Big Bob

Big Bob requires a Category C1 or equivalent driving licence, allowing the driver to drive vehicles Over 3.5T. About the area: Big Bob is located with the South Downs National Park on one side and the south coast on the other. There are multiple stunning campsites within a 2 hours drive from the New Forest to Eastbourne. Discover the south downs way, the plentiful beaches or the southern sandstone rock climbing areas around Tunbridge Wells. There’s a wealth of amazing spots to discover nearby such as Chanctonbury, Cissbury rings, Devils Dyke, Weald, Downland, West Wittering beach, Fishbourne palace, Wakehurst and Petworth House. Alternatively the Historic town of Arundel and the vibrant city of Brighton are within half an hour. Big Bob lives in Worthing, on a quiet and safe residential street with ample free parking, or a 10 minute walk from a main train station that takes an hour and a half to get to London. Description of Beds: Big Bob has 2 double beds, the larger adults double is a comfy 2 x 1.4 m with a comfy mattress. The top double is a good size 1.65 x 1.5 m. There's a recommended max combined weight restriction of 80kg for the top bunk, which should hold 2 children or 1 adult. The top bed can be pushed back and used for storage or to create more space, which is ideal if there are only 2 people using Bob. Description of Seating: Big Bob has 4 belted seats with headrests which hold 4 passengers, 2 front and 2 in the rear with isofix fittings. The living space sits 4 comfortably, with a table that can be put up for a game of cards or dinner on a damp evening. Description of Electrical Setup: There are 3 x 12v sockets with usb adapters which run off of the leisure battery. When Big Bob is on hook-up we have a 240v 3 pin socket in the rear with an extension if necessary. Big Bob can power you up for 48 hours off-grid depending on your charging needs, we always fully charge all the kids devices on the road so that all we are running when off-grid is the fridge, fan, lights and a little charging. Parking: There is plenty of free parking at the collection point if you drive to collect or it’s an easy 10 minute walk from West Worthing station. Cooking Equipment: Big Bob comes with pots, pans, cutlery, cups, glasses and a french press coffee maker. There is a large fridge and in addition to the two gas hobs inside, there is a barbeque available as an added extra for outside cooking. Also provided are 4 mugs, 4 bowls, 4 dining plates, cutlery for 4, 2 wine glasses, 4 drinking glasses, a chopping board, a kettle, large frying pan, large and small saucepan, a toasting rack that you can use over the gas hob, as well as a colander, washing up bowl, and small dustpan and brush. Water and Sanitation: Big Bob has an outdoor shower with a shower screen, great for a 'refreshing' cold shower. Alternatively, leave in the sun for the day to warm up, or just add a touch of hot from the kettle. Bob has a Thetford portaloo with a pop-up tent for your own standalone toilet as an added extra. There are 2 x 20 litre removable water tanks in Big Bob that supply water to the sink via an electric pump. Audio Equipment: Big Bob has a factory fitted CD and radio, with bluetooth/usb connectivity & speakers in the front and back for long trips. We will also provide a Bluetooth speaker so you can play your own music when camped up. Type of Heating: Big Bob has a small 12v blow heater or a more substantial electric heater for use when hooked up. Pet Information: Big Bob happily accommodates well behaved dogs, (2 dogs maximum). Conversion Story: My first car 30 years ago was a VW campervan and I have always longed to have the same freedom of those first holidays now I have a family. We began converting Big Bob 3 years ago to enjoy long summer holidays whilst our 2 boys were still young. They are now 13 and 10 and still enjoying the trips away. In a former life Bob was a school bus in Wales, we picked him up after a long search for a LWB van with very low mileage. I had a few specific requirements from the build; such as a big garage for outdoor adventure gear, birch ply throughout and reclaimed Iroko worktops (they came from a school science lab) but most importantly a big comfortable mattress! After a few years camping this luxury was non-negotiable. We compromised a little on floor space to make room for the 2 big beds, but we spend most of our time outdoors on our trips. We have open racking in the back for clothes, so everything is always visible and close to hand. As Bob really is Big, you do require a C1 licence to drive him, either having passed before January 1997 or have passed a C1 test, a real bonus of Bob's stature is the huge payload- you really can take it all with you.