The Past Re-Lived, October 2021 - Iggy Tavares

[Mike Farley]

I am none the wiser whether the electric car, 1902 Columbia 066 went through Norbury or not!

Somewhat frustratingly, none of the official websites have yet posted any reports of what happened during the event. However, while trying to find out which car was the first to get to Brighton, I came across a Facebook post about which of the two routes cars would take through London. It suggested that those with odd numbers were on the traditional route on the A23 and even numbers on the alternate. On that basis, as number 66 the electric car probably would not have gone through Norbury.

[Iggy]

Mike said:
It suggested that those with odd numbers were on the traditional route on the A23 and even numbers on the alternate.

Just checked my images. All the cars had odd numbers. So the electric car 1902 Columbia 066 did not go through Norbury as you stated.
Saw a little bit of the start video below where the driver was interviewed (15 mins). Car runs on one charge. Could not find details of finish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rXMxWfNDms
Entry List https://www.veterancarrun.com/2021-entry-list

[Iggy]

Mike said:
There are no prizes for finishing order and participants only have to complete the course by sunset to qualify as a finisher.

There is a suggestion that the order of finish was 109 1902 Mors, Julie Evison followed by 039 1900 Stephens, Tom Loder and then one of the two tricycles.
Check out https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19700422.london-brighton-veteran-car-run-first-round-cars-arrive-seafront/#gallery0

[Mike Farley]

Car runs on one charge. Could not find details of finish.

The 2021 results have not yet been published. BBC London had a short piece about the electric car on Friday and said that it had been modified to use "LED" batteries. If LED batteries do exist, Google does not know about them. It seems to be a classic case of an ignorant journalist getting their facts wrong when they probably meant "lithium". The same reporter stated that the event started at 8:00 am, also incorrect. Standards at the Beeb are not what they were, I fear. These are straightforward facts and it should not be difficult to get them right.

Given the update to a modern battery and fewer components to cause problems, I expect the vehicle had a good chance of making it to Brighton. We do know it got as far as Earlswood. According to the timestamp on my image, it went through shortly after 9:30 am so it was making good progress.

[Iggy]

CROYDON - Our Home Town - Remembrance Sunday
Features that appeared in Your Community News of the Croydon Advertiser News Paper

Croydon celebrated Remembrance Sunday in the newly refurbished Phoenix Hall of Fairfield Hall on the second Sunday of November 2019.
Here the Bishop of Croydon led the service that was attended by soldiers from various regiments, scouts and guides and residents of Croydon to 2000 capacity.
The Salvation Army Brass band led the way to the wreath laying ceremony at the Croydon Cenotaph war memorial in Katharine street.

[Mike Farley]

Look out for the electric engined 066 1902 Columbia that is due to run tomorrow.

The results have just been published and the Columbia electric car made it to Brighton.

There are three cars that I especially look out for but two of them with which I have a loose association were not in this year's run. The third is Genevieve, the 1904 Darracq* made famous by the 1953 film of that name. While I did not see it on this occasion, it too was a finisher. However, I have had the film on DVD for some time and the other evening watched it for the first time in many years. Back in the day, it featured regularly in the BBC schedules.

https://cdn.asp.events/CLIENT_Goose_Co_ ... s-Cars.pdf

* Or should that be Darracqs? The car is an amalgam of at least two vehicles and at one time had so many parts made in 1905 that it did not qualify for the event. The eligibility criteria state only cars constructed before 1 January 1905 are permitted. Apparaently, the organisers frequently receive enquiries from owners of more youthful cars asking when they will be old enough to participate. The answer is never. The link has an extensive write-up about Genevieve's history.

http://www.donbrockway.com/genevieve%27s%20history.htm

[Iggy]

HI Mike,
Thank you for the update on the Veterans car run which is helpful.
Interestingly, the three cars that I featured, including the De Dion Bouton 073 that needed a push to get it going, all completed the run.
For me, it would have been more interesting to see the finish times even though it was not a race, just to see how each make and model performed.
Good to hear about your particular interest in Genevieve. Perhaps next year you might capture her on your camera.
Kind regards,
Iggy

[Mike Farley]

For me, it would have been more interesting to see the finish times even though it was not a race, just to see how each make and model performed.

The run is a celebration of the 1896 reform of motoring laws and the sole objective is to reach Brighton with the cars setting off from Hyde Park one by one in order of age. If there were any timimgs, inevitably some would regard it as a competition. These are antique cars of varying capacity and reliability that are more usually seen in museums; trying to force them in excess of their capabilities could have undesirable consequences. For one thing, 100+ year old brakes do not have anything like the same efficiency as their modern counterparts. Something which other motorists often fail to appreciate when sharing the roads with veteran vehicles. These days, I do not believe that the organisers even acknowledge the first vehicle to complete the run.

There is a "Regularity Time Trial" in which participants can attempt to match their predicted time over part of the course which is a better indication of performance without compromising safety or stressing the cars.

https://www.veterancarrun.com/2021-results