Tillie is home

So a bit of updating to do...

Thankfully I wasn't murdered in Arundel and I did pick up Tillie the VW T2. After purchasing a bargain train ticket for £10 it was soon obvious why it was cheap. 45 station changes and a 6 day journey (ok slightly exaggerated) and I arrived at the station in Amberley.

The seller met me there with Tillie, so there she was sitting pretty in the train station car park

Had a poke around her (hadn't got a clue could have been made of paper mache for all I know), then the owner drove her down the road, handed me the keys and said here you go...

Gulp. I haven't actually driven one of these before.... So after an initial search for the hand brake (what that handle??), get familiar with which side the indicator lever was (there is one lever, that was a quick process) and a quick poke around with a large spindly gear stick she moved to layby entrance towards the road. ARGHHHHH, after 2 yards I screamed, it has no brakes...!!! Seller kindly informed me they are just slower and harder to kick in than a modern car...

So said thank you very much, watched the seller run off at 100mph giggling, and it was just me and Tillie and a 166 mile journey home

First stop after 5 mins for petrol (i had cleverly checked what to put in it, so altho paraffin was evidently acceptable, unleaded petrol was more readily available) After 10 mins of turning one of the 400 keys supplied (see campervans have so many parts replaced you end up with the entire collection of VW keys available) I couldn't get the petrol cap off. Luckily there was a mechanic next door to the garage. I dragged him over and the very clever man manhandled tillies petrol cap off (he is now bound and gagged and stuffed under the seat for the next time Tillie needs filling up)

So journey home was pretty uneventful, nice and slow (60mph max), and FREEZING. My hands were like blocks of ice. But at least I had the lovely retro radio to listen too. Err maybe not, no sound actually comes from it but it does looks the part

It started to go dark so I decided to play pick a button. I had a choice of 3 , all with a picture of a light on them. I went for the middle one. So apologies for anyone on the M40 who went past a campervan with fog/side/full beam as I haven't a clue which one I used. I'm sure I was fairly noticeable tho, as when i finally got home I realised the interior strip light was on the entire way.

Pulled into Coventry and she was fine except when i slowed down or went into neutral, she was revving her heart out. Managed to manouvere up the pavement onto the newly prepared drive (mud, slugs and grass as it's not exactly finished yet), sure the whole neighbourhood thought I had brought back a formula one car from the racket.

Anyway she is lovely, just has a few quirks at the moment

After a quick email to the seller, a bit of wd40 and some 3 in 1 oil on the throttle pedal she seemed ok now

So off we went to join the other campers at Nottingham just for an overnight camp, and chance to play with Tillies bits

Bit of home comforts and Tillie was snug as a bug (apart from the wind whistling through one of the windows somewhere and obvious lack of heater)

Now the dogs (well Homer) was a bit wary of this 'sleeping in the car?????!!'. Homer has issues with small spaces, he thinks his body is twice as large as it is and he won't go in small spaces. The bed was pretty high, so he went into some strange reversing technique walking all round the front cab and finally taking a run and jump, falling off and scrabbling back up onto the bed

Yay finally!

After saying hello to everyone, conning scep into taking me and my mutts in his car to the pub, we had a nice meal and a few beers. Funniest moment was in car when Scep commented 'Bloody Bill, why can't he dip his blummin headlights???!' Only to realise 5 minute later that Bill wasn't actually behind us, however Scep did actually have his head light still strapped to his head on full beam, which shone nicely in the mirror....There is a nice home waiting for Scep where they will mash his food and change his sheets daily, should the need arise

The campfire was cancelled for after, so bit of an anti climax, but at least I got chance to snuggle in Tillie. EHU all working, gas lines ok (gas heater not working atm but I had a fan heater) so snuggled with a book and got some sleep in her.

Campsite was a bit garbage and the pair of blokes who owned it were a bit strange (anal in more way than one) They were very precious about the 1m square of space they had allocated to us all.

Next day took all of 5 mins to pack up and we were off home

Minor panic when I realised Tillie eats fuel like I eat cream cakes. Had to do a 10 mile detour to get petrol from a local Morrisons. This was a bit traumatic as the island was a bit small, and I appeared to be the only vehicle on it that had to do a 3 point turn to get round to the petrol station entrance. Bloody steering is muscle building

I let the mechanic out from under my seat to do the petrol cap and we filled up and coasted home (actually still revving our bllx off)

So first trip all done!

Loads of info/videos about Tillie here from the original advert

All rational decisions out the window as usual...

So yes.....I have decided to get a camper van

Mr Lloyds Gloucester Cheltenham TSB finally decided I really did need that home improvement loan, and transferred the money. This incidently was money I was paying off any debt, doing up the house and putting a bit away for security. See very grown up in my middle age. Well obviously not, as I have blown it on camper van instead.

I'm not sure if it was a coincidence but within 24 hours of transferring they were announcing job losses at TSB. Apologies if this was a direct result of some poor person releasing money to me

I had my eye on a little van for the last few weeks on ebay, but with no funds couldnt get in the bidding war. However, as it never reached reserve, I contacted the seller and we made a deal. Results of which mean I am travelling the 160 mile trip down to Arundel on Friday to pick her up.

