H I T T H E ROA D Briih styl


London to Brighton


Here in the UK there is a rich history of motoring, so if you have a need for speed or your eyes like to gaze at beautiful cars, throughout the year you’ll find something for just about anyone with a passion for all things automobile. From the birth of early car manufacturing and the start of racing, there is a long and interesting timeline to enjoy and explore. The first cars to run in this country had a man on foot at the front of this new horseless carriage, with a red flag to indicate that this new contrap- tion was approaching. A change in the law brought about an increase in the speed limit from 4mph to a hair-raising 14mph. To celebrate this, an event was held in 1896 called the “The Emancipation Run,” with cars gathering to drive a distance of 54 miles. This was the start of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. The event is still held today and the only criteria is that vehicles have been manufactured be- fore 1905. If you have the car, you’ll need the outfit as everyone taking part in the rally dresses up in Edwardian attire. This really sets the scene for people who come


12 FOCUS The Magazine May/June 2018


along to view the cars and drivers in their full regalia. The race takes place on the first Sunday in November when cars gather at Hyde Park for the sunrise start and set out for a slow but steady drive down to the seafront in Brighton. The Germans may have built the first combus- tion engine and the French initially built 50 percent of all cars on the planet but the British built the world’s first race circuit. In order to catch up with European compe- tition, Hugh Locke King built a track so everyone could come and test their cars for speed and endurance at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey in 1907. This was the first time someone managed to travel more than 100 miles in one hour, a record set by Percy E. Lambert in 1913. The Brooklands track was also an airfield and while racing ceased in 1939, aircraft pro- duction continued until 1986. In 1987, a trust was formed and the Brooklands Museum was established. The site was bought by Daimler Chrysler and Mercedes Benz World was created in 2004, a facility that allows people to drive


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