"Owners and drivers should remember that motor cars are on trial in England and that any rashness or carelessness might injure the industry in this country."
Why November?
The Run takes place in November to commemorate 14th November 1896, when the “Locomotives on the Highway Act” came into force just after midnight. This red-letter day in British motoring history is celebrated annually, hence the autumn date rather than a warmer summer Sunday.
The Emancipation Run 1896
The first Run celebrated the passing of the “Locomotives on the Highway Act”, which raised the speed limit for ‘Light Locomotives’ from 4 mph to 14 mph (reduced to 12 mph before implementation). The act also abolished the requirement for a car to be preceded by a man on foot.
The need for the man on foot to carry a red flag had been abolished in 1878, but the act was still known as the ‘Red Flag Act’. At the start of the 1896 Run, Lord Winchilsea symbolically destroyed a red flag. This was re-enacted in 1996 by the current Lord Winchilsea, repeated in 2007, and is now part of all future Runs.
The 1896 Run demonstrated that the automobile had come to stay. Of 58 vehicles listed to start from the Metropole Hotel in London to the Metropole Hotel in Brighton, 25 dropped out before the day. Only 13 or 14 reached Brighton, though it was hinted that one or more cars had been taken by train and covered with mud before crossing the finishing line!
Early Runs (1897-1903)
- 1897 (29 November) – Motor Car Club drove 44 cars to Sheen House, West London
- 1898 – Motor Car Club took 135 entrants to Brighton
- 1900 – Automobile Club Run to Southsea
- 1901 – 174 cars started from Whitehall Place, London
- 1902 – Run to Oxford with 193 cars
- 1903 – The speed limit was raised to 20 mph. With no further need to celebrate a 12 mph limit, the Runs stopped.
The Modern Era (1927-Present)
In 1927, the Run was reintroduced by the Daily Sketch and Sunday Graphic, keeping as close to the original 1896 date as possible. The Run has been held annually ever since, with exceptions for:
- War years (1939-45)
- 1947 (petrol rationing, though one car reportedly completed it using precious ration coupons)
- 2020 (Covid-19 pandemic – a virtual run took place instead)
Routes and Starting Points
From 1927 onwards, all Runs started in London and finished in Brighton, following close to the A23. Most started around the City of Westminster or just to the west, with the exit from Hyde Park via The Grand Entrance (Apsley Arch) or the eastern gate (now Queen’s Gate).
All Runs except two (1950 & 2019) crossed the River Thames by Westminster Bridge, which served as the official timing start for some early Runs.
Route Changes:
- 1927-1964: Used the Croydon by-pass (Purley Way)
- 1965: Changed to go through Croydon on police advice
- 2010: Route changed again to avoid Croydon Town Centre
Processions and Parades
In 1896, arriving cars assembled at Preston Park before processing to the Metropole Hotel on the seafront. From 1927 to 1962 (with some missing years), processions took place with various routes around Brighton, typically ending on or near Madeira Drive. The last procession took place in 1962.
Royal Involvement
In 1930, the Royal Automobile Club took over the organisation of the Run. The RAC, granted its ‘Royal’ prefix by King Edward VII in 1907, is Britain’s governing body for motor sport.
In 1971, Her Majesty the Queen entered a 70-year-old Daimler originally owned by her great-grandfather, King Edward VII. The car completed the 56-odd miles driven by HRH Prince Michael of Kent and Royal household staff, and has participated in many Runs since.
Name Changes
The Run’s official name has evolved considerably:
- 1927: “Run to Brighton”
- 1928-29: “Old Crocks’ Run to Brighton”
- 1930-1956: “Commemoration Run of Veteran Cars”
- 1957-1999: Various combinations including RAC, Kenco, Benson & Hedges, and Tindle Newspapers
- 2000-2014: “London to Brighton Veteran Car Run”
- 2014-2019: Various sponsor names, including Bonhams and Hiscox
- 2020-present: “RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run”
Within the old car movement, it’s simply known as “the Brighton” or “the Run”.
Organisation and Sponsors
The Royal Automobile Club has been the major organiser since 1930. Over the years, the organisation has passed through RAC Motor Services, RAC Motor Sports Association (RACMSA), Motor Sports Association (MSA), International Motor Sports (IMS), Motion Works (LBVCR) Ltd, and Goose Communications Ltd. In 2022, the organisation returned to the Royal Automobile Club.
Major sponsors/partners have included: The Autocar, Unipart, Castrol, Renault UK, Kenco, Benson & Hedges, Tindle Newspapers, The British Legion, Kent Messenger, The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail, Bonhams, Hiscox, and RM Sotheby’s (from 2020).
The Brighton and Hove Motor Club has undertaken marshalling duties in Brighton since 1927.
The Concours
2003 saw the introduction of a Saturday Concours for cars participating in Sunday’s Run. Initially held in Waterloo Place (2003-04), it moved to Regent Street in 2005, growing from 50 to 100 cars. It later evolved into the Regent Street Motor Show, opening to more modern vehicles.
In 2020, the show was cancelled due to Covid-19 but returned in 2021. In 2022, “The St. James’s International Concours” took place in Marlborough Road outside St James’s Palace.
Note: The RAC mentioned refers to the Royal Automobile Club, not the RAC breakdown service, which split from the Club in 1999. The RAC breakdown service is the official backup service for the Run.
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