a childrens playground and a selection of statics to rent.


Anyway the Cadiz was on its best behaviour with no further problems.

It rained quite a bit and I kept taking furtive looks inside the rear cupboards to check for leaks but all was dry.

One thing I did notice was that despite having the front cushions restuffed they still aren't very supportive,better than previously but I would prefer them to be much firmer.

The gizmo I made for the Aquaroll worked very well and David Mantell's flue cover like wise in fact I left it on whilst travelling.

On returning to our storage I noticed another Unicorn 3 and had a look at front "BAILEY" letters which were the same as ours so it may have been like it when when we picked it up and they are all the same.

Anyway I have e-mailed Bailey to see what their take on it is.

Ian

Bailey Letters

I have just noticed that on the "Bailey" letters on the front of the van the middle of the "A" and the indents on the "E" are not white but a brown colour as if the white has fallen off.

If you double-click on the picture it makes it larger so it is easier to see.

I don't know if it has been like that since new,not seen another van recently to compare it with so has anyone else got this.

It's not a big deal but I wondered if the offending missing bits had fallen off,if so I will ask Bailey for some more.

Ian

Alde Flue Cover

Some may remember a few posts back that David Mantell came up with an ingenious method of making a flue cover for the Alde outlet.

Well eventually I have got around to following his instructions and it came out rather well.

David suggested using ordinary cable ties to secure it but I used reuseable ones to make it a bit easier.

Well done David,good thinking,looks a bit better than a bread bag.

Ian

First Service Phew !

The Cadiz had its first service today by Karranvan Mobile ( Karranvan ) and what a good job was made of it.

He took five and a half hours which included installation of an Alde Load Monitor,very diligent and thorough workmanship throughout at a very reasonable price,certainly compared to a dealership,and no dragging it up and down the A1 and having to leave it for a week,plus plenty of supporting paperwork.

Good news all round,no problems found and damp tests were all fine at 9% around the perimeter of the floor.

Happy Bunny.

Ian

A Good Job,But.................

Went up to storage today and whilst there I had a look at YC Leisures handiwork and I have to say,despite the long wait and whatnot they appear to have done a very good,neat and tidy job,it looks much better than the original effort from the factory.

Whether this is an "upgraded" part I don't know but the sealant application is much better quality than originally.

However I was surprised that the strip hadn't been made wider than the original if it was an improved part,there does not seem to be much leeway width wise to cover the gap underneath,in fact it is the same as the factory fitted effort.

Anyway it is what it is,if it does the job for the length of time we have the van then I am happy.

Just a shame about the length of time it took.

Ian

It's Back !!

Picked up the Cadiz this afternoon from YC Leisure.

Exactly one month to order some parts and do a three hour job,hmmmm.......................

Anyway first service next week from a mobile chap and fitting of an Alde Load Monitor so I hope that all goes well.

Ian

Is It All Worth It ??

I have just been on the phone to YC Leisure who,despite having our van for exactly three weeks have still not even started to carry out the repair to the roof join.

Parts took around two weeks to arrive and a week later,nothing.

It is only a three hour job FFS.

When will the caravan industry drag itself kicking and screaming into the 21st. century.

Some companies now do overnight deliverybut no,with caravans it is measured in weeks.

Am now completely pissed off and I am beginning to wonder if caravanning is really worth all the grief and hassle.

From being months overdue when we first ordered it to this,I am seriously thinking that perhaps we should pack it in.

For what we have invested in caravanning we could,and still could,pay for a lot of hotels with much less aggravation.

Here endeth the first rant.

Ian