October Newsletter - Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run supported by Hiscox

Final Planning tips It’s now less than a week until London Motor Week 2017 gets underway – we hope you are looking forward to it as much as we are. All participants should have now have received their Participants’ Packs in the post. If you are taking part in this year’s Run and haven’t received your pack, please contact us at VCRadmin@goose.co.uk to let us know. Your pack includes important information and relevant passes for the Run and, in particular, it also includes details of the alterations to this year’s route as a result of the major roadworks in the Brixton area – please study these details carefully. The route guides are also available to view online here.  For those following the route as a spectator, the Spectator Guide is available to view online here. If you’re participating and have not already provided us with your mobile number, please do so by updating your account on the event website – please ensure you enter your mobile number in the following format: 447920516850. Alternatively, you can email lucy.budgen@goose.co.uk with your full name and start number, followed by your mobile number in the aforementioned format and she will update your account for you.   The service is being used as a method of improving communication both ahead of and on the day of the Run for important, event-specific correspondence. In particular, this will be the method of communicating any changes to arrangements in the event of an emergency situation developing. It is therefore important that we have your details. Don’t forget that, if you’re joining us for the first time (or, if you’re returning to the Run after an absence of a few years), you can sign-up to take part in the Hiscox First Timer’s Briefing on Saturday 4 November (ahead of the sell-out Hattingley Valley Participants Reception, supported by Hagerty). This briefing is designed to give you some helpful hints and tips ahead of the Run and you will have the opportunity to ask the Clerk of the Course any questions you may have in a Q&A session. Please contact lucy.budgen@goose.co.uk to be added to the guest list. Please note that entries have now closed for the Chopard Regularity Time Trial. The lucky winner will be presented with the timepiece around 4.30pm in the Bonhams Hospitality Marquee on Madeira Drive on the day of the Run.

Bonhams auction The Bonhams annual London to Brighton Sale is a highlight of the auction calendar and this year features a particularly impressive range of veteran motor cars and automobilia. The sale is comprised of 227 lots in total, including 26 motor cars, quadricycles and trikes. These range from the beautiful 1903 Panhard et Levassor Model B 10hp Four-Cyclinder Rear-entrance Tonneau (pictured, £350,000-400,000), to the extremely rare 1901 Singer Motorwheel Tricycle, one of the earliest examples from the pioneering age of motoring. The full catalogue is now online here and bidders can register for the auction here. A participant lanyard grants entry to the auction.

1903 Panhard et Levassor Model B 10hp Four-Cyclinder Rear-entrance Tonneau

Last few places available for the French-themed pre-event reception on Friday 3 November A reminder to all participants that there is a limited number of places still available for the French-themed reception being held at the Royal Automobile Club, hosted by Hiscox, on Friday 3 November. The reception will take place after the Bonhams Veteran Car Run Sale, and transport will be provided from the auction to the Club’s Pall Mall clubhouse to make sure the evening runs like clockwork. Tickets are complimentary for Run participants, courtesy of Hiscox, but you do need to apply for them in advance via https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/vcr-reception3Nov.

The Hattingley Valley Participants' Reception Supported by Hagerty Ticket Returns  The Hattingley Valley Participants' Reception Supported by Hagerty is at full capacity, with a waiting list.  Please can any participants who have tickets but know they are unable to attend email Lucy.budgen@goose.co.uk providing the driver name, car start number and ticket number so that it can be given to one of the participants on the waiting list. We want to make sure that as many people as possible can enjoy the pre-Run reception with us.

Luggage Service   Abels Moving Services will once again be collecting participant luggage on a pre-arranged basis from the usual London hotels (Hilton Park Lane, Royal Garden Hotel, Millennium Gloucester, Lancaster London, Hilton London Kensington, Thistle Hyde Park, Thistle Kensington Gardens, Park Lane Hotel and the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall). They will also take luggage delivered by participants at The Triangle in Hyde Park (just before you turn into the start assembly area), but this service MUST be pre-booked as there are capacity restrictions and security considerations. If your luggage is not pre-booked, Abels - as per our instruction - will be unable to accept it. The collection will take place from 5.00am until 8.00am, with luggage transported to Brighton safely and securely by Abels. All items will either be delivered to the Abels truck which will be positioned in the paddock on Madeira Drive, or straight to the porters at The Grand, Hilton Brighton Metropole, and Jury’s Inn Waterfront, where requested. All participants are asked to ensure all information is completed on the Abels luggage labels and that all items have an Abels label attached. Should you no longer require a pre-booked service please advise the VCR Team at VCRadmin@goose.co.uk. We are delighted that, as a partner to the Run, Abels provide this invaluable service to participants. The company provides bespoke fine art movement, relocation, removals and storage services by air, sea & road, across the city, throughout the UK, Europe and worldwide. The company can be contacted at: info@abels.co.uk 0800 626769 www.abels.co.uk.

