I don't know what anyone else thought, but I was very disappointed with this programme. I much admire the travels done by the older ladies and for a history about one particular caravanning firm it was good. However, it did nothing to convey why many of us enjoy caravanning today, in modern caravans and it probably did nothing to improve the image that caravanning has with some people. If it had visited varied sites and interviewed caravanners of all ages with different types of units it would have been more typical. For my mind it was just set too much in the past.
BBC 4 Caravan Programme
- Thread starter Chrissylizzie
- Start date
Parksy
Moderator
To me the programme was focused on the past a little too much and was biased toward older caravanners and vintage caravans.
I'm glad that it didn't attack us in the way that we've come to expect from the BBC but young families wouldn't be any wiser about caravanning in the 21st century by watching the programme.
Doug King came across well in the programme.
I'm glad that it didn't attack us in the way that we've come to expect from the BBC but young families wouldn't be any wiser about caravanning in the 21st century by watching the programme.
Doug King came across well in the programme.
I agree. It was too focus on the past, with no real look even at the present let alone the future.
A 10 second shot of last year's NEC show was about the latest shot you got!!!
A 10 second shot of last year's NEC show was about the latest shot you got!!!
Both my wife and I enjoyed the programme. The history side was great and we never new this part of caravaning.The lades and there travels I can only admire.
I hope they will do a follow up on present day caravaning and a look at present day manufaturing and travel.
Doug king came accross very well.I would live to meet that chap, I wonder if he gives talks on caravaning.
I hope they will do a follow up on present day caravaning and a look at present day manufaturing and travel.
Doug king came accross very well.I would live to meet that chap, I wonder if he gives talks on caravaning.
I really enjoyed the programme, the old film of the late sixties/early seventies vans with there jazzy curtains and interiors took me back to when I used to go vanning when a kid, those two old biddys looked a bit tasty in there younger days er! nudge nudge...
Dear All,
After a chat in the office this morning, we all felt it celebrated caravanning, which according to the show, seemed to stop in 1975. A few minutes on the Caravan Club centenary, some modern pics from a modern touring site or two and a couple of younger families would have balanced things out a bit.
Still, it was pretty positive. Seeing Doug King, Andy Jenkinson (Caravan Scrapbook) and Peter Frost (occasional travel writer for us) made good telly too as they are all very knowledgable.
It is available on iPlayer if you didn't see it, but its an hour long, so get brew on before you sit down...
Cheers
Nigel Donnelly
Editor
Practical Caravan
After a chat in the office this morning, we all felt it celebrated caravanning, which according to the show, seemed to stop in 1975. A few minutes on the Caravan Club centenary, some modern pics from a modern touring site or two and a couple of younger families would have balanced things out a bit.
Still, it was pretty positive. Seeing Doug King, Andy Jenkinson (Caravan Scrapbook) and Peter Frost (occasional travel writer for us) made good telly too as they are all very knowledgable.
It is available on iPlayer if you didn't see it, but its an hour long, so get brew on before you sit down...
Cheers
Nigel Donnelly
Editor
Practical Caravan
Found the programme quite informative, having only taken up this great hobby since retirement.
Lady summed up the changes in caravanning since she started , the chance to hitch up and go where you wish, has unfortunately
in this modern world not the case due to many sites being booked months in advance on favourite weekends, also the art of meeting people relaxing talking,has been superseeded with we much watch telly at all costs , proven by one irate camper at recently complaining to the warden,that he could not get good reception on his pitch for his saterlite setup.
Also the urge to purchase a new van every two years , what bargains there are on the older type vans which will outlive these modern vans that cant last two years before major faults develope.
Royston
Lady summed up the changes in caravanning since she started , the chance to hitch up and go where you wish, has unfortunately
in this modern world not the case due to many sites being booked months in advance on favourite weekends, also the art of meeting people relaxing talking,has been superseeded with we much watch telly at all costs , proven by one irate camper at recently complaining to the warden,that he could not get good reception on his pitch for his saterlite setup.
Also the urge to purchase a new van every two years , what bargains there are on the older type vans which will outlive these modern vans that cant last two years before major faults develope.
Royston
For what its worth I loved the programme. The old gas mantles, manually pumped water, 70s flowery curtains, pennants flapping in the breeze etc. sweet memories of childhood.
I to enjoyed parts of the programme, but felt it ran a little out of steam. Now I love old tourers, but I also enjoy all the latest models to. The TV crew filmed me with my own Pageant Series 6 Bretagne and a rather smart Octavia VRS.I took them over some quiet scenic roads - good shots etc. I showed them how the mover worked and filmed me working it to, even my van coming outof its purpose built garage. I took them to a park Holates with lots of young caravanners. Then I took them round some of the stands at the NEC describing new 09 tourers and going through a new Ranger GT60 that I had ordered there.
So I was more than put out they didnt show any of the new stuff, and I had asked them about this after they had edited and they said it wasnt fitting in to the programme. Also no mention of Eccles-the pioneer of the car touwed caravan and 90 this year-did tell them but to no avail.Great old pix, but they did get stuck in a time warp, and the old tourer rally, there were plenty on the field that should have been featured for inovative designs.
