England : East Sussex London to Brighton Veteran Cars Run, Sunday 5 November

[Gordon P]

Thanks @User for coordinating. As others have said it was a great day out in perfect conditions.
Apologies for not staying to say goodbye at the end and for missing @Nigel182 's cake stop.
@frank9755 and I were on a roll with domestic duties calling - in my case a son's birthday dinner and leaving at silly o'clock in the morning for Heathrow (and Darjeeling) - so I went straight to the station and caught the 1335.
See you all next year

 

[Nigel182]

Thanks @User for coordinating. As others have said it was a great day out in perfect conditions.
Apologies for not staying to say goodbye at the end and for missing @Nigel182 's cake stop.
@frank9755 and I were on a roll with domestic duties calling - in my case a son's birthday dinner and leaving at silly o'clock in the morning for Heathrow (and Darjeeling) - so I went straight to the station and caught the 1335.
See you all next year

No worries there's always next year
Thought we saw you both go past but weren't really sure

 

[frank9755]

I made it back a shade before six which meant I was just in time for dinner with baby daughter (and wife, but that is less of a novelty). So apologies for also missing the cake stop but it worked well for me to press on.

After Gordon peeled off to the station I went down to the seafront and took a picture to send home, then turned round and headed back.

I think we were an hour or so earlier to Brighton than in the past so saw fewer cars on the later part of the ride. But I did see quite a few on the way back, between Stapleford, where I round the route, and Crawley, where I left it again. Some were still driving, around 4pm, in fading light, while others were being cared for by the RAC. I expect this was part of the sponsorship deal and must have been intriguing for the patrolmen, making a change from changing punctured wheels.

My route back was a bit better than in previous years, macing to find more pretty lanes and fewer dual carriageways and off road sections than in the past. Credit to RWGPS for that. I did pass the bit of woodland where people go mountain biking in land rovers; there were a few I saw growling through enormous puddles.

Being earlier also meant I got back to the lights off London before dark, which was also pleasant. But I did miss most of the fireworks which are now kicking off in a big way in West London.

Thanks everyone for the company on the way down.

 

[Gordon P]

then turned round and headed back.

Chapeau. That's making the most of the day

 

[lazybloke]

so my guess is they didn't fancy Reigate Hill

Possibly avoiding the crash on Reigate Hill which closed the A217 completely. Two people travelling in a 1902 Benz were seriously injured in a collision with 3 modern cars. There's not much else reported. The Surrey Policy website is appealing for witnesses.

I wonder if the steepness of the hill was a factor. Gatton Bottom might be a better choice, or the A23.

 

[frank9755]

Nasty.
There was also a crash on the last bit of the A23 before Brighton. Not an old car but a modern one was lying on its side off the edge of the road. It did mean the traffic was slowed down on this stretch.

 

[rb58]

I wonder if the steepness of the hill was a factor. Gatton Bottom might be a better choice, or the A23.

Oh dear, sounds bad. We had been talking all along the route about Reigate Hill and 100+ year old brakes. I've been doing this ride for 5 or 6 years and this was the first time we went via Reigate - it's always been the A23 before.

 

[Tim Hall]

Possibly avoiding the crash on Reigate Hill which closed the A217 completely. Two people travelling in a 1902 Benz were seriously injured in a collision with 3 modern cars. There's not much else reported. The Surrey Policy website is appealing for witnesses.

I wonder if the steepness of the hill was a factor. Gatton Bottom might be a better choice, or the A23.

The normal route,as Ross says,is down the A23 (they turn off it at Pease Pottage). This year long term roadworks in Brixton meant a diversion via Tooting then the A217 and Reigate Hill. @rb58 from your description it sounded like the car you saw was coming out of Garton Bottom (turning on the left as you approached it,just after crossing the M25).

 

[rb58]

The normal route,as Ross says,is down the A23 (they turn off it at Pease Pottage). This year long term roadworks in Brixton meant a diversion via Tooting then the A217 and Reigate Hill. @rb58 from your description it sounded like the car you saw was coming out of Garton Bottom (turning on the left as you approached it,just after crossing the M25).

That's the place - Garton Bottom. I saw at least ten cars between there and Redhill, including two that were being pushed up the final kick to join the A23. The driver of the first was resplendent in top hat.

 

[Tim Hall]

What roadworks?

Dunno guv, I'm just going by what I read on the VCR website.

 

[Tim Hall]

I rode through Brixton on my way up but didn't notice anything. I wasn't looking out for any though.

Ooh, the works might affect it next year too, according to this article:https://insidecroydon.com/2017/09/11/brixton-sewers-force-veteran-car-rally-on-a-croydon-bypass/

 

[StuartG]

View media item 9963
How to do a downhill on a fixie! This is somewhere south of Redhill. I saw him again on the A23 near Pebblecombe about 3pm on my way back. So I assume he made it OK. A real massive achievement on the boneshaker. You could hear it from quite a distance on its metal rims. At least the penny farthings had rubber tyres.

Great day, great ride apart from missing cake ... nobody told me.

 

[StuartG]

Not true, you just didn't read the thread.

True, because I was riding with another group and joined only when I spotted Nigel waiting by the roadside on the day. I roared off with him, not realising his objective but stopped for a leak and that was the last I saw of anybody till Brighton despite waiting by the roadside for 45 minutes while you were stuffing cakes.

But I'm not bitter. No, not at all. Absolutely not at all.. The Scouts cheeseburger with bacon and onions at Crawley saw me through nicely.

 

[BalkanExpress]

Well I know the cyclist is not @User

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/g...don-to-brighton-veteran-car-rally-in-pictures

looks to have been a lovely day

 

[topcat1]

Apparently if you drive a Lamborghini fast it'll make you puke -true (as witnessed by Adrian and yours truly ).
I always look forward to these rides (+ lorries ) as they are always great fun. Lonesome lane in daylight oohhhh!
Nigel and Jo bought cakes nom nom nom

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