6 November: London to Brighton Car Run

The London to Brighton Veteran car run is taking place today in England. Here are some things you may not know about this event.

1. The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest-running motoring event in the world. It is also the world's largest gathering of veteran cars with nearly 500 cars taking part in recent years.
2. It takes place on the first Sunday in November. It starts from Hyde Park at Sunrise and mostly follows the A23 road to the official finish point at Preston Park, Brighton. The cars then proceed to Madeira Drive on the seafront, presumably so owners can show them off and have their pictures taken!
3. The length of the run is 54 miles or 87km.
4. Participants officially stop at Crawley for a Coffee break.
5. To qualify, a car must have been built before 1905.
6. The first run took place in 1896, on November 14. It was called "The Emancipation Run" and celebrated the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896. This act had increased the speed limit from 4 mph (6 km/h) in the country and 2 mph (3 km/h) in towns, to 14 mph (23 km/h). The act also did away with the requirement that an escort had to walk 60 yards (50m) in front of a car waving a Red flag. The participants that year met for breakfast at the Charing Cross Hotel and set off at 10.30am after Lord Winchelsea tore a red flag in half.
7. The run is not a race. Cars are not allowed to go faster than an average speed of 20 mph (32 km/h) and the order they finish in is not recorded, although any that get there before 4.30pm get a medal. The order was recorded in 1896, however. The first vehicle to arrive was a petrol driven, two seater tricicle tandem ridden by Léon Bollée, closely followed by his wife Camille (not clear if she was on the back of his tandem or riding an identical one of her own). The first actual car to arrive was a Duryea, driven by Charles Duryea. This was the first time an American car had been driven in Europe.
8. Prince Michael of Kent regularly takes part; other famous drivers have included Sir Malcolm Campbell, George Formby, Stirling Moss and Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco.
9. The film Genevieve (1953) is set during a London to Brighton car run.
10. Since 2010 there has been a parallel event called the Brighton to London Future Car Challenge. It takes place the day before the main run, and follows the same route, but in the opposite direction, starting in Brighton and finishing in Regent Street. This event showcases the cars of the future - low energy impact vehicles such as electric and hybrid cars.