First Moment

Stephanie and I are driving to Tyne Valley Motorhomes, Byermoor, Burnopfield and our new destiny. It's called the Auto Trail Tracker FB.

Back in 1993 I bought my first motorhome; or should I say 'campervan' -a second hand Autosleeper Rhapsody - a high roof panel van on the old shape Peugeot Boxer chassis.

Giving good service for a couple of years, in 1995 I exchanged it for a new CI Mizar Elite 140 - one of the first crash-tested, mass produced coachbuilts to come out of Italy.

2014 at Garlieston, Dumfies, Scotland

2014 Stephanie at Twinwood, Bedfordshire

And now, twenty years on, with excellent service from the CI, both in the UK and abroad, it is time for a change.


The Auto Trail Tracker FB is a larger van, taking the length from 5.97 to 7.10 metres, the width from 2.21 to 2.35m, the height from 2.97 to 3.03m. The reason, as leaked in it's name, is the FB or fixed bed, a queen size French bed backing to the rear near-side of the vehicle and positioned alongside the spacious bathroom. Forward from this is the kitchen and wardrobe, with twin sofas forming the front end seating beneath the Super Lo-line cab. All is set on the 2.3 Fiat Ducato Euro 5 base vehicle, in this case with Multijet 130 engine upgrade to 150 bhp, coupled to the Comfort- Matic automatic gearbox.

Auto Trail is a Lincolnshire based firm which has been making motorhomes for over 30 years, now part of the Trigano group operating from Europarc, Grimsby. Typically for the UK market, this is strictly a two seater motorhome - although with sofa conversion, it may sleep four.

The particular specification for this 2014 vehicle was determined by another customer who had been unable to take delivery of the vehicle. Extras include the media pack 2 with integrated 18.5" Avtex drop down wide screen TV/DVD player incorporating digital and satellite tuners; 100w solar panel, water tank frost protection, Witter detachable tow bar and reversing camera. Not registered until 2015, this provided a 'new' vehicle with the expected discount.

So much for the specification. Now, all we have to do is to take delivery. And of course, that will be the next blog.