20 year old Camper Van lost in Flood in Fife - Saga
October 18th 2012
I had some very bad luck with my camper van/bus last Thursday night/Friday!
I had been singing in the coastal town of Crail- in Fife at the folk club.
It was raining heavily as I loaded my gear in and out of the club in the town hall there.
After the folk club, at 1am, I was driving back home to Galashiels- down a dark B road (B942 about to join the A917) in the Kingdom of Fife- through torrential rain- I drove into a flooded part of the road, there was a wipe-out of a surf of water over the windscreen, the engine died, stopped. turn key to start- Click-dead- No ignition.
I had got stuck in very deep flooded dip in road, I had driven into the road, which had become a deep river – I didn't know it was so deep! - I couldn't start- ignition a dead click-no life. – The engine had sucked water into itself through my exhaust pipe and air filter- water was coming in the door .A river- water coming in from down the hills and fields around me- my heart sunk- I was stuck in the middle of ‘nowhere’. I knew looking at the map I was near Colinsburgh, on a road-near upper Largo North of Leven the rescue tow truck couldn’t get to me as other roads were cut off all around the area, they would get stuck. –I needed to be towed out. There were vehicles in the distance ahead and far behind me on other roads looking for routes out and away, but the road was full of a river running, there was a wall next to me that kept a deep lake of water in the field next to me, trees under water, I was worried the wall might break and sweep me down the gully to my left. Though trees were on my left and might save me from this.
I was waiting 1am till 8am -no rescue possible.
I was told by green flag emergency rescue service that roads were closed all around the area and that I would have to wait till flooding subsided! There was an amber flood warning.
I was tired and couldn't even get out of van, the water up to bottom of doors and inside filling up on my van doorstep and outside was covering my tires.
I thought I should try to sleep- though I had loaded my bed full of my guitar and stuff from under the bed- with flood water rising, I had to keep it safe- it was not easy to relax and sleep!
I did dial 999 once asking for fire dept. -they said they come out for fires not floods rescue- and I told them I didn't want to waste their time and didn't think my life was in danger.
It was 4am! I was still in fife waiting to be rescued and towed out!
8am still no rescue. Many Roads closed in the surrounding area so rescue teams couldn’t get through, other garages, one in Perth- contacted by ‘Green Flag’ with large 18 ton rescue trucks- didn’t want to risk sending out drivers to me with vehicles. I finally got towed out at 11am next morning and persuaded the service to take my vehicle and me to a Mercedes garage in Edinburgh. One I have used in the past to service my vehicle.
The Diagnosis by the Garage mechanic in Edinburgh is that my camper van Mercedes 609D Engine is buggered! I will need a new engine or reconditioned engine depending on the extent of the damage. Repair Cost estimate £6700-£10,000 An Expensive gig! - There was me trying to earn money to pay off my debts! I was waiting to see what the insurance company would do to help bail me out.
Options re my comprehensive insurance are:
I will be offered a settlement figure and I retain the vehicle
Or
I will be offered a settlement figure and I don't retain the vehicle!
The insurance company engineer has said my van is old and has not much value etc.! Looking at the market etc. van is only Worth £4,000-£5000- (minus a salvage value of 26 percent I will get only £3500 if I want to keep van)
Although I have refitted the van, it has new gas 4 ringed hob and underneath grill cooker, toilet, shower, sink, LED lights, dometic 3 way fridge, with freezer, water heater-gas and 240 volts, king size fixed bed at back, a double bed unfolds with hinges at front with screw-in metal legs with Store cupboards underneath, deep fitted drawers, plumbed water tank, water pump, 2 large leisure batteries with split charger (charge as you drive)-, new top storage box, 2 new doors (3 years ago), new bonnet,
doors
part numbers rear door £647.11p 6707401705
front £582.03p each 670 720-0205-
drivers side 670 720-0305
bonnet £359.77 part 6707500102
2 new tyres, new exhaust, whole van re sprayed cost £4892.57 inc vat. This Comprised of
£3247.57 Labour charges & £1703.62 Paint & Material costs., 3 years ago, new windows, new radiator, brand new roof -window fitted September 2012 with blind and mosquito net- opens, etc.
10 disc cd changer player/radio/cassette and front and rear speakers, Propex thermostatically controlled gas hot air heater, mains electric hook up,
Shureflow water pump-3X 240-volt sockets,
Swivel passenger seat, which can face the rear of the van. Fixed king size bed at back- underneath the bed there are hinged door storage cupboards and compartments, a strong welded isolated metal box to safely store 2X 3.9 gas bottles, a wet room- for shower and toilet - vinylised completely, with plug and plug hole.
Thetford 12 volt flushing toilet with outside door to slide out waste canister-tank.
Enormous clean water-tank at back contains at least 200 litres, filled from hose outside locked airtight cap, water can last for months. 12 volt lighting throughout van, LED and halogen.
MOT till June 2013, serviced every year- owned for 20 years re converted 7 years ago. 3 new tyres.