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[ Post Brighton Veteran Run
meet at the Black Horse - November 2022
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and
SVVS PARTICIPANTS ON THE LONDON TO BRIGHTON RUN
Some SVVS Members who have been spectating on the London to
Brighton Veteran Car Run traditionally meet up later at the Black
Horse at Hookwood, for a noggin and natter. This year the
weather on the Run was very wet, windy, and atrocious, which was not helping
the steadily
decreasing number of general spectators along the route. This is a
shame because the Run continues to be a great free spectacle.
Equally depressing was the turnout of SVVS cars at the Black Horse
of only three proper vehicles. Our regular SVVS
'snapper' Tony Oakes was feeling his advancing age and decided that
getting soaking wet at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning was not for
him so put his feet up. Fortunately our Editor Malcolm Ward and his 'snapper' son
Darren were in South Croydon to record the events. Report and photos are
below. The Black Horse report is below that.
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SVVS Members Participating on
the Brighton Veteran Run - November 2022
Introduction
by SVVS Editor : Malcolm Ward; Photos by Darren Ward
When I drew back my bedroom curtains at 6.30am Sunday morning I
was hoping the weather forecasters had got it wrong, but the threatened
rain had arrived. They must have thought the same in 1896, the day of the
first run, they awoke to a wet Saturday. 126 years later the weather was
totally authentic, though I suspect a little exaggerated! My son Darren
and I were at our usual vantage point in South Croydon by 7.30am. Darren
had rigged an ingenious method of supporting a wide umbrella in his top
pocket and secured it with a luggage strap around his chest, thus enabling
him to use both hands to operate the long lens camera. What a good idea I
thought, but my rain jacket had no top pocket! We waited in the light rain
about fifteen minutes before the first veteran car trundled past at quite
a reasonable rate of knots. Then the threatened heavy rain started ...or
'torrential' is a better description. It was difficult to distinguish what
cars were approaching through the spray! We had four cars of interest to
watch for and photograph, Member Myetta Brown was riding in a Darracq,
David Ralph was riding with Penny Chew in her De Dion, Rebert Pedler
driving his De Dion and Ben driving David Smart's Cadillac. The Wolseley
belonging to Mike Doughty was not entered this year.
I was surprised how cheerful most of the competitors
were, enthusiastically waving to the few spectators dotted along the
route, even those on the many bicycles entered this year waved. But some
you could see, like us, were wishing they could have stayed in bed! I
tried to use my little camera with one hand, but the results were useless,
so I was relying on my son to cope with the dark, the glare from
approaching headlights and capturing the right moving vehicles at the
right moment. We watched vehicle after vehicle, then suddenly, through the
spray, appeared the little Darracq! Darren checked his shots and gave the
thumbs up, one in the bag! A while later came Penny's De Dion with
Robert's De Dion not far behind. Where was that Cadillac? We had been
standing there for over two hours now! The rain continued to hammer on our
umbrellas and our shoes were filling with water! Many cars past us, but
finally the unmistakable shape of the high roofed Cadillac appeared from
the gloom. Ben and David spotted my frantic waving and enthusiastic waves
were exchanged all round. Mission complete, it was time to head home to
empty our shoes, wring out our sodden clothing and enjoy a mug of hot
chocolate.
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MYETTA
BROWN by Clive Brown
Having left the south coast just before 4.00am, we arrived in
London in plenty of time to unload the Darracq and have a look around some
of the other cars before our team was due to start. Having seen them off,
I took a different route out of London in the hope of getting to Redhill
ahead of the Darracq.
Unfortunately, that all went wrong when I found the
road closed at the top of Reigate Hill after a ‘major incident’, so I
decided to take to the M25 and M23.
As those roads have been built since I
lived in the area, I didn’t realise that I wouldn’t be able to leave
the motorway before Gatwick, by which time I was almost at the half-way
stop at Crawley.
Having by then become thoroughly wet and cold, Myetta
decided to transfer to my support vehicle after Crawley, but the others
carried on to the finish. The Darracq ran well for the whole trip.
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DAVID RALPH
For many entrants the 2022 Brighton Run will be
remembered for the torrential rain that lasted all day. But for me one
thing that stands out is the lack of classic cars clogging the route as
they barge in on the Veteran’s day. Usually there are countless classic
cars joining the event and making a real nuisance of themselves as they
clog the roads weaving in and out of the traffic while cutting us up. They
get in the way and make a hard drive even harder.
