Veteran Cars Make the London to Brighton Car Run

Well at least most of them did. Of the 566 pre-1905 machines that made the 112th running of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, 421 finished.

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest running motor event in the world. It commemorates Britain’s Emancipation Run of November 14, 1896 which celebrated the passing into law of the Locomotives on the Highway Act that raised the speed limit for `light locomotives' from 4 mph to 14 mph, and abolished the requirement for these vehicles to be preceded by a man on foot.

The annual event began as it did back in 1896 in London’s Hyde Park on Sunday, November 2nd surprisingly with weather that was quite kind to the drivers of the mostly opened topped vehicles. The first cars started at 7:00am and drove down the A23 through Croydon and Redhill. Participants stopped for breakfast at Crawley before the climbs through Burgess Hill and Clayton Hill and then to the finish on Madeira Drive in Brighton.

This year’s event celebrated pre-1905 French manufacturers, and the first stage of the official launch of the 2008 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run took place at the Moulin Rouge in Paris in September. 270 French cars made the trip to London as well as a number of brightly dressed dancing girls from the Moulin Rouge to help give the day a French flavor.

Bonhams' biggest ever London to Brighton Auction on Friday, October 31st launched the Veteran Car Run's weekend by selling thirteen pre-1905 cars. One of those cars was a rare 1903 Malicet et Blin 8hp Four-Seater that had taken part in thirteen consecutive Runs between 1995 and 2007, and was offered with entry to this year's event. It sold on Friday for £84,000 ($140,000) and the new owner enjoyed a successful first outing on Sunday's longest running motoring event.

Photo - Getty Images of 1936 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run