If you’ve ever been out on a cold November weekend and thought you’d seen a victim of a time machine chugging down Grand Parade, you may have bumped into the Brighton Veteran Car Run. The annual event, upcoming this month on 2 November, is the perfect reason for a chill day out. All vehicles are eligible to partake if manufactured before 1 January 1905, undertake the 97km drive from Hyde Park to Brighton’s Madeira Drive, and have veteran cars, cycles, and motorcycles arriving from about 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to park pristinely along Brighton’s seafront.
Formally hosted by the Royal Automobile Club since 1930, the run often includes over 400 automobiles, some transported from Europe and North America. The claimed longest running run of its kind marks the delegalising of The Red Flag Act of 1865, requiring someone with a red flag walking ahead of a motorised vehicle to heed the approach. A Parliamentary act in 1878 removed flag-bearing and reduced the distance needed to walk from the vehicle, but it wasn’t until November 1896 that this rule was removed completely with the Light Locomotives on the Highway Act. The Motor Car Club at the time celebrated with The Emancipation Run from London to Brighton, motorists driving these vehicles at the time setting the foundation for the British motor industry without strict regulation.
Throughout the years, annual runs to Oxford, Southsea, or in London have been hosted by various clubs and set a tradition for the London to Brighton today, which occurs on the first Sunday of November. In 1936, the Royal Automobile Club began hosting the morning ceremony for the pre-run assembly in Hyde Park, where cars have begun their run since, taking off from 7 am. Since then, the run has taken place bar wartime and petrol rationing years; however, one car allegedly undertook a lone run in 1947, its driver utilising precious fuel.
The Run has gained publicity through the years, following the premiere of the 1953 film Genevieve, portraying the adventure of two couples on the Run with cars Genevieve and Spyker. Genevieve still runs today, and with many cars repeating the run, participants are eligible to receive longevity medals for completing 10, 25, or 50 runs. In 1971, Queen Elizabeth also entered a 70-year-old Daimler that was originally owned by King Edward VII, which has now undertaken many runs driven by various family members and Royal Household staff. Many others are family-owned, and it is commonplace to see vintage dress-up matching the time period their car was manufactured in, adding to the overall atmosphere.
The Club suggests St Peter’s as a suitable spot to see the cars, but they’re easy to spot amongst modern traffic. Between Old Steine to Madeira Drive usually has marshals directing traffic to the finish line, where drivers have a quick chat with event MCs before heading to park on the Drive. If you’re a true fan, the organisers’ website shows make, model, and other details of participating cars. Always a great event to catch, and if you’re hanging around town after, you may even catch some cars heading off along the coastal roads.
