WHY I love mY De DIon

austin Parkinson

Austin has owned his Type W twincylinder De Dion for 45 years and he’s what you’d call a veteran of the London to Brighton. ‘I’ve taken part in 40 runs, with the first back in 1972, and I’m proud to say that I’ve never broken down.

‘My interest began in the very early 1970s when I went to see the start of the run, as I thought it was something I might enjoy. My wife wasn’t so keen on the idea but I was hooked and started looking for a suitable car to buy, writing to various people to see what was available. When I bought mine it was in a slightly sad condition, needing attention to the gearbox and various bearings. I also treated it to a repaint and some new lamps early on in my ownership. It’s safe to say that everything has been done now, though, and I’d say it’s proved bombproof.

‘I’ve taken it all over Europe, and in fact I used to drive it from my home to London, do the run to Brighton, and then drive home again without any problems at all.

‘My last run was in 2015 and while I’m not tempted to take part again at the moment, you never know.’