London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

[RichB]

Having used the search function I can't see anything on here about this so I thought I'd star at thread. Particularly never having been to the display in Regent Street I am thinking of going up tomorrow morning for a look at the entrants. Has anyone been to this and how crowded does it get? If it's heaving like Regent Street at Christmas shopping I'll give it a miss but if it's a relatively laid back affair I might go along. Anyone? Cheers Rich...

[john2443]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[RichB]

Thanks. I wasn't being thick honestly but the Pistonheads search facility is such crap that it's worthless. I did a search for Regent Street and got nothing, nada, zilch...

[Excelsior]

I think you have got the right thread title and location for said thread because in all honesty what is going on in Regent Street has toss all to do with the real event on Sunday.

As an entrant I can tell you the commercialisation jamboree instituted around this historic event is very sad and not at all welcome.....

[RichB]

Fair comment. I used to live in Ealing and would often drive up to Hyde Park for 7 am to see the cars off, nip home for some tea and a bacon sarnie and then head off to Brighton to see the cars arriving for lunch. I've not done that for 20 years and fancied seeing them again. Perhaps the best bet is just to get down to Brighton on Sunday.

p.s. what will you be on?

[Excelsior]

We are #385 - '04 Alldays & Onions - it is a borrow and I have driven it the sum total of 300 yards and as such anything could happen!

I first went on this event when I was three in the back of a De Dion Bouton - a car which I had the chance to take down myself eight years ago.

If you make it to the route give us a wave....

[RichB]

There's a chap with an Alldays & Onions on another forum I frequent. I last saw it at the NEC last November. Not this one you're piloting is it?

[Excelsior]

The one we are on is bright yellow - that one looks to be later in date.
This is it here the last time it ran in the event about five years ago

[Tartan Pixie]

Hi, more by luck than planning I was wandering about Brighton pondering what to do with my day when a bunch of vintage cars showed up. Day sorted

A few pics for you...

[nicanary]

Nice pics. Because I'm a pedant - they're not vintage cars by the rulings of the VCC, but veteran cars. The date line for "Brighton" acceptance is 1904, but something in the back of my mind tells me they allow cars from 1905 if the date of manufacture is in doubt.

[Daisy Duke]

nicanary said:

Nice pics. Because I'm a pedant - they're not vintage cars by the rulings of the VCC, but veteran cars. The date line for "Brighton" acceptance is 1904, but something in the back of my mind tells me they allow cars from 1905 if the date of manufacture is in doubt.

They only allow a few cars from 1905 that have "Grandfather Rights” i.e cars built in 1905 that were previously officially dated as 1904 models, and hence allowed to enter in the past, but have subsequently (due to more documentation coming to light) found to be manufactured in 1905. Although they are technically ineligible for the Run, since they have taken part in the event as officially certified 1904 cars, they are still allowed to enter.

[NotNormal]

At least they did finally see some sunshine down at Brighton.

I saw a load of them on my way back from Goodwood and with biting cold winds and heavy rain I really did feel for the participants all exposed in these wonderful machines.

[john2443]

Daisy Duke said:

nicanary said:

Nice pics. Because I'm a pedant - they're not vintage cars by the rulings of the VCC, but veteran cars. The date line for "Brighton" acceptance is 1904, but something in the back of my mind tells me they allow cars from 1905 if the date of manufacture is in doubt.

They only allow a few cars from 1905 that have "Grandfather Rights” i.e cars built in 1905 that were previously officially dated as 1904 models, and hence allowed to enter in the past, but have subsequently (due to more documentation coming to light) found to be manufactured in 1905. Although they are technically ineligible for the Run, since they have taken part in the event as officially certified 1904 cars, they are still allowed to enter.

I think the made an exception for the cars from the film Genevieve as one or both of them were slightly too new

It does seem unfortunate for owners of cars that are exactly the same as the pre 1905 models that they are excluded, clearly if there was something like a Mini or Beetle that production went on for 50 years it would be a problem, but things were progressing so fast at that time I don't imagine anything stayed in production for more than a year.

[srob]

nicanary said:

Nice pics. Because I'm a pedant - they're not vintage cars by the rulings of the VCC, but veteran cars. The date line for "Brighton" acceptance is 1904, but something in the back of my mind tells me they allow cars from 1905 if the date of manufacture is in doubt.

Just as an aside, this is different for motorcycles for some reason. Veteran is defined as pre-1915, and vintage pre-1931.

It's amazing how much difference a year can make to a bike's value!

[nicanary]

srob said:

Just as an aside, this is different for motorcycles for some reason. Veteran is defined as pre-1915, and vintage pre-1931.

It's amazing how much difference a year can make to a bike's value!

I didn't know that. So is something like a Brough called simply "classic" in bike circles? Or do they have the equivalent of the VSCCs "post-vintage thoroughbred"?

Blimey, this is complicated. And the car boys have the semi-official "Edwardian" tag for 1905-1919. How long before anything pre-1960 has its own nomenclature?

[srob]

nicanary said:

I didn't know that. So is something like a Brough called simply "classic" in bike circles? Or do they have the equivalent of the VSCCs "post-vintage thoroughbred"?

Blimey, this is complicated. And the car boys have the semi-official "Edwardian" tag for 1905-1919. How long before anything pre-1960 has its own nomenclature?

Typically something from the 1930s would be described as either pre-war (which technically covers loads of years, but is usually aimed at just before WW2), post-vintage or simply 'girder fork' era, as the current telescopic forks came in post war, really.

You're right, it is complicated!

There's actually getting more and more events for bikes with girder forks, as the pukka vintage stuff is getting quite expensive now. Although the Banbury Run, which is the biggest vintage event in the world is growing ever more, every year. The entry is capped at 600 machines now, and there's still a long reserves list of those that couldn't get in. Which is good and a great event to spectate - starts and finishes at the Gaydon Heritage Museum, and the first bikes away are returning almost as soon as the last leave.

[Robert C]

A few pictures from me...


IMG_7546.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr


IMG_1468.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr


IMG_1693.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr


IMG_7593.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr


IMG_1077.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr

The real big problem with shooting this event is that there a lot of modern day traffic around and you will see that I have avoided getting any other cars in. Also the location is relatively free from modern day building and street furniture.

The following picture illustrates the modern car issue!


IMG_2630.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr


Finally a B&W conversion


IMG_0890.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr

Robert

[srob]

Robert C said:

The real big problem with shooting this event is that there a lot of modern day traffic around and you will see that I have avoided getting any other cars in. Also the location is relatively free from modern day building and street furniture.

The following picture illustrates the modern car issue!


IMG_2630.jpg by Robert Clayson, on Flickr

Cracking pic's

The modern vehicle problem is the same if you're in an event.

I rode a 1928 sidecar outfit on a vintage bike event last year, and most car drivers give you hardly any consideration. You'll meet one on a single lane road and many will expect you to get off and push the outfit backwards, rather than put them to the inconvenience of selecting reverse!

[lowdrag]

That 1904 Olds caught my eye, because I insured a guy in 1964 who had just that, plus an E-type coupé and a Cooper S 1275 for his SWMBO tyo go shopping in. I wonder if it could be the same? He used to do the London-Brighton and it would be strange if there were two left in the cvountry. He lived just outside Petersfield I seem to recall.

[Excelsior]

A quick scan of sectors 12 to 14 showed 21 Curved Dash Olds entered - safe to say there are quite a lot of them here now