Simon & Helen from Bristol

[SimonB]

We are buying a black California SE 2.0L BiTdi 180ps DSG from South Hereford Garage. We pick it up towards the end of October. We can confirm the reports on the Forum about the dealership, they have been incredibly helpful and we are really looking forward to collecting it.
We had a lumbering Transit based Luton Autohome van 24 years ago. Great fun, but very thirsty and too big to use as an everyday vehicle. Since then we have been keen campers. Recently retired we decided to go back to a campervan and after a lot of research & both being VW drivers we decided on the California. I volunteer on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway in Snowdonia maintaining the track, I go up there for a week at a time and used to camp, in the warmer months of the year. My pitch is very near to the track & looks out on to Snowdonia. Now I shall enjoy using the California.
Helen & I also enjoy visiting gardens all over the UK & Ireland and plan to go and visit a lot more using the California as a base. I have been following the various discussions on the forum and look forward to meeting many of you in the coming months.
Simon

 

[Hotel California]

Welcome !

 

[WelshGas]

Welcome to the 3rd Age.
From across the water.

 

[Borris]

We are buying a black California SE 2.0L BiTdi 180ps DSG from South Hereford Garage. We pick it up towards the end of October. We can confirm the reports on the Forum about the dealership, they have been incredibly helpful and we are really looking forward to collecting it.
We had a lumbering Transit based Luton Autohome van 24 years ago. Great fun, but very thirsty and too big to use as an everyday vehicle. Since then we have been keen campers. Recently retired we decided to go back to a campervan and after a lot of research & both being VW drivers we decided on the California. I volunteer on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway in Snowdonia maintaining the track, I go up there for a week at a time and used to camp, in the warmer months of the year. My pitch is very near to the track & looks out on to Snowdonia. Now I shall enjoy using the California.
Helen & I also enjoy visiting gardens all over the UK & Ireland and plan to go and visit a lot more using the California as a base. I have been following the various discussions on the forum and look forward to meeting many of you in the coming months.
SimonView attachment 9788

Hi and welcome Simon and Helen,
What a superb place to camp in a Cali and all in warm comfortable luxury. I too am interested in steam trains and your story has given me an idea for our first trip away in our yet to be collected black 180 dsg SE 4motion demonstrator. A tour of the Welsh steam mountain railways. All I have to do is to sell the idea to my wife.
You Cali sounds great. Like us you must be very excited anticipating the new purchase. I hope that you have lots of great times in it/her/him. Whilst we are purchasing ours from SMG Tonbridge we did visit South Hereford Garage some time ago to further our research and were very impressed with the reception we got.
One of our favourite spots to park up and picnic with our grandchildren is along side the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch steam railway in Kent.

 

[SimonB]

Thanks for your reply. We have also been to the R, H & D Railway. Loved Dungeness and the whole area. Came back via some lovely gardens on our way back to Bristol.
If you want some places to go in N Wales for scenery, gardens and trains I have a lot of them. It will be so much easier now for us with the California.
Take a look at the Aberglaslyn pass. A National Trust jewel with a steam train running through it. I don't know if links work on this forum http://www.festrail.co.uk/gallery_press/albums/Leaflets Brochures and logos/TLC1 spreads.pdf but this is a booklet the railway give out to visitors. Might be of interest.
Simon

 

[Borris]

Thanks for your reply. We have also been to the R, H & D Railway. Loved Dungeness and the whole area. Came back via some lovely gardens on our way back to Bristol.
If you want some places to go in N Wales for scenery, gardens and trains I have a lot of them. It will be so much easier now for us with the California.
Take a look at the Aberglaslyn pass. A National Trust jewel with a steam train running through it. I don't know if links work on this forum http://www.festrail.co.uk/gallery_press/albums/Leaflets Brochures and logos/TLC1 spreads.pdf but this is a booklet the railway give out to visitors. Might be of interest.
Simon

Thanks for the info and tips Simon,
We will look forward to exploring that area.
Best wishes Paul

 

[SimonB]

If you like pictures of scenery Paul, you might like these that I have found. Taken from a drone and really show off Snowdonia and the railway beautifully.
https://vimeo.com/134145726 This is just the Snowdonia filming, they also have a galley of other films including Lost Gardens of Heligan. http://verticalhorizonsmedia.tv/cms/index.php/gallery-2/
Simon

 

[motacyclist]

Hi Simon and welcome Pity you have to wait until October ...

We spend a lot of time in N Wales although we live a few miles over the border. Some of our favourite picnic places are near the Ffestiniog track at Tan-y-Grisiau, Llyn Mair and of course around Porthmadog so hope to see your Cali around.

(BTW used to visit Boston Lodge works quite a lot to carry out testing on the loco boilers, axles and running gear etc for Jon Whalley )

Colin

 

[SimonB]

Good to hear from you Colin. It's like joining a large, friendly family.

I'm hoping to spend a lot more time up in Porthmadog now that I am retired. Taking annual leave limited me to long weekends and some working weeks.

