THE LONDON - TO - BRIGHTON VETERANS RUN.

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THE LONDON TO BRIGHTON VETERANS RUN.

Over Filly Old Cars Celebrate 34th Anniversary of

Emancipation Day. T_ , HE London to Brighton Run was organised this year by the R.A.C. on 23rd November in order to celebrate the anniversary of the first famous run of November, 1896, which marked the repeal of the famous Red Flag Act.” Only cars built prior to the end of 1904 were eligible to take part in this year’s run, but the really remarkable entry of 58 veterans was received by the Club. The entry list for the run was as follows : 1894 Benz (G. J. Allday), 1896 Leon Bollee (E. G. Bromhead), 1897 Leon Bailee (S. C. H. Davis), 1897 Benz (Mrs. M. Miles), 1897 Benz (E. G. Blake), 1898 Benz (C. S. Burney), 1898 Vipen (F. Harvey, A.M.I.M.E.) 1898 Star Dog Cart (F. S. Rowden and H. Hall), 1898 Stephens (R. Stephens), 1898 M.M.C. Dog Cart (E. G. Bromhead), 1898 Daimler (D. M. Copley), 1899 Progress Voiteurette (M. E. Davenport), 1900 Clement (R. B. -Taylor and G. T. Taylor), 1900 Benz (F. H. Pearse), 1900 Peugeot (R. 0. Shuttleworth), 1900 De Dion Bouton (Wm. F. Martin-Hurst), 1900 Peugeot Voiturette (S. G. Cummings), 1900 Renault (P. Harvey, A.M.I.M.E.) 1900 Fiat (Messrs. Fiat Ltd), 1901 De Dion (Wm. Keppel), 1901 Oldsmobile (Vernon Balls), 1902 De Dion Bouton (E. K. Karslake), 1902 Gladiator (C. Holbeach), 1902 De Dion (P. McEntee), 1902 De Dion Bouton (G. A. Mangoletsi), 1902 Daimler (H. C. Butterfield), 1902 De Dion (G. Burtenshaw), 1902 Durkopp (Friary Motors Ltd.), 1902 Panhard (J. A. Turner), 1903 De Dietrich (R. 0. Shuttleworth), 1903 Siddeley (J. D. Siddeley, C.B.E.), 1903 Riley (Victor Riley), 1903 Mercedes (Friary Motors Ltd.), 1903 Cadillac (G. Burten:shaw, Jnr.), 1903 Thornycroft (T. Thornycroft), 1903 Wolseley (J. H. Wylie), 1903 Rover (R. U. Price), 1903 Decauville (G. de Havilland), 1903 Mercedes (A. H. R. Fedden), 1903 Oldsmobile (K. Kirton), 1903 Cadillac

(F. S. Bennett), 1903 Lanchester (Lord Ridley), 1903 Wolseley (A. J. Edmunds), 1904 Renault (G. Willeby), 1904 White Steamer (F. C. White), 1904 Rolls. Royce (Sir John Prestige), 1896 Daimler (R. 0. Shuttleworth), 1897 Panhard-Levassor (R. 0. Shuttleworth), 1897 Daimler (G. H. Pruen), 1897 Daimler (R. C. Blake), 1899 Renault (B. J. Smyth-Wood), 1900 Wolseley (R. 0. Shuttleworth), 1930 Cyclon (EE. Duncan), 1900 De Dion (Miss E. Brown,) 1901 Renault (F. Ibbetson), 1901 Panhard (L. W. Gibbens).

Of the fifty-eight entries, fifty-one started, and no less than forty-eight arrived in Brighton. The start was from Henly’s Service Station near the Embankment, and the cars went by Westminster Bridge and followed the traditional route by Brixton, Purley, Redhill, Reigate, Crawley, Handcross, Bolney and Patcham. The weather was unbelievably kind, for although both Saturday and Monday were wet, Sunday was a brilliantly fine day and not too cold, even for the crew perched on the top of a “fin de siècle” automobile. A very large crowd lined almost the whole route, and the enthusiasm in Brighton when the cars arrived was tremendous.

The first car to reach Brighton was R. 0. Shuttleworth’s 24 h.p. de Dietrich of 1903, fitted with a racing body of true Paris-Madrid type. Shuttleworth himself, however, was driving an 1896 Daimler, and was almost the last to arrive after experiencing incredible vicissitudes on the way. Cars were, in fact, arriving in Brighton all the afternoon, from before mid-day till after 4 p.m. As a finish to the proccedings the competitors were entertained to tea by the R.A.C. and presented with certificates stating their times and average speeds.

A full report of the run by our special correspondent, who took part in the event, will appear in next month’s issue of “MOTOR SPORT.”