What’s the world’s longest running motoring event, the largest free-to-spectate automotive spectacle in Britain, and an event unique enough (we’re told) to be considered alongside the Indy 500, Isle of Man TT and Le Mans 24 Hours? The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, for which the 116
event has today been launched at the Royal Automobile Club.
The first event was held on 14 November 1896: it was revived in 1927 and, since then, only World War II and the 1947 petrol ration have stopped it. For this year’s event, running on 4 November, Britain is the featured nation, in recognition of the Jubilee. 400 of the capped-to-550 entries are British and the Royal British Legion is the nominated charity.
The premise is simple: leave Central London from sunrise (07:00) and get to Madeira Drive in Brighton before 16:30. As many veteran car experts will confirm, easier said than done…
A veteran car is one built before 1905: even the youngest is a centenarian. Despite this, the cars keep on running, said Royal Automobile Club Motoring Chairman Ben Cussons at the launch event. “It’s always fully subscribed,” he said: the British veteran car scene is, if anything, strengthening as it ages.
For car fans, it’s a great event, he said. “We’re lucky – there’s nothing much else going on in November and we’re also able to incorporate it into the Regent Street Motor Show.” This unexpectedly successful car show (250,000 milled through it last year) includes the world’s only Concours d’Elegance for veteran cars.
Even if your interest in veteran cars is scant, the London to Brighton run is a great thing to watch, and today is a different but equally enthusiastic type of celebration to that for which it began.
In 1896, 30 of Britain’s first car owners gathered to mark the passing of the Highway Act: cars could now travel at 14mph rather than 4mph, and the man carrying the red flag was retired.
It’s this ‘Emancipation Run’ that’s marked each year in the London to Brighton VCR – which, for the third year running, follows the forward-looking RAC Future Car Challenge that brings green cars from Brighton to London. That’s the event won by Gordon Murray’s T.27 last year, and which was also launched at the RAC today.
So, from oldest to newest, with a good gathering of yet-to-be-launched cars on top: question is, with the competition amongst the green cars getting closer by the year, how long will it be before a veteran car beats a record-seeking green car driver for average journey speed?