Hundreds of our fine four fendered friends chugged into town today with the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 2009.
Organisers estimate nearly 500 classic cars made the 60-mile run from London’s Hyde Park to Brighton sea front.
In a statement, they said: “Despite the driving rain, the participants battled their way to the finish line with a smile on their faces.
“However by mid afternoon the clouds parted and the sun came out to greet the final cars to cross the line on Brighton seafront.”
Here are pictures from the event’s group on Flickr:
And here is a video filmed in Hyde Park this morning and uploaded to YouTube by SirMarvin2:
The first car to reach the finish line on Madeira Drive was car 142, a 1902 Oldsmobile, driven by 22-year-old Canadian John Brooks, with his father Robert alongside him in the passenger seat.
Despite being in his early twenties, the 2009 event marked John’s 17th London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, though not all as a driver.
He said at the finish line: “We had a really great run. The terrible weather meant there was less traffic so there were no delays on the roads.”
The first six veteran cars to reach Madeira Drive in the minimum three hours from start to finish were –
1. 143 1902 Oldsmobile Curved-dashed Runabout John Brooks (CDN)
2. 77 1900 Haynes-Apperson Phaeton Richard Beddall (GB)
3. 191 1902 Renault Single Seater Jean-Claude Busine (B)
4. 188 1902 Clement Two-seater Rene Verbeist (B)
5. 620 Panhard et Levassor Rear-entrance Tonneau Jeremy Stubbs (GB)
6. 185 1902 Darracq Tonneau Allan White Jnr (GB)
