Over 320 classic cars made the 60 mile trip from London to Brighton today, marking the 125th anniversary of the annual RM Sotheby’s veteran car run.
In 1896, the first Veteran Car Run from London to Brighton was held to celebrate the increase in speed limits from 4 mph to 14 mph.
The fleet’s annual journey of 60 miles from Hyde Park (London) to Madeira Drive (Brighton), is made up all vehicles that were in service between 1904 and 19.
‘Veteran’ motors are defined as those built before 31 December 1904, according to the The National Motor Museum Trust.
At 10:10 this morning, the classic cars started arriving at the beachside resort after having begun to depart Hyde Park at dawn.
In this 125th year anniversary event, classic cars from the dawn of automobiles ran the distance between Hyde Park (London) and Madeira Drive (Brighton).
The event began at dawn with the symbol flag-tearing in Hyde Park. A few vehicles made their way to Brighton by 10am.
The London leg of the veteran car run soon gave way to leafy villages in Sussex (pictured: Staplefield, Sussex)
Each of the cars in the show was at least 1904. It all began with a 1896 liberalization in automobile law.
Drivers could only travel 4 mph before the 1896 liberalization of road laws. They were also required to be accompanied by a person with a red flag who walked ahead.
London witnessed the symbolic toppling of a red flag as the event began.
Automobile operators had to be accompanied by an escort, waving a red banner twenty yards in advance of their destination, before 1896 (the date for the first London-to–Brighton car race).
Following the flag-ripping the classic cars made it through Admiralty Arch and down Constitution Hill to reach Parliament Square.
In order to decrease congestion and demonstrate their respect for modern motorists, they split the convoy into two different groups.
To reduce congestion, the group of more than 320 cars was split in two. One cohort followed the A23 via Kensington, Brixton, Streatham, and the other took the A24 route through Kensington, Brixton, Streatham, and the A237 over Clapham Common, then went on to Tooting and Mitcham.
Over 320 vintage cars completed the historic 60-mile route between London and Brighton today.
The cold temperatures forced spectators to wear coats and hats to greet the classic cars that passed through Staplefield in Sussex.
A small group of old cars followed the historic route by crossing Westminster Bridge to continue on A23 via Kensington Brixton Streatham.
The Argus reported that half of the group crossed the Thames via Lambeth Bridge. They then followed A3, A24 and A217 over Clapham Common before going through Tooting & Mitcham.
The two groups were reunited on the A236 north of Croydon as they headed south through Surrey, then to Hassocks and Clayton and finally ending up on Madeira Drive, Brighton.