I have my £10 special train ticket booked, and will be meeting my mysterious seller at the station - where he is picking me up and taking me to a barn somewhere (At this stage I would just like to say if this is my last post, he has murdered me)

I am fully briefed with everything you need to know about campervans. I have asked all the pertinent questions off the seller, does it have a cigarette lighter?, what's the awning like?, does it run on unleaded? Where's the handbrake?

I even bagged for £2.10 a copy of the haynes manual

Initially I bid on this copy but it scared me the amount of oil and pages falling out. Not a brilliant omen....

Finding the whole process very exciting, I have sent all week trying to amuse myself. Last night I sewed together a strange looking camper van fleece. I am hoping Tillie (yes yes that is my new babies name!) is slightly in better condition than my attempt at one

And no, she will not be filled with every vw paraphernalia on the market, I am being very reserved (cushion, chopping board so far)

I had a lovely weekend preparing for Tillie's arrival. This involved knocking down three courses of brick wall on the front garden. It came down relatively easy, except for a few bricks where i wanted to adopt foetal position and sob as they wouldnt dislodge. I then chopped down a small tree and dug up some shrubs and brambles, making the drive at least clear now if not exactly gypo block paved.

A couple of wood wedges to get her up the kerb (classy) and she will be safely tucked outside the kitchen window. Which is also an advantage, as you can now see into the kitchen having removed the shrubs, and obviously the kitchen is still piled high with crap during the decorating saga

Had a visit to T K Maxx in the week which was entertaining. There was a strange large bowl on the shelf with no price but with other clearance items. I asked the assistant how much so he went off looking for a similar item to compare it to. Being a man he compared it to something nothing whatsoever like it and came up with the price of £7

Debated for a bit and thought yep ok, is huge and would look good with indian themed garbage. Asked him what I said at the till and he said just get them to phone 'Bo-bil' and I will confirm with them the price

So gets to the checkout and repeats this to the cashier, he phones Bo-bil and takes the card payment. Meanwhile Little Miss Jumped Up shop assistant wanders over and asks why he is taking £7 for the bowl??? She had priced it yesterday and it was £50, reduced to £20.

So I stuffed the bowl in the bag, put my purse away quick and left the shop to the tannoy ringing out 'Bo-bil to customer services NOWWWWW!'

Sorry Bo-bil

Anyway, in less than 48 hours I will be on the train to Arundel, to pick up I haven't got a clue what, and may never reach home due to either mass murderer, or may in fact get home on the back of an AA transporter.

Will keep you updated!

In search of VW T2 Campervans now...

I have always liked the old VW type campervans and it has got a bit obsessive lately. I went to see the nice Bank Manager (nice at the moment, absolute knob if it doesn't go through) and requested an advance on the mortgage for a 'Home Improvement' loan.

I didn't go into details what the 'home improvements' were, but am seriously thinking that a spare room on wheels made of metal and capable of driving off in it whenever I fancied, could only add value to the house....

Hopefully I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone as I would need to make some sort of drive/pull in at the front of the house for it anyway (thats the home bit)

So Sunday afternoon bright and early (12pm) drove up to Staffordshire to Dubfreeze just to look obviously (just as well i haven't got the money yet). Did have visions of women in cotton indian skirts and hair dyed in dreadlocks and rainbow colours, but everyone looked pretty normal (actually there were some right porkers there, but i don't think it's van related (other than hot dog vans))

Wandered round the carpark for a while first, as most displays were there. As it was 12pm, I think the majority had managed to just complete the 40 mile journey in less than 6 hours

So a few of the sites...

A romantic one of the beetle looking wistfully over the hills (was probably parked there so it could be bump started)

Now I didn't realise that the paint finish on these is actually a 'finish' as opposed to a work in progress....these are completed...

Was even pretty taken with these VW Karmenn Ghia's...

Some nice beetles inside

(and yes did think 'arghhh! picnic hamper in the engine?!')

This converted ambulance was lovely, and interior was perfect! (not all out for retro, but tidy)

Looking down over the hall at a lot of rusty doors...

Speaking of which, it seemed to be compulsory to buy doors...people everywhere had big smiles..and a door

another satisfied customer..

It took a bit of searching but I managed to find...the cushion stand! yay!

Some really nice makeovers..

Sooooo all in all a successful day and i was VERY restrained!! I bought a service guide for £3.95...just to see what actually would need to be done on a regular basis (apart from replacing most panels and the engine)

and one other little thing....err......

another cushion...

And IF the money comes through....and IF i decide to go searching for the elusive right one....

Now I'm not under any illusions that this is anything other than a foolhardy dumbass stupid money churning idea. I know there may be a few negatives (outlay, rusting body, petrol consumption, mechanics, interior conversion, storage, lack of knowledge) but I figure the advantages far outweigh these things (err....I want one cos they are nice)

I have no intention of ditching my tents though. The idea is to use the van as portable kitchen (dont like pitching and setting up this bit) and use the bells etc as a living/bedroom space

And thinking last night (obviously trying to convince self) also gives me the advantage that I secure the dogs somewhere comfortable while I am out

Not being an impulsive person (ARGH??!!) it may just be a pipe dream...

PS: The burgers were vile