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London to Brighton Run, 2019

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This Fiat, an 1899 2 cyl 3.5 hp Vis a vis, is owned by FCA but displayed at the National Motor Museum Beaulieu and driven by Doug Hill and Ian Staplefield. This is believed to be one of the first Fiats produced and is one of only three known to survive.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

What a difference a day makes. The weather on Saturday had been terrible, with gale force winds and torrential rain for most of the day. It did not bode well for the London to Brighton Veteran car run taking place the next day.

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A Tourist at the Brighton Run

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Story by Paul Wilson
Photos by Jonathan Sharp

I just returned from watching the Brighton Run for the second time as a spectator. It’s a feel-good event that’s got much wider appeal than the races and car shows I often go to. It’s not competitive: there’s no prize for arriving first (in fact you’re told not to go too fast), the simple cars and fancier ones get equal appreciation from the crowds of cheering fans. Thousands of them line the 60-mile route, smiling and waving at the cars as they go by. I didn’t see a single participant who didn’t look delighted by the experience–though I have to say, this year it was sunny and pleasant, which is unusual in November in England. [Read more…] about A Tourist at the Brighton Run

London to Brighton, 2017

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Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

From a total of 450 entries submitted for this year’s Royal Automobile Club/Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran car run, 49% were of French manufacture. Starting from Hyde Park at 7:02 am (sunrise) 405 cars headed off to Brighton to celebrate the 121st Anniversary run of the passing of the light locomotives on the highway act of 1896. This act of Parliament raised the speed limit for light locomotives weighing less than 3 tons from 4 to 14 mph, and also abolished the requirement for the vehicle to be proceeded by a person on foot carrying a red flag. [Read more…] about London to Brighton, 2017

London to Brighton, Drivers

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Photos by Jonathan Sharp

Fat chance you’ll ever get to see Lewis Hamilton’s face while racing, but at Brighton, they do things the old way. Thank goodness and may it last forever. The first set of images below are blow ups; scroll down to see full size images of the car and drivers. Ed.

For a more complete coverage of this year’s 450 entry Brighton Run, click here.

[Read more…] about London to Brighton, Drivers

Italian Car Day at Brooklands

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This 1965 Fiat 850 Coupe benefited from spending the first 50 years of her life enjoying Italian Sunshine. Behind on the banking is a rather more recent baby performance Fiat, namely a 100 HP Panda.To the left of the shot is an even quicker Fiat, or should I say 500 Abarth.

This 1965 Fiat 850 Coupe benefited from spending the first 50 years of her life enjoying Italian sunshine. Behind on the banking is a rather more recent baby performance Fiat, a 100 HP Panda.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

On Saturday April 30, the gates to the Brooklands circuit were opened at 8am to let in the first arrivals for the annual Italian Car day. I am told those early arrivals had started to queue at around 6.30 am. Such is the popularity of this annual event which is now in its 31st year.

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London to Brighton and the Classics of Regent Street

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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

Brighton Run 2013 in Photos by Jonathan Sharp

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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!

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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)


[Read more…] about Brighton Run 2013 in Photos by Jonathan Sharp

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