Perhaps next time it could be in several half hour parts and getting to the present. The two profs only repeated what they had learned not actually being there through the decades. Yes Doug did a great part. myself-well not much good on TV but given the chance I would loved to have done a potted history onto the 80's plus. But hats off to Doug and Peter
Andrew
So I was more than put out they didnt show any of the new stuff, and I had asked them about this after they had edited and they said it wasnt fitting in to the programme. Also no mention of Eccles-the pioneer of the car touwed caravan and 90 this year-did tell them but to no avail.Great old pix, but they did get stuck in a time warp, and the old tourer rally, there were plenty on the field that should have been featured for inovative designs.
Perhaps next time it could be in several half hour parts and getting to the present. The two profs only repeated what they had learned not actually being there through the decades. Yes Doug did a great part. myself-well not much good on TV but given the chance I would loved to have done a potted history onto the 80's plus. But hats off to Doug and Peter
Andrew
The thing that, dissapointingly didn't surprise me was the comment that 30 yrs ago everyone would be outside talking to each other, nowadays everyone is inside watching satellite TV.
Got to agree Andrew, felt they could have done one part up to Sprites demise then a part 2 till the present day
That was the point I was trying to make, that the first half with the content it had would have been good but then the second half should have been how it has all developed into present day caravanning.
Our first van was a 1300S Monza.
We fell in love with the freedom of caravaning from that day on.
It came with gas lights, and a foot pump for the water!
We had to keep the speed well down on the motorway,if it was rainning, otherwise the front van joints opened up and leaked water in.
Always dried out though.
We fell in love with the freedom of caravaning from that day on.
It came with gas lights, and a foot pump for the water!
We had to keep the speed well down on the motorway,if it was rainning, otherwise the front van joints opened up and leaked water in.
Always dried out though.
well, I must admit I thought it was great! Of course that was partly because I was there for a lot of it!! I loved the lady pitched up almost under the Arc de Triomphe. Wouldn't want to do it now though!
Oh and of course, the brief shot of the Royale stand at the show.
Oh and of course, the brief shot of the Royale stand at the show.
And still more caravans on telly. Or rather Practical Caravan on BBC2 this evening. Lauren Laverne and Phil Jupitus were reading the Awards issue while towing the Airsteam Ecostream on 'It's Not Easy Being Green'
Although I don't see that it was ever going to be particularly easy to be green tugging two-tonne of Airstream with a Jeep...
Nigel Donnelly
Editor
Practical Caravan
Although I don't see that it was ever going to be particularly easy to be green tugging two-tonne of Airstream with a Jeep...
Nigel Donnelly
Editor
Practical Caravan
And how much would that wood burning stove had added to the MTPLM????? and where do you think they stored the wood?
I'm not sure why it was classed as 'green' perhaps just because it had green upholstery, some recyling bins, a 'composting toilet'(uurrgggh - in a caravan) and a woodburner possibly?
Maybe there's some mileage in this for an article Nigel - 'How green is your caravan'???????
I'm not sure why it was classed as 'green' perhaps just because it had green upholstery, some recyling bins, a 'composting toilet'(uurrgggh - in a caravan) and a woodburner possibly?
Maybe there's some mileage in this for an article Nigel - 'How green is your caravan'???????
did anyone notice the inacuracy of the information?
that lady at the beginning was towing without towing mirrors, sprite didn't shut down in 1982, but in 1993, and that other lady claimed to have a Sprite, it looked nothing like a sprite, and was probably a Trophy.
it was interesting to see what caravaning was like back in the 1960's and the 1970's, but it didn't show the British public what caravans are like today. because of that program, people will assume we all still have gas lights, cold running water, and a bucket for a toilet.
thank god Doug King stepped it to show us a modern touring caravan...
that lady at the beginning was towing without towing mirrors, sprite didn't shut down in 1982, but in 1993, and that other lady claimed to have a Sprite, it looked nothing like a sprite, and was probably a Trophy.
it was interesting to see what caravaning was like back in the 1960's and the 1970's, but it didn't show the British public what caravans are like today. because of that program, people will assume we all still have gas lights, cold running water, and a bucket for a toilet.
thank god Doug King stepped it to show us a modern touring caravan...
Hiya, I thought it was very interesting, we read so much about the new vans, but what about the older models.
Many of us are not so fortunate to be able to afford a spanking brand new model so looking back at older model is far more interesting.
New Models smoother the magazines, time for the older for a change.
Go Ladies Go
Many of us are not so fortunate to be able to afford a spanking brand new model so looking back at older model is far more interesting.
New Models smoother the magazines, time for the older for a change.
Go Ladies Go
I agree, not enough about caravans today and why we all enjoy it so much. Very interesting history though.
i thought the two older ladies should have been cut to one and a family put in place of the other to give balance & contrast.
Yes, no towing mirrors on the Pugeot Partner, tut tut!
the BBC should go to greater lengths to ensure that anything they show is 100% legal to avoid the 'well, I saw someone on TV doing it' argument.
i thought the two older ladies should have been cut to one and a family put in place of the other to give balance & contrast.
Yes, no towing mirrors on the Pugeot Partner, tut tut!
the BBC should go to greater lengths to ensure that anything they show is 100% legal to avoid the 'well, I saw someone on TV doing it' argument.
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