Crowds gathered across Sussex today (Sunday, November 2) to watch the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, as more than 350 pre-1905 vehicles made the traditional 54-mile journey from Hyde Park to Madeira Drive.
The world’s longest-running motoring event began at sunrise in London, with participants braving chilly conditions as they set off on the route through Croydon, Crawley, and down the A23 toward Brighton.
Spectators lined streets and bridges along the way, waving flags and cheering as the historic cars—some more than 120 years old—chugged past in a display of early automotive engineering.
By late morning, the first of the veteran vehicles began to arrive on Brighton seafront, greeted by applause and camera flashes. Madeira Drive was transformed into an open-air museum of motoring history, as engines hissed and drivers posed proudly beside their century-old machines.
The annual event, organised by the Royal Automobile Club, commemorates the 1896 “Emancipation Run,” which marked the end of the Red Flag Act and the dawn of motoring freedom in Britain.
Despite cold weather and a few mechanical breakdowns along the route, spirits remained high. Many entrants took part in period costume, adding to the nostalgic atmosphere that makes the run a firm favourite on the autumn calendar.
As one participant summed up: “It’s not about speed—it’s about keeping history alive, one mile at a time.”
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