Coltswold Windrush

[mauz]

Hello to you all,

I am a complete newby to Caravaning so if the questions I have appear a bit silly please forgive me.

I have just bought a Coltswold windrush which must be twenty years old but in great condition has any one got any information regarding these vans? we are taking Tilley (yes I have named the van Tilley)on the 11th of Feb for the first time any tips regarding making our first trip not so fraught?

Also we want to get the van serviced what is usually included in the service?

Thank you :-D

[BenH]

Hi mauz,

 

There were a couple of owners' clubs knocking around online but it seems that they've disappeared. I have found a Facebook group that might be worth checking out though, and I'll print your post in the mag to see if any of our readers have some interesting info for you. Hope you enjoy the holiday – send some pics in, we'd love to see them!

 

[edit] It might help if I actually give you the FB group link as well. (lol)

 

http://www.facebook.com/groups/45499573183/

[Rayjsj]

Hi,

You have bought a 'Classic' van, Cotswold were one of the 'Quality' hand made manufacturers, along with Buccaneer (prior to being bought by Swift), Carlight, Cheltenham,Royale and Bessacar.

The biggest enemy of a van that old is the 'Mastic' at the joints getting brittle, and letting in water.

This can totally ruin a van, even a well made one like your Cotswold. I would get it 'Damp tested'

and when you can afford it, get it 'Re-sealed' with modern Adhesives (like Sikaflex 512) it won't need ever doing again. But probably will not be cheap. Congratulations you made a good choice !

;-) Ray

This is for the Cheltenham owners club. but i am sure they would welcome you :

http://www.jacquimccarthy.co.uk/index.html

 

Does it look like this one ?

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.aandbcaravans.co.uk/caravangraphics/Caravan_Exteriors/Cotswold_Windrush_1990.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.aandbcaravans.co.uk/Cotswold_Windrush_1990.html&h=267&w=400&sz=14&tbnid=ijwtehOB1t5jGM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/search%3Fq%3DCotswold%2BWindrush%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Cotswold+Windrush&docid=P6zoGKFvw4i0UM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=vfAmT7aHAcLS0QX3opjOCg&sqi=2&ved=0CE0Q9QEwBA&dur=171

[Rayjsj]

Sorry, it was of course Explorer group that bought out Buccaneer not Swift.

How are you getting on with 'Monty' ?? Ray

[mauz]

Hello to you all,

well we took the Coltswold windrush out for her first trip and we must have chosen one of the coldest weekend this year :-D

We had a great tme even though the touring park we where staying at the standpies froze over !!!! we have now well and truly caught the caravaning bug.....

If any one has information on how the water system works on a coltswold windrush that would be great. :-)

[Rayjsj]

Mauz,

Don't have 'specific' Cotswold experience, but in general water systems are not that complex.

I presume you will have an Exterior water carrier into which you put a 'Submersable Pump and pipe' which also has 12v connection. ? (Some 'Quality' caravans have internal water tanks and an internal Pump, but not many.) This water is pumped in when a tap is turned on (usually by a microswitch in the tap itself) and on the 'Cold' tap this comes straight out. The 'Hot' water system will probably be a 'Carver' boiler under one of the beds/sofa's ? this boiler will also have a 'cold; water inlet, this boiler can be heated by Gas and also by a 'Mains' supplied electric immersion heater, when on Electric 'Hook-up' (this was an 'extra' so may not be 'on' your version.) this Boiler can take upto 40mins to supply a tankful of 'Hot' water, again turn on the Tap ('Hot') and a microswitch in the tap will switch power to the pump, water SHOULD then flow into the boiler and force the Hot water out of the tap, and also replace the water in the boiler.

'Carver' Boilers are no longer made, but spares can still be found (e-Bay) a company called 'Truma' took them over quite a few years ago. Hope this helps ? if you have anything specific, just ask.

Ray

[CliveH]

Hi Mauz

 

You remind me of how we were when we bought our first "proper" caravan after tents etc. What luxury (lol) (lol) !!

 

One thing I would suggest you do is to get advice on the water system - what Ray says is spot on - but I would add that you need to know how to drain the system down for when you are not using the cvan and the tem goes below freeziing.

 

Slip ups that have happened to us :-

 

Draining the water system but forgetting to open the taps whikst draining - result? - Luckily no damage to the taps but a split water filter that was a pain in the bottom to fix late one Friday evening when just arrived on site.

 

Running the loo till empty (the pink stuff does NOT protect from freezing) BUT forgeting to actually pull out the drain plug which resulted in pipes popped of the connections and luckily no other damage - but the hassle of fitting the pipes back on was another serious pain in the bottom.

 

I would recommend a gas check - we have a local mobile caravan engineer do ours every year - not expensive and well worth it for the peace of mind.

 

If you are going to tow it - then I would get the caravan engineer to check the wheel bearings, brakes etc. again - not expensive and well worth it.

 

Have fun with it, enjoy it. We have been caravanning for years now - do not tow much (we have a seasonal pitch) and still love it.