Are you going to this one day event? We have about a dozen club vehicles attending!
A day devoted to all things German as Brooklands welcomes a host of German cars and motorbikes.
Expect a wide range of cars to admire from the Porsche to VW, Audi to Mercedes-Benz – see the best examples of German engineering through the years.
It’s not just German Cars and bikes that will be filling up the site, the Paddock will be alive with German themed entertainment, food and memorabilia.
Sunday October 1st at Brooklands Museum, Weybridge from 10am to 5pm
The world’s largest transporter show. The club’s key event of the year. Over 100 club vehicles, hundreds of burgers, a good deal of laughter and perhaps a glass or so of wine.
Our most popular event with around 100 club vehicles, our own club field, the marquee, the BBQ, Lorna James singing, kids looking after each other and the occasional glass of wine.
To get on the club field, you need to be an active member and book through http://www.busfest.org selecting the correct club and using the discount code. Sadly bookings for 2023 have closed some time ago, but we hope to see you in 2024!
Our friends at Just Kampers have reduced the price of the excellent and regularly recommended Propex heater.
Make Heat While the Sun Shines (or tries to).
Save money on the Propex HS2000 heater unit at Just Kampers and install a new gas heater in your camper before the weather really takes a turn for the worse. The JK Team are offering £55 off their Propex HS2000 bundle kit (J19842), which gives you the super popular Propex heater as well as the gas fittings you’ll need to get it installed.
While they’d always recommend you get gas appliances like this installed by a registered professional, fitting a new heater is one of those jobs that’s better done in the summer, and you’ll be able to enjoy off-season trips in your toasty new camper!
If you have a T5 or T6, you can fit protection side bars, which also serve a purpose of styling. Just Kampers sell a kit made by Sportline, which seems to be popular.
Here is a guide on how to fit the kit to your van.
Before you start, check you have all the components:
** Please note item ‘9’, has been replaced with a Nut & Stud with allen key holding end.
1. Clean the installation areas and then identify the front and the rear brackets, as shown.
2. Remove the front splash shield (a) by unscrewing the retaining bolts.
3. Remove the rear splash shields (b) by unscrewing the retaining bolts.
4. Remove the rubber caps (c) from the sill rail in the chassis from the front and rear of the vehicle which align with the holes in the mounting brackets.
5. Once the rubber caps are removed, insert the threaded plates (d) inside the holes on the chassis so its threaded ends are exposed. Do this for the front and rear. Once installed, slide the lock into the threaded plate into the threaded section as shown. This will stop the threaded plate from being pushed into the chassis.
6. Place the front bracket on the thread plates so its threaded end extends.
7. Place the rear bracket on the thread plates so its threaded end extends through the bracket and secure with M8 washers, M8 spring washers and M8 nuts.
8. Hold the side bar into position and attach using M10 screws, M10 washers and M10 spring washers. Tighten all the bolts fixing the bracket to the vehicle; then finish by tightening the bolts holding the side bar to the brackets using the following torque settings as guide.
9. Before re-installing splash shields, it is necessary to remove some of the material from the splash shields to allow clearance for the M8 nuts on the mouting bracket. On the front splash shield, from the front edge, measure along 180mm (SWB) and make a cut 25mm deep. Make another cut a further 30mm from this cut, also 25mm deep and remove the section of material. Then take another measurement from the front edge of the 480mm (SWB) and repeat the procedure for removing another section of material, 25mm x 30mm.
On the rear splash shield, from the back edge, measure along 120mm (SWB) and make a cut 25mm deep. Make another cut a further 30mm from this cut, also 25mm deep and remove the section of material. Then take another measurement from the back edge of the 450mm (SWB) and repeat the procedure for removing another section of material, 25mm x 39mm. Apply these principles for the long wheel base with the correct measurements as shown above.
Just a week away is the ABC, our annual AGM, BBQ and Club Camp – are you going?
Get together with members and hear what’s happening in your Club at our short AGM. The Barnstones site has served us really well over the last several years, and is located in Great Bourton, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX17 1QU, just a couple of miles off the M40.
Scene of our earliest club BBQs, which are free for members, we’re very much looking forward to going back. We will be using a local hall to host the AGM part of proceedings, along with light refreshments. Just bring your membership card with you.
Price per night is £15 for a pitch (van with or without awning), but electric hook-up prices cannot be quoted at the moment, due to uncertainty in the market. I’ll share this information as soon as we have it, but please be reassured, we will be able to power the BBQ food storage safely 😊
I will be making all the bookings, just let me know your dates, how many adults, children and dogs, whether you need electric, and whether you’re bringing an awning. Places are limited so contact me soon to reserve your spot! Please do not book direct as there may be insufficient space on the rally field.
The site itself says, “Barnstones is a very attractive 4 star AA award winning site situated on the edge of the pretty village of Great Bourton. 3 miles from the historic town of Banbury, other attractions nearby are Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick Castle, Oxford, Blenheim Palace and the very beautiful Cotswolds area all within a 20 mile radius of the site. The site is very mature with beautiful landscaped grounds, full serviced pitches and hard standing pitches are available, all pitches have hook-ups provided, the high quality toilet block provides free showers, dishwashing facilities and a full laundry room. Wi-Fi and a children’s play area are available. A local pub serving very good food is 200 yards from the site.”
230V electric hook up allows you to use campsite supplies to give you mains 230v sockets inside your van, meaning you can use those everyday appliances whilst on your travels.
The easiest way to tackle a 230V Mains Hook Up in your van is using a kit that comes with all the parts you need. These are readily available and Just Kampers sell two great kits (don’t forget your discount) that have either a surface mount socket or flush mount socket.
The kit should contain: • Inlet Socket (Flush or Surface Mount) • Consumer Unit (25amp Draw) • 2 x 13amp Sockets • 2.5mm2 Cable (Socket to Consumer Unit) • 3 Core Flex (Consumer Unit to Sockets) The kit should be installed by a professional, unless you are confident with wiring and we would still suggest that the install is tested by a professional following self installation.
Father’s Day Weekend – Club Camp and Display at Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
It’s an extra-special one – bring along your Dad, or Dads, or just join us anyway 😊Ride on a steam train, take afternoon tea, and discover a new obsession! We already have several members signed up to join us at this exciting event, but there are still places, so get in touch to secure yours!
On the very edge of the Yorkshire Dales and within around 50 miles of the Lake District lies this wonderful piece of mechanical Victoriana.
The railway dates to 1888 and there is a mile and a half easy walk to the Priory, which is supposed to be rather gorgeous. We will camp at the station on the Friday and Saturday nights, the loos will be left open overnight, and daytime snacks will be available to purchase from the onsite café. I hope to be able to BBQ on the Saturday night but there are logistics to work around – more on that nearer the time. You are welcome to bring other generations of Fathers with you, there is a pub within a very short walk that offers accommodation – http://thecavendisharmsembsay.co.uk/. We are asking for a minimum £10 donation per van per night to go to help support this volunteer-led piece of history. If you would like to ride on the train and/or enjoy afternoon tea, please pre-book on their website.
Prices seem reasonable – train rides are available from £13.50 for a one-hour adult journey, £20 with breakfast thrown in, or £29 if you include afternoon tea. There’s also a Rail and Sail option plus dining choices – see loads more on their web site!