New member - just joined today

[Tradman]

Hello to all

We bought our first caravan, a tiny orange and white Sprite Ariel, in 1977 when our first born was just 8 months old, and with absolutely no knowledge of caravanning, whisked him off for a month to the north of Spain for his first caravanning experience. Our second ‘van bought new in 1982 was a GLT Monolite Transcontinental 145 5 berth built by Albion Rose of Newport, which, in terms of design and build, was way ahead of its time with a full rear roof spoiler and a MIRO weight of just 12 cwt (609kg). It was an absolute doddle to tow and pitch and over the years we covered most of Europe with it.
Sadly, we had to part with it last year as by then the damp problem was such that it would have cost some £ 5k+ to restore it. I'd be interested to know if there are still any Monolites out there on the road. It would be a great pity if the marque has disappeared forever.
Anyway, after much discussion about whether it would be worthwhile replacing it as we are now in our seventies, we went to the NEC in October where we ordered an Xplore 304 SE which we’ll be picking up at the end of this month.
Happy caravanning

Tradman

 

[Damian]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[mealsonwheels]

Welcome to the forum. Like you, we started caravanning many years ago and still love every minute of it.

Once a caravanner, always a caravanner!

Many more happy and safe trips in your new caravan

 

[Gagakev]

Young man, a BIG welcome to the forum always nice to have experienced caravanners to guide us.

 

[brian_c]

Welcome to the forum Tradman.
I hope you get many years of happy holidaying in you new caravan when it arrives.
Best wishes Brian

 

[LizziePope]

Hi Tradman and a warm welcome to the Practical Caravan forum!

 

[emmerson]

Hi Tradman and welcome.
I haven't seen a Monolite for many years, but I did used to know the man who designed and built the originals.
He was a fella named Geoffery L Turner, and built Monolites at Springvale in Cwmbran, near Newport. I knew he had stopped making them, but did not know that he sold out to Albion, who make/made static vans in Abercarn, again near Newport.
Geoff also had a company called GLT Accessories ( if my memory is correct), which made workshop equipment and then trailers, latterly in Cross Keys.The last time I saw him he was working for or involved with a company called Gwent Trailers, the owner of which is long dead. I wonder what happened to GLT? He had the reg number 999 GLT.
Mind you, all of this is from probably 30 years ago, so may not be 100% accurate!

 

[Tradman]

Thanks for the welcome, Emmerson.
It might have been 30 odd years ago, but there's nothing much wrong with your memory. There is with mine, however. I've just checked the original invoice for our Monolite, and it was in '83 not '82 that we bought it. I had hear that Geoffrey Turner was either the founder of the company or the designer of the range, but I don't think that he was still connected with Monolite by '83. At that time Monolites were being built and marketed by Albion-Rose Ltd. at their premises on the Prince of Wales industrial estate in Abercarn, Gwent, and the only person that I ever had any contact with was Derek Rose, MD of the company. In fact, all the '83 models had an image of a rose (presumably the company logo) moulded into the fibreglass fairing.

 

[emmerson]

You are probably right, Tradman, as by 1983 Geoff Turner was running GLT form a small unit in Cross Keys.
Albion Rose went on to become Stately Albion, building static vans.
Its nice to know that some of the grey cells still work!

 

[Beachball]

Hi Tradman This is a belated welcome to the practical caravan forum ( been back into the hospital again)