Bailey Orion 530-6

The Bailey Orion 530-6 is a brilliant lightweight family six-berth. Orions are the lightest caravans from Bailey for 2012 and very different to lightweights from other makers

When Bailey Orions first came out we were excited by the fresh look, the fresh approach to layouts and the fact that this brought Alu-Tech construction to budget caravans. Alu-Tech is a method which involves the clamping together of aluminium body sections – and no wood in the caravan walls to attract moisture. Alu-Tech caravans initially came with a 10-year body-integrity warranty, which made a lot of people more comfortable about parting with their cash for a new idea in caravanning.
Since then, Bailey has dropped its standard warranty from 10 years to six, and there are more caravan ranges in the low-price, low-weight arena that Orion occupies – in the 2012 ranges there’s Sprite, Sprite Lite and the new Venus range as well as Elddis Xplore. Orion still has plenty of good design ideas, so let’s see how the new six-berth holds up.
 

Showering

It feels a little unfair to start with the shower, when it’s clearly not this caravan’s strong point. The shower and loo share a cubicle, with the loo at the back, and you’ll need to swivel the toilet around when you want to use it. When you’re showering, the screen folds across very effectively, giving a decent-sized showering space. There’s no need to share this small space with a wash basin because there’s a vanity unit in the bedroom. And most importantly of all it’s nice and warm in here; we reviewed this caravan on a cool spring day and the Whale heating gets the space comfortable in only a few minutes – crucially, there is a warm air outlet at floor level near the loo.
The shower and toilet room are where you see the interior workings of this caravan’s Alu-Tec construction. There’s a curved mount hiding the fixing points between roof and wall. This curved mount is quite unobtrusive.
 

Sleeping

You can pack people into this Orion: a couple in the fixed double bed, two adults or children in the pull-up bunks which you make up opposite the kitchen, and two very small children on the lounge sofas (or two adults in the double bed you can make here with pull-out slats). We think parents of tots will like the high barriers at the end of each sofa, which may help deter little ones from wandering if you make up the front double bed for them. The mattresses to the dining room’s bunks fold out and are on the thin side, but are fine for light weight little people. The fixed double bed, however, is amply sized and comfy. Add all this up and we think there are plenty of options here for most families, and room to adapt as children grow older.
 

Storage

The under-bed space is huge, and the single wardrobe is fitted with deep shelves. You’re going to want to rely on these spaces and the under sofa space too, because this Orion has fewer overhead lockers than some, and only the ones over the sink have positive locking.
 

Dining

The front dining room is spacious for four, when used with the table which is stored at the end of the kitchen. The side dining area seats two. When six people are in this caravan we think you’re going to want to sit in the two areas rather than around one table.
 

Lounging

It’s a short front lounge, and Bailey has made it workable by not having a chest of drawers here. Instead, you get a little removable table on a monopod, and the bed slats are in a box at floor level. The decisions made seem appropriate for this price level. You would struggle to seat six here, but you have the bedroom for lounging. The one-piece front window is fantastic and the seating is so far forward you almost feel you are out there in the view.

 
Kitchen

Although this is quite a modest kitchen, some space savings have been made here in a way that’s appropriate to function. Orions’ ovens are small – and how many families really need a huge oven on holiday?
There’s a good amount of work surface, too – the small three-burner hob and small sink help, and there’s extra work surface in the side dining area and over the gas locker (Orions have their gas lockers in the side of the caravan).
We would like a lower cupboard for food – essential for a family of six.
 

Towing

It’s light, with heavier items such as gas bottles close to the axle, which helps when it comes to its towing dynamics. AL-KO’s new hitchhead stabiliser comes as standard.

The Bailey Orion 530-6 offers plenty of options for growing families, and excellent weight