The Forbes Caravans Collection.

[Richard]

After a lot of help of Bob Taylor and several phone calls over the last few months, I can now announce that the ourtouringpast.com website in conjunction with the National Caravan Museum have now acquired the collection from the now closed Forbes Caravan Sales and Repairs.

Dad and I travelled to Forbes in western NSW to meet up with Bob who introduced us to Wal and Betty Williams who started the Forbes Caravans Sales and Repairs business in the late 1960's. Wal and Betty have kindly donated the collection, which filled the back of my tray top ute. The collection comprises mainly manuals and brochures covering everything to do with caravans from the late 1960's up to about 2005.

I have only had time to have a look through 1 of the 12 boxes and I found caravan brochures from 1970 onwards, I was also amazed to find a list of chassis numbers with all of the details for that chassis number including the length, colour and interior layout etc for Millard, York and Coronet caravans.

One of the things I did see in a box is a 1/3 scale model of a Hayman Reece hitch, which will be a great addition to the National Caravan Museum.

There will be way to much to list it all here but I will be posting a few items of interest as we go.

Cheers.
Richard.

[Richard]

I almost forgot that I took a few photos of the trip to Forbes.

Below is Bob Taylor with his Olympic caravan. We meet up with Bob at the Apex caravan park in Forbes, and he drove us around to meet Wal.

Bob with Wal of the now closed Forbes Caravan Sales and Repairs.

A shipping container that Wal let Bob and I rummage through, and I must say it was a bit of an Aladdin's cave of vintage and classic caravan parts.

Again I would just like to thank Bob for introducing me to Wal, and to Wal for donating the huge collection to the National Caravan Museum.

[reddo]

Hi Richard

Your a better man than me.
I would have needed more than a ute to bring home Wals collection .
That container would take days to sort through.

and..

Good on Bob Taylor for organising the meeting with Wal.

Regards
Reddo

[Richard]

Hey Reddo.
Yep we did have the old ute full and I did take the trailer on the off chance we needed it, and yes we did.
Earlier this week I was contacted by Mr G Kemp who used to own Kemps Caravans and also traded as Kemps Chesneyland. He closed the business in the mid 80's and he has very kindly offered to me all the surplus stock and advertising material etc as a donation to The National Caravan Museum.