Crocks at Dawn

[seth]

It wasn't pouring with rain this year, at 5.15am on the first Sunday of November so I dragged myself out of bed and down to Hyde Park. Here's a selection of old chod - there's over 150 photos here if you're bored today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brolly holder/hatbox/roof rack/rat-luk

 

 

Cheer up love! It'll be even colder once you get rolling. And colder again each time you break down!

 

 

They're off! Sadly I missed the first batch which includes some mad hatter on a steam loco thing that pulls a trailer full of coal.

 

 

Oi! No moderns allowed!

 

 

 

Laugh in the face of modern traffic.

 

 

I'm mad I am.

 

 

Infiltrated by the secret service.

 

 

 

Don't drink and steer. Err, tiller.

 

 

 

 

The RAC were in attendance.

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure you get it on film chaps.

 

 

Hot Rod

 

 

Very fine facial hair.

 

 

 

Poor camo. He should have worn a big flowery hat to blend in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These guys had got about 300 yards from the start. Were routing through cardboard boxes of stuff on the trailer.

 

[wuvvum]

Has this chap been sneaky and fitted his veteran with a K series when nobody was looking?

[Station]

Some of those are steam powered, the one with the white steam out of the back is!

This was on a program with Chris Barrie on not long ago, does it actually start that early? The photos look ace, wouldn't London look nice without all the cars on the roads.

[ashmicro]

Wonderful! From the days when motoring was an adventure.

 

GR32 pics Seth.

[seth]

does it actually start that early?

 

The first car departs at official sunrise, 7.04 I think it was this morning. They all start assembling from about 6 though so I run up and down trying to get some photos of this before heading back to Hyde Park Corner and then meandering down to Buckingham Palace. It takes about an hour and a quarter for them all to leave - 572 entries this year according to the website though I dare say a number don't show or make the start.

 

I spotted steam and electric and one went past sounding a bit different that I though might have been diesel. Pretty sure a couple were running on alcohol or something from exhaust smells. It was noticeable that some look and sound really smooth whereas others are super rickety.

[pompei]

That one with all the photographers in the back ... what nationality are the plates? Looks foreign yet it's RHD

[Mash]

That one with all the photographers in the back ... what nationality are the plates? Looks foreign yet it's RHD

 

German I reckon, some older cars do have red letters I've noticed. Also re RHD, a lot of countries were to start off with. The white Mercedes in the pic above it is the same.

 

Excellent pics Seth, they really capture the spirit of the event. I like the woman in the green Argyll - she's probably going "Wahey!!"

[michiel]

Superb stuff Seth!

 

 

 

Wants!

[trigger]

 

Those Opel's will never catch on! GR8 photos Seth, It looks like a spiffing day out, Photographer in camo gear made me LOL though!.

[andrew e]

Excellent Seth I wanted to go, but erm I woke up at 11

 

Those are some excellent tracking shots, what with the earling morning mist thrown in too. I bet its a hell of an adventure being perched on top, certainly a little bit tougher than the future car challenge (yesterday brighton to london in electric tat).

[flat4alfa]

saw a few of those this morning around 9ish - did wonder what was going on! Thought that it was the special brew!

[lancashireclamper]

One of those things I've always wanted to see but never got round to doing, probably watching Genevieve every Bank Holiday Monday from the age of 3 to 13 gave me the idea, will get there one day, its only 270 miles away.

Thanks for posting.

[seth]

It looks like a spiffing day out,

 

Day? Day??? I was home by quarter past nine!

 

probably watching Genevieve every Bank Holiday Monday from the age of 3 to 13 gave me the idea,

 

[lancashireclamper]

Bloody hell Seth, Dinah Sheridan is wearing well!

[worldofceri]

Very cool pictures! This is one event I've always wanted to go and have a nosy at but never had the presence of mind to make a mental note of when it is.

 

Didn't realise it started so early (although it makes perfect sense since most of them must take an age to reach Brighton); I'd relish the early morning blatt down to the big smoke...

