The Palace was familiar with so much of Australia, that many travellers saw it time and again

I was brought up with caravans; my parents went on their honeymoon in a caravan in one that dad built around 1939, and my wife and I honeymooned in a van 50 years ago. Their first van even had a lift-up floor which was fitted with a tin bath under which the old primus heated the water. I suppose when he was working as a builder around the country, they had to be totally self sufficient. Dad built lots of vans, generally because he would sell ours about six weeks before we were to have a holiday at Christmas. I remember as a little fellow, just tall enough to help tail out for the laminated timber dad cut on the bench saw, with the timber on my shoulders just high enough to walk away from the saw bench. The smell of the big sheets of bondwood, coachwood and plywood, or the fabric and ‘dope’ used to seal the ply, will never leave me.

The big gum tree next to our house had a fork low down that saw quite a few chassis rails of steam tubing bent to just the right shape for the new van. And of course, when kerosene fridges for vans first were available, dad had to have one. I remember the smell of that too. Phew.

Old bus, in its final resting place at Wagga Wagga wreckers

When we travelled, the novelty of other vans was that if the oldies saw another van, they quite often pulled up for a cuppa and a chat! Dad worked on the plywood framed Mosquito bombers during the war, so his vans were very strong and very light, his expertise was sought after by many others, including some of the later emerging caravan manufacturers.

I first towed when I was about 14 years old, dad got sick, and I just had to get him and the family back from a long way away to a hospital. I don’t seem to have stopped towing since.

We have been blessed to have been able to see a lot of Australia, not just touring, but with our fossicking hobby as well, that stated over 40 years ago. That’s how we met up with a couple from Lismore, from Casino Gem Club. Lindsay and Val Armstrong have been CMCA members for quite some time, and I think represent what travellers are all about. They had a van when we first met them, but Lindsay hankered for a bus. Being in the past a tour bus driver, the urge was there to travel this way for himself. When the chance came to buy a part completed project at a very good price, Lindsay jumped at it. It didn’t take long to convert a 30ft Ford into a Hino, with all the right gear, and with a little Suzuki on behind, Busingham Palace was born.

Lindsay and Val Armstrong, from Lismore, NSW

We travelled, as did many others, on numerous fossicking trips with Lindsay, from Broome to Chillagoe to Gawler, to Harts Range, Lindsay was always the leader everyone loved. He helped so many people, many novices, both in touring and fossicking. From his mate Mad Micks place at Mt Isa, to Wave Hill, Lindsay and Val did it all – Busingham palace was seen everywhere.

When you set out on a trip around our beautiful country, whether it is for the first or many times, there are always new things to experience.

Lindsay and Val helped a wheelchair bound friend see Australia. They set up a shower and other facilities on the front of the bus to assist their friend

Last year when the Armstrongs and the Formans had been to Mount Isa, Darwin, Karijini, Wanjima, Port Hedland, Marble Bar, the big mines at Newman and Tom Price and some exciting finds of orbicular granite at Mount Magnet, perhaps we had seen a lot.

But from the wildfl owers at Geraldton and below, New Norcia, and then to Kalgoorlie, there was a new venture for all of us, the Nullarbor Links golf course. That was fun, lots of dirt, and mud, and whales at Head of Bight, but very ordinary golf.

At Ceduna, we were issued with a certificate of Completion of Course.

The Armstrongs wanted a motorhome bus, so they just made their own. Not everyone’s way of getting one

Little did we know that a few days after that, when we diverted to the Eyre Peninsula and Lindsay to Wagga, Lindsay phoned us at Streaky Bay, to ask if he could get a replacement certificate, why? Well the old one has just got burnt in the bus fire. What a disaster!

When the recovery period of a couple of weeks had elapsed, and insurance had been finalised, Lindsay started to get itchy feet, he wanted a new bus.

Busingham Palace Junior just needs a bit of signwriting and a panel replaced, and its ready to hit the road again

With a love of Hino gear, he soon found a really good bus, complete with seats, executive type fittings and all, and soon started the work of stripping it out, lifting the roof, and turning it into the sort of motorhome they could take anywhere the old bus had been.

Just as the old bus had been their home on wheels so many times, the new one quickly had a name, Busingham Palace Junior. What else?

Hino is complete

The photos certainly don’t do justice of the amount of work and hours this kind of project entails, but when it’s a labour of love and anticipation that soon goes by the board.

So, Junior has a big reputation to live up to, and lots of places to go. If you see them give a toot or a wave, or pull up for a coffee. You will have met some very experienced travellers who are more than willing to pass on valuable knowledge.

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Written: Sat 01 Aug 2015
Printed: August, 2015
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