Abels on Madeira Drive

Hyde Park Refreshments Upon arrival at Hyde Park for the start of the Run, we are delighted that Gatwick Airport is offering participants a complimentary hot drink whilst getting ready to depart from Hyde Park. You’ll need your token, included in your Participant Pack, to redeem against your coffee which can be collected from the mobile café by Sector 1, the Serpentine Café by Sector 7, or the Boathouse Café between sectors 10 & 11.

Mobile welding unit  TOTAL will once again be providing a mobile welding unit, which will be available to participants during the Run to complement the services of the RAC Motoring Services. Details of how to call for their help can be found on your route time card.

TOTAL Support Team working on a Veteran Car

Comfort break option between Hyde Park and Crawley  With the alteration of the route out of London this year, we are aware that some of you have expressed a concern regarding the removal of the unofficial stop at Christ Church in Purley. As a result of your feedback, the National Trust have kindly agreed to make available use of their facilities at the Morden Hall Park (postcode SM4 5JD – this is on the route) earlier than usual, at 8.00am, for participants on the day of the Run. We hope this will make your journey to Crawley a little more comfortable.

Activities on Crawley High Street

Crawley High Street Gatwick Airport is also supporting a range of activities for participants and spectators alike on Crawley High Street, too. If you’re a participant, stop at Crawley High Street to say hello to all the spectators who are there to cheer you on and collect your travel blanket, courtesy of Gatwick Airport - three spot prizes will be hidden in the blankets offering a free entry in to the Run next year, a case of Hattingley Valley English Sparkling wine or a luxury Harrods hamper, so take a careful look as you may be a lucky winner! For the added enjoyment of all spectators joining us this year, Gatwick Airport will be handing out postcards to redeem a hot drink in a number of local cafes. They are also providing a veteran car on the High Street offering a perfect photo opportunity behind the wheel! There will be plenty happening on the Street to keep spectators entertained throughout the day so wrap up warm and join us in Crawley.

Peter Foubister Award  In memory of Peter Foubister, who sadly passed away the night after the Veteran Car Run in 2016 was awarded the International Historic Motoring ‘Rally or Tour of the Year’ last November, a new award has been introduced.  Peter, in his role as Motoring Secretary of the Royal Automobile Club, was passionate about the Run and it is fitting that the award, in his memory, will be given in recognition of encouraging the next generation.

The Sir Ray Tindle Award – The Participants’ Choice The Sir Ray Tindle Award acknowledges and celebrates a participant who has best demonstrated the 'Spirit of the Event' through their resolution and perseverance in the challenging adventure that is the Run. The winner is determined through nominations and voting by participants, with the presentation of the award taking place on the Sunday evening at the VCC dinner in Brighton. Voting cards will be provided in your starter packs, which are issued at Hyde Park. Alternatively, email your nomination and your reason for your nomination to VCRadmin@goose.co.uk by Sunday 5 November.

Veteran Car Run 2016, Madeira Drive

From the Archive Royal Automobile Club Heritage Manager, Jane Holmes, shares some insight from the Club's archive In 1820, there existed a factory in Goswell Road, London, established by Thomas Hancock. Within the factory stood Pickle, not the condiment, but a machine that tore up scrap rubber and re-fused it together into re-usable blocks following a treatment of oil, turpentine and naptha. That same year, a patent for using rubber in clothes to provide elasticity was also lodged by Hancock who, in 1831, merged with Charles Macintosh & Co to provide the nation with raincoats. Hancock’s desire to explore the practical and commercial uses of rubber led him to experiment with producing rubber tyres. Earlier in 1815, Hancock also formed a partnership with his brother John as a coachbuilder. Hancock experimented for more than twenty years with different solutions to deal with the effects of weather. The hot weather in particular, made rubber sticky and early rubber struggled to hold its shape. Across the Atlantic, a hardware merchant in Philadelphia, Charles Goodyear, was also experimenting with solutions to these problems, including using magnesia and quick lime drying agents. In winter 1839, Goodyear used sulphur. He then sent samples of his vulcanised rubber to British rubber companies. One of