Large Crowds Watch London To Brighton Veterans' Run

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 13

Large Crowds Watch London To Brighton Veterans' Run

(By

ZALIA THOMAS]

LONDON. In 1896 British motorists met in London to celebrate their newly-won right to drive a motor at more than four miles an hour without a pedestrian having to walk in front with a red flag. After the celebration they began an emancipation run from London to Brighton which has been commemorated annually since 1928, with the exception of the war years. This year, 65 years after that first run, interest in the Veteran Car Run has grown to such an extent that entries had to be restricted to 250 cars and limited to models built before December. 1904. Spectators lining the 52mile route from London's Hyde Park to the Promenade at Brighton were said to be in the region of two million and the Royal Automobile Club estimated that motoring spectators were arriving at the resort at the rate of 2000 cars an hour. Mishap Out of a total of 228 entrants. 215 cars completed the course, the only mishap of the day occurring when a 1904 Riley braked suddenly, to avoid a collision, and overturned. The driver, passenger and a bystander were taken to hospital but were not badly injured. The first car to reach Brighton, a 1901 Progress which had been entered for the last 12 years, arrived at 10.40 p.m. Its driver, Mr M. Davenport, said the journey was ‘the best I’ve ever had.” Cars leave London in order of seniority, but there was no special prize for arriving first Each car completing the run received a commemorative bronze plaque and anyone arriving by 4 p.m. was eligible for this. Second car to arrive was an 1898 De Dion Bouton, ridden by Mr Arthur Crewe, of Hull. He made the 52-mile journey from London on half a gallon of petrol Steamers The two steam-driven entrants were soon out of the run. One, a Gardner-Serpollet steamer of 1900, could not leave the starting line because of mechanical trouble, and the 1903 White Steamer got only as far as Pall Mall. A number of entrants had to push their cars along the promenade to the finishing line and one had been pushed by its four passengers for the last four miles into Brigh-

ton. Crowds lining the promenade gave them an enthusiastic reception and serenaded them with the famous Harry Lauder song: ‘Keep right on to the end of the road." There was a further burst of applause for another competitor who was accompanied by a large golden Labrador in a deer-stalker hat seeming perfectly at home in the passenger seat. For the third successive year. Jack Brabham was driving the 1904 Sunbeam which is owned by the Rootes Group and normally kept in the Brighton Motor Museum.

U.S. Entry Europe was well represented in the run, cars being entered from Holland, Belgium and Germany. America, too, had her representative, an 1899 Hayes-Apperson, built at a time when these two pioneer American makers were working together. Owned by Mr J. A. Frost, of Detroit, who was a passenger, it was driven on this occasion by a Mr W. Heater and arrived safely at Brighton after three stops for adjustments on the way. This magnificent vehicle with a surrey, roof, complete with fringe, bore the stars and stripes behind each of its gleaming brass coach lamps and received a special round of applause from the crowd. Many of the competitors take the journey leisurely, stopping on the way for re-

freshments and minor adjustments which are provided tree of charge by various organisations. At Brighton the local corporation’s hot baths are made available to those taking part in the run. This is perhaps the most appreciated service of all, for the majority of the cars have no windscreens or protection from the w’ind and rain and contestants arrive very cold and dusty even on the finest of days. One might imagine that all the potential Brighton run entries have now been discovered. but a 1903 De Dion, which took part in this year’s race, was only recently dug out from behind a shop in London where it had lain unnoticed for 50 years.