England : East Sussex London - Brighton veteran car run, Sunday 1 November 2015

[zigzag]

i got up at 6:20am today intending to come along, looked outside, couldn't see 20m into a thick fog, decided it's "unsafe" to be on the road and went back to bed

is there a vintage commercial vehicle rally anytime soon?

 

[frank9755]

i got up at 6:20am today intending to come along, looked outside, couldn't see 20m into a thick fog, decided it's "unsafe" to be on the road and went back to bed

Shame, as it would have been good to have had some company for the way back. But, tbh, maybe was a good decision as I expect the air quality was not great today. The old cars didn't help in that respect; I'd forgotten how smelly the leaded petrol is. I stopped and chatted to a marshall for 15 minutes or so at one point, in a sunken lane section between high hedgerows where smog was hanging, and it felt like I'd smoked 20 cigarettes...

 

[bobcolover]

thanks to all for such a companiable [?] ride; must get windscreen wipers for glasses;
first longish run on the streetmachine which performed very well, despite engine being a bit knackered.
Fish chips and beer in sunshine on Madiera drive; Thanks to Adrian for [not] organising.
Train home; tired but happy.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The sun was shining out of a clear blue sky, south of the South Downs.

Wasn't it just. Friends of mine spent the day on the beach in Goring-by-Sea!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Odd, I had assumed it was a Downs thing, which can often be the case.

it leaks through the gaps... (seriously)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Although I took part in only a small part, and that on a very dirty bicycle - it was clean when I left home, honestly - I had a really enjoyable time. Nice to meet people, new and old, and smell the cars, and see the sights, even my own 'backyard' looked quite magical yesterday.

 

[mistral]

Great day out and great company

I was chatting to @frank9755 about the odd rear drop outs on my 1949 Holdsworth (not able to accommodate a conventional derailleur hanger to be mounted) and general history of gearing with @Tim Hall & @slowmotion - a link for more info

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/designs/osgear-hs.html

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Hay pick-tewer wot I took on my fone in Crawley innit?

 

[Tim Hall]

I've got a few pics, which I'll upload sometime, hopefully.

@User, I think the preferred tactic for dealing with the A23/A27 four lane goodness is to attack it en masse, riding in pairs as a choesive block. Obvs. we need more than three cyclists for this to work.

I finally spotted at exhaust whistle in the traffic jam into Brighton, and the driver was pleased to demonstrate it.

@GrumpyGregry : There was a Pedersen on the seafront, dating from 1904(!). The lights weren't this new fangled acetylene stuff, but candle powered.

 

[frank9755]

I've got a few pics, which I'll upload sometime, hopefully.

I finally spotted at exhaust whistle in the traffic jam into Brighton, and the driver was pleased to demonstrate it.

I noticed that one of the cars I was drafting earlier in the day looked like it had something resembling a whistle on its exhaust. I'd never heard that such things existed, or I'd have asked for a demo! Note for next year...

 

[slowmotion]

That was a really great day out on the bike in lovely company, riders and cars alike. The lone Italian in his wicker seat was driving a 1901 Isotta Fraschini with an exhaust pipe all of 15mm diameter.
http://fastnfurious360.com/2015/10/09/car-run-uk-debut-for-1901-isotta-fraschini/

Chapeau to the person who didn't organise this ride.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

That was a really great day out on the bike in lovely company, riders and cars alike. The lone Italian in his wicker seat was driving a 1901 Isotta Fraschini with an exhaust pipe all of 15mm diameter.
http://fastnfurious360.com/2015/10/09/car-run-uk-debut-for-1901-isotta-fraschini/

Chapeau to the person who didn't organise this ride.

Chain's a bit, well, err, slack!

 

[Tim Hall]

An exhaust whistle:

A few more here.

Hardly any cars though.

 

[Fab Foodie]

That was a really great day out on the bike in lovely company, riders and cars alike. The lone Italian in his wicker seat was driving a 1901 Isotta Fraschini with an exhaust pipe all of 15mm diameter.
http://fastnfurious360.com/2015/10/09/car-run-uk-debut-for-1901-isotta-fraschini/

Chapeau to the person who didn't organise this ride.

Exactly!
Glad to see you in the Cafe photo with the others @slowmotion I thought we'd abandoned/lost you!
Very enjoyable. Somehow we forgot the stop in Crawley and kept gently rolling along through the fog, much of it created by spirit burning steam powered contraptions.
@bobcolover sorry we missed you too somewhere near Gatwick. I think we stopped for a hedge break.
Good to see the rest too, but sorry I didn't get to meet @GrumpyGregry

As we approached Brighton we ran into @topcat1 who rode with us into a very sunny Brighton, the mists magically parted as we entered the city limits and the seafront was like Summer. Dave kindly showed-us a great little fish and chippy on the beach by the Ferris Wheel and we enjoyed a fab lunch.
Duly refueled we took a look at the cars parked-up and then set-off back to Coulsdon. The mist reappeared magically (again) as soon as we left Brighton and stuck with us all the way back. The dark stretch from Crawley home was a bit grim but we softened the misery with a couple of rounds of Guinness at Merstham as an incentive.

The Italian guy was great! We saw and spoke to him a few times on the way down.
@Tim Hall great photos!

I didn't take many but ....

The Blue De Dion is around £80k, it's one of the cheaper ones around.

 

[Tim Hall]

Forgot to say: This lunchtime I was riding from Redhill station to Reigate and saw number 327 on its way back. I drafted it for a mile or so along the A25 on my bendy bike. They don't half take a long time to change gear (or at least this driver did).