Date: 06 November, 2016
Location: Hyde Park, London
Wonderful contraptions of all shapes and sizes will be on the starting line for the world’s longest-running motoring event.
Thousands of excited spectators will line the route as 400 classic cars – all more than a century old – set off on their annual 60-mile pilgrimage from London to Brighton.
The event takes place on the first Sunday of November every year, with this year marking the 120th anniversary of the very first run.
It’s an opportunity for participants to give their extraordinary vehicles an outing, and you can expect to see everything from early Daimlers to little-known brands such as Leon Bollee. Some cars taking part don’t even have steering wheels!
Old faces and familiar routes
Such is the popularity of the event that many people come back year after year to watch it. The drivers really get into the spirit of things, with some even dressing up in period costume. It really is a sight to behold!
The event starts in Hyde Park and is definitely worth getting up for on a Sunday morning – which is just as well as the cars congregate from 6am, with the first departing at sunrise and the last leaving between 8am and 8.30am.
The first cars are scheduled to arrive in Crawley High Street at the halfway point at about 9.30am, with the last car passing through at around 1.45pm.
As always, the end point is on Brighton’s Madeira Drive just off the city’s famous pier. The fastest cars are expected to cross the finishing line just after 10am.
Don’t leave without…
• Cheering on the competitors: Show your support for the drivers taking their pride and joy out for a spin
• Trying to spot the oldest car: A 1895 Peugeot from the Netherlands is taking part. It will be marked Number 1 – can you get near enough for a photo?
• Looking out for steam-powered vehicles: Most cars will be petrol-powered, but there will be some that run on steam, plus a handful of battery-powered electric vehicles
For more information, go to the Veteran Car Run website, where you can download a detailed map of the spectator route.
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