But in 2022 the terrible
weather kept the classics off the roads and left them much clearer for the
veteran cars to enjoy as ‘their day’. It’s said that there is never
the wrong weather, only the wrong clothes. But when the relentless rain
hammers
down all the labels saying waterproof are lying and the rain comes in
until even your underwear’s wet. The joys of veteran motoring!
I’m
pleased to report that Penny did a magnificent job driving in extremely
challenging conditions and we safely made it toBrighton. Penny has now taken part in 20 Brighton Runs in her car and
made it to the finish every time. She’s looking forward to the next 20
runs whatever the weather throws at us. |
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ROBERT PEDLER:
Not sure where the photo of us was taken
but must have been before Coulsdon. That's where our participation came to
an end with sticking gears, a pea soup coloured mix of oil and water
pouring out the gear box and all three of us totally soaked!
Thanks to the
RAC Recovery and a very kind friend who lives in Coulsdon we were rescued
and the car tucked safely away. We were then delivered to Brighton to
collect our luggage and take part in the Sunday night dinner.
The De Dion
was recovered by us with our trailer the following day. Received wisdom is
that all we need to do is drain the fluid, flush with clean oil and
re-fill, checking for leaks etc.
Apparently De Dion's are prone to this
and several others had the same problem but managed to limp in.
One friend
coming into Brighton said he had floodwater over his floorboards at one
point.
A new experience ... as another participant said "Blow the RAC
- just call the RNLI".
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DAVID SMART:
As usual up at silly o’clock, and arrived
at Hyde Park, with the weather cloudy but it was dry. Time to walk down
the line of cars that had yet to go. Chatted with one of two that we knew,
including David Ralph. Then 6 mins board came along, started up and with
Ben driving we made our way to the front to be flagged off, then it
started to rain. We took the Blue route which takes us through Clapham
Common - Balham – Tooting – Mitcham and joins the Red Route that comes
down the A23. A pit stop at Christ Church, Purley where they gave out
coffee and bacon sandwiches with a smile, very welcome. Chugged along the
A23 now pouring at times, therefore not as many people by the roadside as
last year. Made a small detour in Horley as there was a bit of a hold up,
on to Crawley, no hold up there. We were within a quarter of a mile from
the check-in point at the Hawth when the car decided that it was so wet
through, and so close to home, that it decided to fail to proceed, right
in the bus lane! It would run for a few seconds and then die. Had a lot of
help form RAC men who spend the day voluntarily. After over half an hour
we were eventually towed in to The Hawth where a breakfast had been laid
on in the form of a sausage and egg in a bun, plus coffee. Still tipping
it down, the trailer was summoned and it was not long afterwards that we
were pushing the car into the garage. As we closed the doors we could see
in the south west a large patch of blue sky. Monday morning, having been
in the dry garage over night, it started up and ran OK. Lets face it, the
old girl is 117 years old (The Cadillac, not the wife!).
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Post Brighton Veteran Run
SVVS meet at the Black Horse - November 2022
Sunday 6th
Report by Tony Russell Photos Chas Moody
November. Rain, driving cold rain.
Just what was not needed on the day of the 121st London to
Brighton Veteran Car Run. The road outside my house had turned into a
small river so the 1937 Ford stayed in the garage, 85 year old Ford
touring cars leak, even with the hood firmly up, as it always is, rain
comes in round the screen, over the screen and up through the floor.
Imagine a cold shower with all your clothes on.
Mrs. PR officer and I headed out to
the Black Horse at Hookwood in the rare quad cam 24 valve 2002 “emerging
classic” V6 Mondeo Zetec S estate to meet up for the traditional
lunchtime club gathering. As we drove in I was pleased to see Gifford and
Eileen’s lovely 1933 Singer Sports Tourer already parked up next to
Richard’s 1965 Triumph TR4. We were soon joined by Chas in his 1972
Lancia Fulvia coupe and Chairman Malcolm driving his own “emerging
classic”, a rare 1995 Mazda Xedos V6.
The pub was warm and dry and very
hospitable so the 12 SVVS members and their partners attending enjoyed a
good lunchtime meal and pleasant chat. Good to see John and Lisa Wickens,
Alan Reid, Norman and Maureen Conrad and Bruce Smith
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