The 113th London to Brighton veteran car run was held last Sunday. We went along to the international concours event which for the last few years has been held on Regents Street the day before. Over 100 of the 550 entries were on display. It’s a really great way to spend a Saturday morning with some fabulously rare and historic cars mixing with the early Christmas shoppers. It’s largely a static display but there are a few cars which are driven up and down Conduit Street. This always gets a lot of attention especially the steam engines which need a lot of coaxing into life.
These are unique cars which have taken a real commitment to build, maintain and run. Owners are only too eager to tell you their cars history which in one case involved a twenty year rebuild with many new parts being made by hand on the lathe in the garden shed. I’m sure that is a common story after all your local Motor Factor isn’t going to help much. Many entrants have owned there cars for many years and come back to this event year after year.
There are always lots of familiar manufacturers cars on show; Fiat, Renault, Mercedes, Benz, Daimler, Peugeot, Ford and Cadillac. But it’s the number and variation of obscure names that always is surprising; Martini, Clement, Rex, Humberette, Pope-Tribune and Knox - the list could go on for a very long time. The variation in the driver controls is fascinating with variations in pedal layouts, braking systems and even steering controls. The evolution of the motor car must have been a cut-throat business but it gradually filtered out the best designs and strongest companies.
Having spent a few days at Fowey Hall earlier in the year, which apparently was the inspiration for Toad Hall (of Toad of Toad Hall fame) it was also good to see owners maintaining standards by dressing for the part and wearing some marvellously silly hats and goggles…
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