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Info `4` (24th October)
Green Motoring in Veteran Style
Three Pre 1905 Electric Vehicles to Participate in 2007 LBVCR
Some of today's motor manufacturers are using hybrid technology to reduce the environmental impact of the vehicles they build. However electrical propulsion for road vehicles is not a 21st Century invention and on Sunday 4 November members of the public can see three examples of electric cars, all over 100 years old.
The three examples were all built in the United States at the very beginning of the 20th Century. The oldest electric car is the Cleveland Stanhope, which was built in 1900 and is now owned and driven by Reginald Blennerhassett-Plunkett, a retired company director from Dublin. Mr. Blennerhassett-Plunkett purchased the car in 1985 and first entered it in the LBVCR in 1999 and has participated every year since. Affectionately known as ‘Jilly', the Cleveland Electric has finished the 60-mile route four times out of seven attempts and it takes four recharges of the batteries to reach Madeira Drive in Brighton.
The next oldest of the trio is the 1902 Columbia Tonneau) owned and driven by John Hanson, who flies over from his home in Michigan to take part. Purchased from the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan in 1974 the 3¾hp Columbia has a top speed of just 11mph and Mr. Hanson has kept the car in its original condition. On 4 November he will also be wishing for the same sunny weather as experienced on last year's event because when it rains the driver has been known to receive a mild electric shock from the steering tiller. John Hanson has driven the car on the LBVCR thirty-four times since 1974 and only failed to reach Brighton on one occasion.
The ‘baby' of group is the 1903 Waverley Surrey of Gervase Forster from Buckinghamshire. The 104-year-old car was previously owned by the famous Edison Institute Museum and was purchased by the current owner in 1990. Mr Forster drove ‘Sparky' for the first time on the LBVCR in 1992. The Waverley has a top speed of 20mph from the six horsepower electric motor and can seat four people.
Info `3` (4th October)
The 528 entries, all built between 1895 and 1904 include three electric vehicles built between 1900 and 1903, nineteen steam vehicles and 102 International entries from as far away as Australia, United States of America, Canada, Mexico, South Africa and China.
Info `2` (20th July)
Entry Hits the 500 Maximum
The entry far exceeds recent years with four months to go
The entry for the 2007 run has reached its maximum of 500 pre 1905 eligible vehicles.
The total represents a 23% increase on the number of entries received by July 2006 and includes over 80 from outside the UK (including USA, China and Europe, plus 14 vehicles that have never taken part in the 111 year history of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
“We are extremely pleased at the number of entries we’ve received this year and to have already beaten the entry for the 2006 LBVCR is excellent news,” said Roger Etcell, LBVCR Event Director. “We will continue to accept entries to go on the reserve list for the 2007 event as, inevitably, with cars of this age we lose a small number of entries due to mechanical problems as the Run approaches.”
“We have received 54 entries that are new to us as the organisers of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run,” Roger Etcell continued. “While 40 of those cars have taken part at some point in the long history of the Run, we have received 14 entries for cars that have never taken part in the event, which is great news.”
For the next four years a motoring manufacturing nation of the period will be celebrated, with the event themed around that particular country and for this year the United States of America has been chosen. Thirty two different makes of American veteran car, including Cadillac, Ford, Oldsmobile, Pierce and Crestmobile, are due to take part in this year’s LBVCR, travelling along the 60-mile route between London and Brighton.
Owners of an eligible pre-1905 motor vehicle can still enter the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and be placed on the reserve list. The Run takes place on Sunday 4th November and is preceded by a period related auction at Bonhams London New Bond Street Salerooms on Friday 2nd November and an International Concours in London’s Regent Street on Saturday 3rd November.
Info `1` (12th May)
We are very confident of reaching the maximum entry of 500, said Event Director Roger Etcell. The number of participants on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run has increased annually since the new organisation of the event in 2004 and the move to a three day programme, along with increased public awareness through marketing and media coverage, has resulted in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run becoming one of the UK's biggest social motoring events.
The theme this year is the celebration of the United States as a manufacturing nation and we hope to see the number of vehicles of American origin (i.e. Cadillac, Ford, Oldsmobile, Crestmobile and Pierce) increase as a result, Roger Etcell continued. The posters and marketing material have a new design this year and features a Cadillac on the Run. In 2008 France will be the celebrated country, a nation rich in motoring heritage and the roads between London and Brighton will see lots of early examples from Renault, Peugeot, De Dion Bouton and Panhard et Levassor.
The organisers of the LBVCR will be attending The Amelia Island Concours deElegance in the USA on the 10/11 March 2007. With Entry information and all the Options and Opportunities details. Our stand will be adjacent to the Classic & Sports Car magazine stand in the main retail area.
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