News

27 January 2014

At the recent meeting of the European Parliament Trilogy NCC members voted to exclude from scope all O1 and O2 trailers from the European Roadworthiness Package currently passing through the European Parliament.

The decision, which is subject to confirmation at the next Council meeting of the Transport and Tourism Committee on 21 January and then in the Plenary in the European Parliament in February/March means that caravans will not be subjected to MOT-style testing when the Directive comes into force.

The NCC Directorate, with …

The green shoots of spring have been notoriously slow to emerge this year, but finally it’s the right moment to get back inyour caravan and hit the road.

However, before you set out, you’ll need to do some extensive caravan cleaning to bring your home-from-home up to scratch for the peak season. Blitzing the caravan of all caravan damp and dust will help keep it in top condition for the spring and summer. Once you’ve completed the major caravan spring clean, you can relax safe in the knowledge that you only need to do a little …

Whether you’re a caravanning beginner or veteran, there are a number of essentials you need before hitting the road in 2014. To make sure you didn’t miss anything vital, here at John Wicks Caravans we created a checklist. Don’t forget to take a look before hitting the open road!

Caravan essential checklist

What to do before you begin your caravan adventure: hitching

Switch the gas off at the cylinderEmpty any water containers and clean out any toilet cassetteCheck your caravan’s windows, roof lights and cupboards …

The recent recall of Bailey Unicorn single axle caravans, because of incidents where the wheel became detached, has highlighted a serious issue for all caravanners. If you pull out your owners manual you will see that the manufacturer of your caravan recommends that you check the torque of your wheel nuts before every trip. Now ask yourself “when did I last check my wheel nuts?”. Don’t worry you are not alone, in fact I bet you don’t even have a torque wrench much less know how to use it.

Check your wheel nuts before …

Carbon monoxide (CO) can kill

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when a fuel such as charcoal, gas or petrol burns incompletely. This could be because an appliance isn’t working properly or might simply happen as part of its normal function. Barbecues, for example, produce carbon monoxide even when they are working well.

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas and is poisonous. In high concentrations it can kill swiftly. In smaller concentrations CO poisoning can give symptoms similar to flu or food poisoning. Look out for headaches, …

BBC One's The One Show recently ran a tyre-safety feature, during which they visited a caravan site and inspected the tyres on a few vans. They all had thousands of miles of tread left, but at least one was eight years old.

But tread isn’t the major concern with caravan tyres; it’s the sidewalls that are the weakest parts. For this reason, all reputable parties in the caravan industry – including Practical Caravan – recommend that tyres be changed every five years, even if they look to be in perfect condition.

Wheel …

At first glance, Christmas may not seem like the best time to go away in your caravan. With plunging temperatures, long dark nights and the distinct possibility of snow, setting up camp in your caravan during what could possibly be the coldest time of the year might not seem like the best idea in the world.

However for a large number of caravans that are have heating systems with 4KW available, it is becoming a favourite time to get away and have fun with the family and friends. Imagine waking up on Christmas morning in your warm cosy caravan …

Venus Triumph at The Caravan Club Caravan Design Awards 2015

Fri 17th Oct 2014

Venus Triumph at The Caravan Club Caravan Design Awards 2015
True to its promise to provide affordable caravans without compromise on quality or finish, the 540/4 from Venus Caravans has been crowned ‘Best Caravan Under £15,000’ at the esteemed Caravan Design & Lightweight Leisure Awards 2015.

Staged annually by The Caravan Club, the awards were established to offer a ‘fair and objective assessment’ of the current tourers available to …