The first outing for our Cali will be to the November working week and it will be parked in Minffordd Hostel campsite with the views of the sunset and over Snowdonia. I'm under strict instructions to keep railway grease out of it!

I don't know if you saw this from the post above,

but it starts with a few shots of Boston Lodge from a drone and flies up to Rhydd Ddu. The shots of the Glaslyn river are superb.
Do you still keep in touch with what is happening on the railway?

Simon

 

[Borris]

If you like pictures of scenery Paul, you might like these that I have found. Taken from a drone and really show off Snowdonia and the railway beautifully.
https://vimeo.com/134145726 This is just the Snowdonia filming, they also have a galley of other films including Lost Gardens of Heligan. http://verticalhorizonsmedia.tv/cms/index.php/gallery-2/
Simon

Hi Simon,
Have just got back from a weekend away and have discovered your video and snaps. Fantastic! Thank you very much.
We will be planning a full tour of the Welsh mountain railways as soon as we collect our Cali.
I was wondering about the grease issue in your new cali. Where there is steam engines there is filth. A gallon or two of Swarfega and a bracing scrub down in welsh mountain stream should do it. Sounds very Scandinavian and not the slightest bit British.
Best wishes
Paul

 

[motacyclist]

Excellent video! Do you have a drone yourself?

 

[SimonB]

I'd love to have one, but I think these cost about £2000 upwards, then insurance, etc. I would be worrying about loosing it.
The pictures they can take are incredible. I don't know if you looked at the RNLI ones, but how else could you take those? A helicopter would be too costly, too big and probably not agile enough.
Certainly shows off Snowdonia well though. Did you like the Boston Lodge pictures?
Simon

 

[SimonB]

Hi Simon,
Have just got back from a weekend away and have discovered your video and snaps. Fantastic! Thank you very much.
We will be planning a full tour of the Welsh mountain railways as soon as we collect our Cali.
I was wondering about the grease issue in your new cali. Where there is steam engines there is filth. A gallon or two of Swarfega and a bracing scrub down in welsh mountain stream should do it. Sounds very Scandinavian and not the slightest bit British.
Best wishes
Paul

Glad you liked the video. They managed to get some lovely angles to photograph.
I may pass on the Swarfega and the mountain stream and just avoid going near the grease. The streams seem a bit cold for me.
You might find this a saving if you want to ride on the trains too http://www.greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk/
It gives a discount off the fare.
Simon

 

[Caligirls26]

Welcome to the forum Simon & Helen, we are also from Bristol & bought our California from South Hereford.

They have been a brilliant dealership to buy through, from our very first point of contact to collecting our Cali in March of this year. The after care service has been great & any questions or queries we might have they are always quick to respond & advise.

Look forward to meeting you both at future meets

Best Wishes

Jo & Katie

 

[johnv]

do you know my friend James Hamlin who is very involved with the ffestiniog?

 

[SimonB]

do you know my friend James Hamlin who is very involved with the ffestiniog?

Yes I do. I've worked with him on many occasions. Can turn his hand to many things. He was removing a Victorian crane when I was up there in March. Are you a volunteer also?
Simon

 

[johnv]

no, I just go up to visit him, he lives up there now

 

[SimonB]

Welcome to the forum Simon & Helen, we are also from Bristol & bought our California from South Hereford.

They have been a brilliant dealership to buy through, from our very first point of contact to collecting our Cali in March of this year. The after care service has been great & any questions or queries we might have they are always quick to respond & advise.

Look forward to meeting you both at future meets

Best Wishes

Jo & Katie

I've been reading the threads on the forum and some of the experiences that owners have had from some dealerships sound quite frightening. You usually hear the bad stories not the good ones, unfortunately.
South Hereford seem very helpful and interested. We were shown over the vehicle and every question patiently answered and told he would spend as much time as was needed. Always rung back when they said they would. Absolutely faultless. Good reports from other people who have bought from them as well.
We go up by train on the 23rd of October to collect it.

Look forward to meeting you sometime.

Simon

 

[Caligirls26]

Can't speak highly enough of them, we were updated every step of the way with our order, from build date, build progress, shipping date, photos on arrival pre additions, post addition photos & thorough handover. More than what we expected from a dealer & worth the journey up from Bristol.

October isn't far away now, you'll heading out in your new Cali before you know it.

This forum has been so helpful in preparing us for Cali ownership & have met some great people through it.

Jo

 

[SimonB]

no, I just go up to visit him, he lives up there now

A man and his Kango. We spent about a day removing a concrete floor from a rail side cottage that is up for restoration. We managed it, but some of the concrete was real overkill.
Simon

 

[johnv]

 

[Borris]

Glad you liked the video. They managed to get some lovely angles to photograph.
I may pass on the Swarfega and the mountain stream and just avoid going near the grease. The streams seem a bit cold for me.
You might find this a saving if you want to ride on the trains too http://www.greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk/
It gives a discount off the fare.
Simon

Thanks Simon,
That is great. We will make good use of it.
Best wishes
Paul