Advertisement
Bailey Approach Autograph 765
Sections:

Key Features

Model Year 2014
Class Low Profile Drop Down Bed
Base Vehicle Peugeot Boxer
Price From (£) 47,450
Engine Size 2.2TD
Maximum Weight (kg) 3,850
Berths 6
Main Layout Rear Lounge
See full details
Advertisement

At a glance

Price from: £47,450 Berths: 6 Travel seats: 6 Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer with ultra-low Al-Ko chassis Length: 7.45m Gross weight: 3,850kg

Full review

There is no shortage of family-sized motorhomes on the market but proper six-berths with six travel seats are still quite a rarity. So, for the final outing of our long-term test ’van we thought we’d see how it fared when used as intended: with all six seats occupied.

Anyone who has travelled with children will know that they occupy roughly the same amount of space and weight regardless of their age. When they’re very young they come fully kitted with all manner of supporting toys and equipment. As they get older, and bigger, the stuff they pack gets less and less until the point that they become mini-adults and they can go a whole weekend with just spare underwear and the plugs for whatever electronic devices they’re carrying.

Content continues after advertisements
Advertisement
Advertisement

All packed, ready to go

Other than packing more towels and bedding than usual and extra food to cope with four ravenous mouths, the Bailey was quick to prepare for our short break away. We wussed out slightly by choosing a well established holiday park – Searles Leisure in Hunstanton, Norfolk – instead of a campsite with fewer amenities and attractions.

Our reasoning was mainly down to the unpredictable weather. We couldn’t face the prospect of being in a motorhome with four children in damp conditions, so a site with plenty of things to do if the weather turned nasty was imperative.

Searles is a fantastic destination for families. There are both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, penny arcades, indoor play area, evening entertainment, a good restaurant and even a chip shop! There are numerous play areas and adventure playgrounds and if you should become bored with all that the beach and town are only a short walk away.


Good weather meant we weren’t stuck indoors

There’s nothing more satisfying than pulling up on site, decamping the kids and seeing them disappear into the distance. Our pitch was just a few metres from a large play area and only a couple of minutes’ walk from the main entertainment hub.

We really appreciated the kitchen facilities in the ’van. Having the microwave and electric hotplate means you don’t have to worry about the gas running out and you could just about put a meal together with those alone.

We made the mistake of asking the boys what they wanted to eat and, of course, it was pizza. With only one shelf in the oven and not very good heat convection you do have to keep an eye on what you’re cooking and keep turning the food, otherwise one side is cremated while the other remains cold.

However, we persevered and they were all fed, albeit in relays as each pizza was cooked. Lunchtime sandwiches were much easier! There was one unexpected feature of the ’van that did seem to perturb all four boys and that was the fact that the washbasin was inside the shower compartment. For some reason each of them commented on it at some point as if it was the most ridiculous thing ever. We didn’t think it was much of an issue other than having to stow away toiletries when showering – it’s odd what goes through kids’ minds.

We knew bedtime would have to be well organised as there simply is not the space for an adult to start making up beds while other bodies are changing for bed and going through their late night ablutions. But, we just had to leave the ‘adult’ bed until last so the kids had somewhere to sit and wait for the bathroom. We could have used the excellent facilities on the campsite but we wanted to see how well the ’van could cope.

In the end, it all came down to storage. Having more space to store shoes – a lot of shoes – would have been good and, once the beds are made up, there is nowhere obvious to store clothes for the next day other than the wardrobe or overhead lockers. As I guess is the case for most people, the cab becomes a handy dumping ground for excess bags, shoes and other kit.

As I mentioned already the lounge is very spacious and makes up a huge bed. The only downside to that is the fact that normal sheets don’t fit and using a standard duvet risks having it drift towards one side or the other. We’d planned for this eventuality and brought a double sleeping bag with us but that would only suffice for a stop-gap measure, if we’d had this ’van for longer I’d probably look to get sheets custom made to fit. I’m surprised Bailey doesn’t offer them for the 765; it offers bed linen for the island bed 730.

