The 2004 running of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run was on Sunday 7^th November. As usual 7Oaks were helping with the finishing paddock on Maderia Drive. There was a good turnout of club members to marshal and my thanks go to Len Calver, Peter Piper, Roy Dawson, Chris Scudder, Hales Vaughn, Charles Armstrong-Wilson, Chris Barron, Gordon Franks, John and Penny Milligan and Martin and Karen Stevens. We all enjoyed a sunny day (for a change) on Maderia Drive, seeing the 380 finishers from the 427 starters from Hyde Park at 7.30am that morning.

This year for the first time, it was run by Motion Works Ltd and they had brought in a few new additions to the event this year. First on the Friday, a veteran auction run by Bonhams, followed on the Saturday with a concours in Pall Mall for about 60 cars, all this giving the event a higher profile.

The first finisher at Brighton at 10.40am, was the 1902 Gordon Bennett Napier driven by its new owner, Argentinian Daniel Sielecki. Another finisher was Formula Junior ace circuit racer Edwin Jowsey, who was accompanied by Autosport’s Marcus Pope, in his 1904 De Dion.

In most people’s mind, hero of the event was John Brydon. He had entered the 1896 Salveson steam cart. He had only bought it a couple of months earlier and had only fired it up the Wednesday before the event. On the flat, its top speaed was 10mph, but downhill it could do an almost out of control 14mph! Neither John, who was the stoker, nor the driver Clive Press, expected to make it to the finish, but make the finish they did! They just beat the official closing time of 4.40pm. To achieve this feat they consumed 10 bags of coal and with frequent stops to refill the 240 gallon water tank! Phew!

If you would like join me for the 2005 run at Brighton on 6^th November call Chris Dennis on 0208 467 9933, eveings before 9pm please.