 

Do all the participants have to be fully taxed, insured and MoT'd or is there a sort of special historic dispensation for the event?

[Mr Lobster]

Excellent. Looks like a good way to start the day.

 

I'd like a go in one of them though, I reckon it'd be fun!

[nigel bickle]

I was towtruck driver/mechanic on a De Dion yesterday -a complete hoot.

 

Only 1 minor breakdown near Warninglid when it overheated following a long hill .Quick blow through (with a leaf blower) sorted that promptly.

 

Although I only covered part of the actual route, the crowds out were marvellous;and really good to see.

 

All in all -thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommended for a free dayout.

[michiel]

Nice - surprised you don't have an eligible car in your own collection

 

Or do you?

[nigel bickle]

Nope.

 

One day......

[seth]

Nice one Nigel. Bet its a good feeling having some proper involvement in this.

 

Just read the "news" item on the L-B website. 505 cars started the run and 433 made it to the finish. Thats a bloody good result I reckon.

[michiel]

Wow, that is pretty good, even if it takes a leaf blower to get them there!

 

Nigel, 45K will buy you this:

 

 

89K:

 

 

'please ask':

 

 

Expensive hobby...

[nigel bickle]

Yes,

 

I reckon 20k will find something...

 

If its not in regular use - most will need ''remanufacturing'' anyway-and I'm hardly scared of a box of bits.

 

Having dome some work on 'Veterans' over the years -I'd kinda relish the challenge.

 

Prob a vintage bike first- much cheaper!!

[michiel]

Why not go for a combination, half bike, half car...

 

 

I do like the ads on http://www.prewarcar.com/

[michael1703]

I did the run yesterday too, was crew and part time passenger/lever puller in a 1901 locomobile

 

up at 5, in hyde park for 5.45, get the car unloaded, get steam and... brake clevis snaps, so a bit of bodge and off it goes.

 

i jumped into the support car and got us to streatham, car pulls in fine, my missus gets on and we get to croydon and wait, car turns up, we fuel it and ourselves and then its my turn to passenger it.

 

traffic was shite, the car has a chain driven petrol pump on the left and a chain driven water pump in the middle, if you go to slow you have to hand pump them, so for ages as i was pumping the water with my right arm and knee and pumping fuel with my left hand and left foot, the fuel needs a bubble of air in it so we have to pump it up using a footpump on the schrader valve,we get to crawley ok

 

then... the burner wont re-ignite, it backfires very loudly causing car alarm to go off and a few people to shit thmselves and briefly catches fire, a bodge with ptfe and a bolt fixes that and the car is off, i jump in the crew car and drive to pease pottage to get fuel... the car rings to say theyre out of fuel in handcross, were there in under two minutes with fuel and its off again

 

the car is running bad and drinking lots of fuel and water, we have to stop again shortly after as its playing up and then stop for fuel and water again in burgess hill, on again and then the passenger has to get off for a big hill which the car manages under its own steam and then its downhill to brighton, our car arrives at 4.30pm 9 and a quarter hours after setting off

 

 

this is me looking a pleb trying to do up my helmet

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hedgie72/5 ... /lightbox/

[seth]

I did the run yesterday too, was crew and part time passenger/lever puller in a 1901 locomobile

 

Excellent! Thanks for the first hand insight

 

If you/owner/ want a high res version of this let me know.

 

[michiel]

More veterashite, nice!

[trigger]

Just looking through your photos Michael, What going on with the chap in the back here?! is it an immigrant hitch hiking his way in?.

 

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 2010 by hedgie 72, on Flickr

 

and whats going on with this one?! Got some lean to it!

 

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 2010 by hedgie 72, on Flickr

[michael1703]

cant see it trigg

 

heres the pictures we took

 

http://s1007.photobucket.com/albums/af1 ... on%202010/

 

didnt get any on madeira drive as it was dark and we were tired and wanted to get home