Adult bed is spacious, THE other beds not so much

Awaking on the first morning gave us an idea of how well the beds coped when we saw one child asleep on the floor! The lower dinette bed is really only large enough for kids up to age 10 or 11. As the bed lowers complete with cabinets, whoever sleeps nearest to the window has their space compromised even more.

The drop-down bed, on the other hand, is probably the best bed in the ’van. It is a one-piece mattress and big enough for adults. Needless to say, the boys on the top bed awoke later than those underneath.

There’s no lying-in for the grown-ups though as you have to get up and remake the end lounge so that everyone has somewhere to sit. There is no way to separate the end lounge at bed time so all six of you are in full view of each other.

You might choose to have a curtain retro-fitted but Bailey really should have thought of this. After the boys were all fed and dressed, they were keen to get out of the door, leaving us to tidy up properly and have a cuppa. We could have used the showers on site but obviously I wanted to try all of the Bailey’s facilities. The cubicle itself is an OK size, even for a larger bloke like me and there was plenty of room to dress and undress inside the washroom.

After adult number two went through the same routine we had our first real ‘darn it’ episode: the water tank needed refilling. We’d only filled it the previous day, surely we couldn’t have used 100 litres already? But we had and, for the remainder of our stay, the daily water tank fill-up was part of the routine.

For a motorhome that should be catering for six people, this problem, plus more shoe storage, really needs to be addressed.

The only other frustrating issue we found for the entire trip was emptying the waste water tank. The drain pipe on the Bailey is so narrow it takes what seems like an eternity to drain the whole tank. With the boys already belted and ready for the journey, the 15 minutes this took was eating into our driving time and I eventually gave up and decided to empty the rest when we got home.

The boys wanted to have the table up while travelling, but this is not recommended by Bailey.

On the way home we held an impromptu debrief and each of us gave their impressions of the holiday park and the motorhome. Both get big thumbs up. But the boys really do not like the washbasin being located in the shower!
  • For great digital MMM subscription deals, click here.
     
  • For great digital Which Motorhome subscription deals, click here.
Content continues after advertisements
Advertisement
Advertisement

Expert motorhome advice to your door!

Why not subscribe to one of our fabulous magazines and get expert advice, travel ideas, technical help and all the latest news for your motorhome and your motorhome adventures!

MMM Motorhomers' Magazine

Want to know more about MMM magazine?

Every month MMM has articles written by motorhomers who have been there and done it, from great UK and European (and further afield) tours, campsite reviews, owners' reports and DIY projects among other things. MMM's tests, reviews and expert buying guides are not to be missed. MMM's technical advice is a must and includes everything from weekend jobs to longer-term DIY projects. And much more!

About MMM magazine  
What Motorhome Magazine

Want to know more about What Motorhome magazine?

Every issue of What Motorhome magazine provides essential buying advice for anyone looking to buy a new motorhome or campervan or upgrade their existing model. With a pedigree of over 30 years of offering the best motorhome and campervan buying advice, every issue of What Motorhome includes more new motorhome and campervan reviews than you will find in any other magazine.

About What Motorhome  
Campervan Magazine

Want to know more about Campervan magazine?

Campervan is the exciting monthly magazine that will give you all the inspiration you need to explore the world in your campervan. Every issue is packed with real-life campervanning experiences, inspiring travel ideas in the UK and further afield, the best campsites to stay on, campervan road tests and reviews of the latest models, and much more!

About Campervan magazine  

Our verdict

Quite simply a great motorhome for a family

Sign up to our free newsletter

Join our community and get emails packed with advice and tips from our experts – and a FREE digital issue!

Sign up now!

Subscribe to the best motorhome magazine

Access the latest issue and a decade of previous editions – all fully searchable!

Discover more

More dedicated motorhome content

Advertisement
Advertisement