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Caravan Holidays

doug1944

doug1944

master brummie
Hi. I started thinking of all the Caravan holidays which we took in the 1930`s, 40`s, 50`s and 60`s. I can recall North Wales, West Wales, Weston, Devon (North and South ), Cornwall, Dorset and Norfolk. The vans were gaslit, water by carrier, curtains, condensation, bunk beds with blankets, 2 burner stoves, deck chairs and an Elsan if you were lucky ! One of my interests is photo`s of this type of caravan (they call them classic vans these days ). They weren`t classic in our day. They were all there was ! So please post your photo`s of the holiday caravans you had, along with location if you can remember and LET THE MEMORIES FLOW !
 
not many memories doug, I never was lucky enough to have a holiday as a child so can't help you much, although my wife and I stayed in one at pakefield norfolk in the early 70's
paul
 
In the early fifties, my Great Grandfather, Herbert Pardoe bought a small fleet of single decker buses, and took them back to his yard at Church Walk, Ward End.

He removed the engine, seats, and then fitted them out with bedrooms and a kitchen.

They were then taken to a holiday camp for people to use like a caravan
 
My Mother, Sister and myself used to spend our holidays at the Waterside caravan park between Paignton and Brixham for many years, some years we ended up with nice clean newish vans and other times absolute nightmares. Will always remember being woken either by heavy rain or big booted seagulls, preferred the seagulls as it meant we could spend the day at Watersides own beach.
 
I can remember one caravan holiday my parents booked only to get there only to find there was no caravan. No joke when you've paid the full whack and lugged three obnoxious kids and all the luggage by train and taxi from Brum to Devon. Here's a picture of Mom and me when we were luckier. Looking at the size of me I suspect this was the last time on went on holiday with my parents.
 
Not quite caravaning but in 1974, we hired a transit camper and took a belated honeymoon, driving via Switzerland,Italy and Monaco to a camp site at St. Tropez in the south of France. I'm sure at that time you couldn't take more than £50 per person (officially) out of the U.K., so we hid some extra cash in a box of cereal, but it was a holiday to remember.
Camper shown at camp site in Switzerland

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Colin
 
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We travelled down by train as well - will never forget the dash from Exeter Central to Exeter St Davids - in a taxi if we were short of time, if not a fast march, so as not to waste any time, then the bus out to Sandy BAy, my worst part of the journey as I was so travel sick on the bus!!Later years we went by car, before the M5 thruogh the Cotswolds and Bath, took mom and dad that way when we went to Brixham last year and dad swears the roads were never that windy when he drove!
Sue
 
G G Jean said:
That must have been awful Paul. Did your mom ever get her money back?. Jean.
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I think they did get the money back eventually and the caravan owner was done for fraud, but that didn't compensate for a lost holiday.
 
Camp beds had criss cross woven fabric and ours touched the floor they had been used so many times. Jean.
 
Morturn said:
View attachment 67787

I have just found this old family photo, I am not sure if this is one of the bus conversions my great grandfather use to make at ‘Pardoe’s’ yard Church Walk Ward End, or where it was taken.

As you can see, it was no expense spared, luxurious five star accommodation: you make your own bed, there’s the hammer and nails
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Withdrawn buses were very often converted into caravans in times past, it still happens today but on a much smaller scale. In fact many preserved buses and trams owe their existance to having survived as caravans often serving this role for several decades.
 
6918 said:
Withdrawn buses were very often converted into caravans in times past, it still happens today but on a much smaller scale. In fact many preserved buses and trams owe their existance to having survived as caravans often serving this role for several decades.
Click to expand...
There is still one of these on Hungry Hill caravan site. I think Lloyd had something to do with getting it there. Jean.
 
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