Veteran Car Run - London to Brighton

Wednesday, 09 November 2011 08:55

This weekend in 2011, saw the 115th anniversary of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

A true motorists dream to be taking part, with proper fuel stops and a range of good places for cars to stop. The weather held for what turned out to be a rather special day. Lara Platman had the honour of travelling with 'Genevieve', made famous by the 1953 film named after this Darracq model and 'Spyker', the race rival in the film. Here she tells us of the rather fast day that she had capturing all the action in stop frame motion.

Sitting in the back (literally) of a Freelander with the window open, I lean out of the car like a Schnauzer catching air, although my driver seems to have forgotten that he is not in a rally and that I am in the back, I get pulled and pushed from one side to the other throughout my journey from London to the Sussex Downs. I meet some people before the off. One being Jochen Mass, ex formular one driver and now driver for Mercedes Benz he is going to be in Car number 492. With Jochen Mass is owner Alexandre Schroder-Frerkes. This car which was bought in 2007 and was an undertakers car. It always needs a good push up the hill..

"3 people have to step out and give it a good push up the hill" Says Alexandre, "we are Germans, we will finish".

On asking Jochen Mass what his favourite part of the car run is; "driving these cars is like an exercise in aesthetics" he said the best parts are leaving Hyde park and finally arriving at the sea.

I then walk to find a keen enthusiast who places toys from the film Genevieve made by Charbens minitiature series on the body of the Darracq. Mr Rupert Nichol was given these little wooden toys by his great aunt, which we a sort of reply from the current matchbox toys. The Charben series was launched to celebrate the film in 1953. Mr Nichol now has a grandaughter and has seen the film Genevieve over 7 or 8 times with her. "The original matchbox 35 miniature toys were new cars such as milk floats, fire engines and other lots of little things like Handsome cabs and this Dion Bouton".

Genevieve, a 1904 Darracq) and Spyker are owned by the Louwman Museum in the Hague. James Wood and Ms Quirina Louwman will be driving on Genevieve and Mr Eevert Louwman on Spyker. The Louwman museum also holds the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 used in Goldfinger. Genevieve has travelled down to Brighton 17 times and Spyker 2 times since being in the Museum.. Genevieve has been on the run in 1950, 51, 52, and 53 and the film was made in 1953.
The two cars have always made it.

I look around and it seems everyone is called Genevieve, the little girl on her daddie's shoulders is called Genevieve. Everyone standing out on the streets look out for the famous cars. where many more are called Genevieve.

It is the off and I see Mr Peter Foubister, the Motoring Secretary of the Royal Automobile Club and Mr Duncan Wiltshire driving the RAC1 Simms-engined car built in 1900.

Genevieve drives past Buckingham Palace. I am keeping up with her, she is really quite fast you know. Peter Foubister and Duncan Wiltshire on the Simms past Bucking Palace. Mr Ben Cussons (Chairman of Royal Automobile Club) in the M.M.C 1900 pasts Buckingham Palace and heading towards Westminster Bridge, getting engine trouble and having the RAC helpful chaps come and look at the engine. The RAC chaps knew nothing of this old car, Ben fixes it and goes on his way trundling past the Houses of Westminster and Big Ben.

We head towards Streatham and I see some onlookers sitting having a cup of tea in front of a derelict shop and then an onlooker standing in his pyjamas looking at the veteran cars go past his driveway in South London.

Spyker stops for water. Radiator troubles due to the heavy traffic getting out of London. The two cars once again race a bit and at traffic lights the two cars were both revving to get off the lights first.

Car number 227 Mr Paul and Mrs Gail Noon, they have taken part in the veteran car run 16 times, this 1902 Westfield has made it 10 out of the 16 times. Goes up to 50mph, it is very technically advanced, powerful and a very beautiful car. Robert Lester in Clevelan Ohio restored it at a cost of $400,000. This is one of 6 veteran cars in Paul's collection.

Now Genevieve gets stuck in modern traffic and uses the bus lane to skip through A scheduled water stop for car number 6, the Salvesen steam vehicle built in
1896 driven by Mr Michael Burton and owned by Mr John Brydon.. water taken directly from the mains on pavements along the London to Brighton route.

Spyker stops for another little sip of water whilst drag racing cars, American Classics and a small low rise cyber bicycle pass by. The road sign says Brighton/ London with arrows pointing in the correct directions.

Genevieve patiently waits for her racing friend.

Everyone in the run at some stage stops to fill up for petrol. We see cars being pushed, cars abandoned cars struggling on the open roads. Repairs are made to tyres, chains and gears.

In Crawley now for a lunch stop where everyone comes over to say hello to the two famous cars and tell how their children and grandchildren are all called Genevieve.

Car number 86 a 1903 Panhard Lavasser, has been on the London to Brighton run 24 times but Mr ken Barley wearing a flat cap and carrying a Castrol oil can, has owned the car for the past 22 years. Initially his dear friend 86 year old Mr Bryan Firth drove the Panhard, then when Kath Barley was old enough she started to drive it and has done so for the past 14 years. Mr Firth wears a yellow leather long coat was made especially for the veteran car run 22 years ago, so he could keep warm and dry. It has a double leather button system so the wind will stay out and the warmth in for these very open cars.

Kath, although works outside usually, has on today 7 layers on top and 3 layers on the bottom. She says "Luckily this French 10 horse power 4 cylinder engine does not need to be pushed up those hills". She continues, "It is so lovely to be part of this run and we always seem to end up near Genevieve, we take her out though on local runs around Yorkshire and see other veteran cars." The lamps were filled with parafin for this morning's 7.02 am start.

We are off again and Spyker and Genevieve toot their way along the route and jest with each other at traffic lights as to who will go first. Everyone is very excited to see these two cars on the route today. Spyker and Genevieve arrive at the final check point in Brighton together before they head down to Meridian drive on the sea front.

Genevieve usually arrives in Brighton at 10.30am but today they both arrived at 1.00pm just in time for a good old fashioned picnic lunch on the front. The Panhard arrives soon after the two film stars. Genevieve and the Panhard park up together on the Meridian drive Brighton, on the promenade.

I go for a well-deserved cup of tea and a chocolate hobnob.

I wonder if I might suggest driving back to London? By Lara Platman

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