Jonathan Sharp

Mr. Harold Pritchard's 1903 De Dion Bouton on Regent Street. (Click to enlarge)

In our twelve years of publishing weekly, VeloceToday has never covered the London to Brighton Run. Yet it is the oldest vintage car event in the world, usually dominated by French cars. In the last four years the start in London is augmented by what is billed as the ‘largest free motor show in the U.K.,’ the Regent Street Motor Show. This year, Jonathan Sharp reports on the activities from both London and his hometown of Brighton. See also “Brighton in Photos” (link) for Sharp’s excellent Vintage photos. Remember to click on photos to see larger image!

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Be sure to click on the photos to see much larger images!

See More Brighton Run Photos

Regent Street Motor Show
Early Christmas shoppers had a pleasant surprise when they went down to London’s famous Regent Street on the morning of Saturday the 2nd November. Gone were the red buses and black cabs that normally haunt the glamorous shopping street, replaced by a small lineup of Porsche 911s, there to celebrate their 50th Anniversary, a much larger line up of Aston Martins of all ages there to celebrate their 100th Anniversary, and an even larger line up of Veteran Cars there to celebrate the 117th running of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

Aston Martin brigade on London's Regent Street.(Click to enlarge)

Billed as the largest free motor show in the UK, the display is called the Regent Street Motor Show and is now in its fourth year. The Aston Martin line up was a good cross section of David Brown models and later V8 models, Saloons, Vantages and Volantes, brought right up to date with many current examples. From a photographer’s standpoint they had been roped off, which made photography a lot easier. Alas, that was not the case with the Veteran cars which proved very popular with the crowds, so patience was called for when taking shots. I am grateful to the sales assistants in the Jaeger store for allowing me to photograph the racing Napiers from the second floor windows of the ladies wear department, and to the Westminster City Council for positioning street lamps along the middle of the street (which gave me something to climb up!)

Getting the high view. Note the crowd on Regent Street, which seemed very interested in learning more about these Veterans.(Click to enlarge)

Three important Napiers [Read more…] about London to Brighton and the Classics of Regent Street

1898 Peugeot Double Phaeton Type 15 owned and driven by Mr. Colin Clarke. Between 1897 and 1900 Peugeot built 182 Type 15s. This example left the factory on the 16th July 1898. The Type 15 was fitted with the first engine ever built by Peugeot, a horizontal two-cylinder engine with 6 hp allied to a four-speed gearbox and twin-chain drive. One of the Type 15s was sold to Charles Rolls of Rolls-Royce fame. This example is fitted with a Double Phaeton body and still runs on its original hot tube ignition. The chassis tubes form part of the cooling system. The car has a top speed of 25 mph. (Click to enlarge)

Jonathan Sharp highlights the Brighton to London Run in photos. Be sure to read his story, London to Brighton, also in this edition of VeloceToday. Also, click on each photo to see much larger images!

Read more about the event

1902 single-cylinder 8 hp Deckert, owned and driven by Mrs. Barbara Dedman. The Deckert company was founded in Paris in the early 1900s by Henri Deckert. They built motor cycles, motor tricycles and motor cars. To promote his company Henri entered his vehicles in various trails but without success. The company folded in 1906. This is the only surviving example and is a regular entrant in the London to Brighton run. Aurore means dawn. The wheel depicts the rising sun and the bird heralds the dawn of the age of the motor car. (Click to enlarge)

1903 4-cylinder 7700cc 50 hp Napier, the oldest surviving complete British Racing car. The car was driven by Charles Jarrott in the 1903 Gordon Bennett race. Now owned by the National Motor Museum Beaulieu. (Click to enlarge)

This Napier, a 1904 11100cc 100 hp, is now owned by the Louwman Museum. (Click to enlarge)