THE THRILL OF DRIVING A 1902 CAR TO THE COAST
JOHN DENNIS London to Brighton stalwart
Few can rival John’s commitment to the event; 2017 will be his 60th London to Brighton Run and his 58th as a driver. It’s a family tradition for him, having first joined his father on the run, who himself had been taking part since the 1930s. ‘It’s hard to explain why I keep doing it, but everyone lining the route is smiling, it reminds you of the good in people.’
Since his first run in 1959, he has only missed the event once and aims to reach at least 60 drives. John takes part with his 1902 Dennis every year, which was built by the company his grandfather founded and was restored by his father in the 1930s. John also owns a number of other veteran cars, but none as old as the Dennis and explains: ‘They’re not desperately reliable, but they’re basic and I know what’s going on when there’s a problem. If I can’t fix it, one of my friends can.’
For anyone coming to watch the run, John reckons anywhere with a steep hill is a good place to stop. He also recommends Staplefield, where ‘half the village turns out to watch the run and a lot of the car clubs come along too.’