Dave Moore.
JOY RAINEY figures that if her old ‘Olds’ could do a trans-America run, which takes in deserts and high temperatures as well as mountain ranges, then the London to Brighton should be not too difficult.
Her faithful Curved Dash Runabout might have a comfortable top speed of 25mph or just over 40kmh, but the 100-kilometre trip from London’s Hyde Park to Madeira Drive in Brighton should be a great deal easier than the car’s last outing – more than 4265km from coast to coast across America.
With its unique atmosphere and camaraderie the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run commemorates the Emancipation Run of November 14, 1896, which celebrated the Locomotives on the Highway Act.
The act raised the speed limit for ‘‘light locomotives’’ from 4 to 14mph (6.5 to 22.5kmh), and abolished the need for these vehicles to be preceded by a man on foot waving a red flag. The Emancipation Run was first re-enacted in 1927.
It took Rainey and her Olds, 31 days last April and May to complete the California to Florida trip, raising money for charity.
And the Olds, a 7hp single cylinder model, never missed a beat despite some treacherous weather, poor roads and modern traffic whistling past at three times the speed of the oldster.
She says the only problem of note concerned the mudguard brackets which needed a spot of welding after vibrating loose over some washboard road surfaces. She found the tiller steering hard work, especially when battling side winds.
Highlights were many, however, including the reassuring chuff-chuff-chuff of the engine, the scenery, and the people the team met en route.
‘‘Everyone was so supportive. We even ‘gate-crashed’ a drag racing meeting along the way and were allowed to drive up and down the strip to huge cheers from the crowd,’’ said Rainey. ‘‘After surviving that trip, getting to Brighton ought to be easy, but it never pays to be complacent.’’
She bought the Oldsmobile in 2006, successfully completing the run in 2006 and 2007.
‘‘Then my partner, Trevor Hulks, and I decided to re-enact a coast-to-coast US crossing made in 1903 in a similar Oldsmobile.’’
Trevor died before they could do the trip.
‘‘It took me a while to summon up the courage to do it without him, but I’m so glad I did. It was a fitting tribute to Trevor and helped raise much needed funds for cancer research.’’
The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the world’s oldest motoring event and will take place tomorrow.
For more information www.veterancarrun.com
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