Newbie Introduction

Hi, we're Terry & Patricia from Hampshire and we bought our 1st motorcaravan from Berkshire Motorcaravans just in 1999 just before the Saunders family sold it to Marquis. It was a new Harmony built in June/July 1998 and sold to us for a significant discount in April 1999. To say it changed our lives is an understatement and we saw places that would otherwise be unreacheable. Needless to say we joined ASOC as the idea of internet forums wasn't even a twinkle in anybody's eye !
In 2002 we traded the Harmony in for a 2000 Executive for my 6months sabbatical in 2003 taking us to the Arctic Circle in Norway then onto the Tour De France up Le Alpe D'Huez in 100 degree heat of that summer.
With that project completed we changed to a unique Marquis Dorset in ES and 2+2 configuration. I retired in 2009 and the Dorset was sold to clear the decks for a house move into a smaller property nearer family. My wife had a stroke during that period and motorcaravanning has been on the back burner for a while.
We've now settled into our new place and the urge to get out and about (just for day trips) reared its head. We wanted something small and lo and behold our original Harmony turned up at a local dealers and will be sitting on our drive in a few days time!!
The forum has been extremely useful in finding missing crockery and I must thank member 'paulmold' for his unending help as he has located a complete set of Wood & Sons Primrose which, coincidentally was in our Dorset.

I know we've corresponded several times already but an official welcome from Paul and Carol in North Wales.

Thank you, right then I'd better get my shopping list ready to see what else you can find for me !! Apparently the 'Primrose' crockery can be brought down to Bristol and my son can then bring it down to us. I've also got a 12v mini oven (boxed and unused and reduced in price) on its way down from Norfolk as there's no room in the Harmony for a proper job. I have got a quite a bit of kit accumulated over time some of which won't be needed on day trips. I think overnights are some way off as another stroke could kick in at anytime so a bit too risky.
So if you can find an original Berkshire Caravans handbook wallet (white base colour, brown writing) I'll be eternally grateful ! (I only threw mine away a few weeks ago not knowing what was on the horizon- doh!)
I'll upload a photo of the Harmony complete with its new bells and whistles when I work out how to do it.

Hi, Terry & Patricia and welcome to the forum

Glad you are both off the 'back burner' now and are looking forward to days out Autosleepering (a new word ) again,

What a piece of luck, finding and getting an 'old friend' back

Regards, Brian & Chris

Thanks for the welcome, I've had a test drive and the gearbox is still a bit stiff in 1st, 2nd and 3rd just as I remember it, but as we won't be going too far I can live with that.
One of the best bits was talking to Alan in AS spares who still had part of the Harmony's original build notes ( I still had its build number) from 1998 and he could reel off all the finishes and patterns for the upholstery and curtains for the van plus other info from his remarkable memory. As soon as I mentioned crockery for the 2003 Dorset he told me the name and maker, what he doesn't know isn't worth knowing ! \not something other manufactures can do by any means.

I think its amazing that you found your original van. I think it must have been looked after which is great it has obviously been waiting for you - an omen indeed

It would seem the van found us, especially as we had moved from Berkshire to the depths of Hampshire. We did feel a bit disloyal trading it in for the Executive ! Its in v.good condition, there's a bit of wear on the upholstery but there's a full service history, including 2 services done in Russia!
The dealer has given a full mechanical and habitation service including a timing belt change. He's also given us an unconditional 12month mechanical and habitation warranty !
A previous owner has fitted a roll-out awning and TV aerial and I'm having a reversing camera, slide out side step for Mrs H and a Turbo-vent over the hob fitted, giving it a bit of love.
Looks like we're going to be able to get some original AS crockery as well.

Hi Terry, Cal here from Northern Ireland and great to read your posting just now and warm wishes to you both - me and my wife Libby started campervaning over 4 years ago and would echo your comments on the places you get to see are amazing!! (I was up that french mountain you mentioned this year as well)
Welcome to the forum
Cal

Thanks for the good wishes. We finished up in a car-park sandwiched between loads of French campers, good job we went up on the Friday and got the last space, the race wasn't due until Sunday ! That year there was 600,000 people on the mountain but the atmosphere was brilliant. It took us 4 hours to back down on the Sunday night as the Tour de France support lorries came flying down on the wrong side of the road to get to the next finish and the gendarme were taking no prisoners if you got in the way!
Thankfully we don't have to go far for some great views overlooking the Isle of Wight and the Solent.

Welcome from a warm and sunny Narbonne Plage.

We too were in France during the summer of 2003 and boy was it HOT!!

We plan to chase Le Tour sometime before we kick the bucket but so far all we have managed is the last day in Paris (2000) and a stage near Beziers (2008) when they whizzed past where we were staying.

Hope you get a few decent weekends in before winter closes in!

Best regards,

Dutto

Thanks for the welcome, its great to be on a forum with such nice people!
If you're planning to see the tour head for the mountains as it takes much longer for the whole thing to pass, but you will need to find a spot near the top early. Take a spare waste tank and toilet cassette for complete self sufficiency as you maybe parked up in a remote spot for a few days. On a flat stage the riders fly through in no time. Next year should see a fantastic British Sky team as Bradley Wiggins will be going for a high overall place and Mark Cavendish will be clocking up the sprint stages. The Brits are now a dominant force in world cycling. Both will be warming up for the Olympics.
The lesson we learnt was 'do it now' as you don't what's around the corner as we couldn't do it now. I'm glad we got our NZ trip in as well during 2003.