 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
GOODWOOD TICKET NEWS UPDATE 05-10-14
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Tom Hartley jnr CAR OF THE WEEK
sicchatter@mail.com. Details Dismiss
Sign into chat
 | Elaine W |
| Keith Turner |
| kirbie harris |
| a.francis949@btinternet.com |
| Amy Easton |
| amy.woodward |
| Andrea, Poppyseed Media |
| Ann Griffiths |
| ashley.thomas |
| Gumtree Mail |
1 of 1
Why this ad?
1.79% Fixed Remortgage - fixed-remortgage.ratezip.co.uk - £200,000 Mortgage From £332/mo. Free Quotes No Fees - Apply Online
|
Beat the Waiting List!
Inbox
| x |
|
18:03 (17 hours ago)
| |||
| ||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sunday, 2 November 2014
CELEBRITIES STAR ON HISTORIC VETERAN CAR RUN
|
CELEBRITIES STAR ON HISTORIC VETERAN CAR RUN
Sir Ben Ainslie leads home hundreds of machines in the annual pilgrimage from London to Brighton
More than
400 cars dating back to the dawn of motoring braved blustery – and often
sodden conditions – to take part in this year’s Bonhams London to
Brighton Veteran Car Run.As tradition dictates, the 118th Anniversary Run set out from Hyde Park at day break and headed 60-miles south through London and onto a stormy Sussex coast. For only the second time in more than half a century, this year’s route took the intrepid participants – all driving pioneering cars from the pre-1905 era – past Buckingham Palace and down The Mall before heading past Big Ben and over Westminster Bridge.
Among those turning back the clock were Olympic legends Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Ben Ainslie as well as renowned F1 team principal Ross Brawn, multiple Le Mans winner Jochen Mass and TV baker Paul Hollywood.
Before the start Ainslie, Hollywood and Redgrave combined for the ceremonial tearing up of the red flag, the symbolic ritual that harks back to the original Emancipation Run, held on 14 November 1896. That marked the milestone Locomotives on the Highway Act, which raised the speed limit for ‘light locomotives’ from 4 to 14mph and abolished the need for a man walking ahead of the cars waving a red flag.
Remarkably one of the illustrious participating celebrities was in the first car to reach the ceremonial finish on Madeira Drive, as Lord Irvine Laidlaw’s 1904 Panhard-Levassor romped to the Brighton seafront with Ainslie onboard! Laidlaw is not only a Veteran Car Run regular but also a keen sailor, so it was little surprise to see the duo coping best with the challenging elements.
“It was such a pleasure,” enthused multiple Olympic and America’s Cup champion Ainslie. “As a huge car fan it is just very special and a huge privilege to get to ride in a car like this. The atmosphere at the start was fantastic and it was my kind of weather out there – it was a sailor’s day! I’m into water sports of course so we didn’t find the rain too much of a problem.”
There was high drama for another celebrity as motor racing legend Brawn swapped the high-octane world of Formula 1 for a rather more leisurely form of transport.
Unfortunately for the motor sport mastermind his 1904 Wilson Pitcher – the last known surviving British built machine of its kind – had difficulties on its coast-bound run.
“It was very enjoyable,” said Brawn. “Obviously I don’t get the chance to actually drive the car in most of the automotive work that I’m involved in so that was a nice change. The mixed weather provided an extra challenge and edge but one that we enjoyed very much.
“We had a broken oil pipe just as we got to Crawley and the RAC Motoring Services volunteer patrolmen did a sterling job. They rescued us by fitting a piece of rubber pipe in the middle of the fractured one and it’s thanks to them that we got here!
“The whole thing has been wonderful fun. I’d never experienced the sheer enthusiasm for the Run before – from leaving London at that time of the morning, to driving through the villages along the way and then indeed arriving in Brighton itself. It truly has been a wonderful experience.”
Redgrave and Hollywood were also cheered home by the thousands of people lining the streets of the picturesque costal city, as both stars made it to the finish in their respective machines.
“The first half of our run was reasonably dry and the second half was reasonably wet!” said Redgrave. “I hadn’t seen rain drops quite like it in the UK but I really enjoyed the event and would love to do it again. The radiator overflowed as we got into Brighton so we made it just in time! Considering the history of all the cars and to see them all lined-up in Hyde Park, it was just sensational to be involved. There was great support along the way, despite the weather, which was also fantastic to see.”
TV judge on the BBC’s Great British Bake Off, Hollywood, was equally enthused. “It has been great fun today,” he said. “When the heavens opened half way through it was literally like someone throwing a bucket of water in your face! The run was absolutely exhilarating, however, particularly getting to the top of some of the hills and even tearing past a few people.
“The marshals, public and volunteers are fantastic people and we were cheered on throughout. I think you get a real sense of achievement when you finish and may be we’ll come back and do it all again next year.”
Another impressive entry was the steam-powered 1888 Truchutet – the oldest car on the run – but this was one of the machines that unfortunately failed to make the finish.
Having been introduced in 2013, the Veteran Car Run now includes a competitive regularity test, where contestants have to average a precise speed between two controls. It was John Kennedy who claimed the honours and glittering trophy in his glorious 1903 Gladiator.
In total 357 of the starters completed the symbolic 60-mile journey from Hyde Park to the Sussex coast before the 4:30pm deadline, thus receiving a coveted finisher medal.
Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Committee, said: “An intrepid spirit and a dogged determination shone through today as the ability of the participants to overcome the mechanical and weather-related woes was in evidence on this year's Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. It is reward indeed to see so many smiling faces on Madeira Drive at the completion of another successful Run.
“With an increased field from last year to cope with I would particularly like to extend my thanks to all the volunteers and marshals who braved the elements along the 60-mile route to ensure the vehicles and their passengers made it safely to Brighton."
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
Main - Sir Steve Redgrave starred in this year's Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run
Below Main - Sir Steve Redgrave, Paul Hollywood and Sir Ben Ainslie (left to right) kicked off proceedings in London
Below Others - F1 legend Ross Brawn and hundreds of others completed the famous 60-mile run
Copyright © 2014 RSMS and VCR Media Office,
|
Saturday, 1 November 2014
LONDON’S MILE OF EYE- CATCHING AUTOMOTIVE STYLE
|
LONDON’S MILE OF EYE-
CATCHING AUTOMOTIVE STYLE
Bike and F1 world champs top the bill as the record-breaking Regent Street Motor Show wows crowds in Central London
The traffic on Regent Street was at a total standstill today (Saturday 1 November) not, however, as a result of gridlock in central London but for the annual Regent Street Motor Show.
The capital’s world famous West End shopping street was closed for a very special ‘mile of automotive style’ stretching between Piccadilly to Oxford Circuses as the UK’s largest free-to-view motor show showcased a glittering display of more than 200 cars and bikes from past, present and future generations.
Last November’s captivating event attracted more than 400,000 visitors and this year’s was every bit as popular with enthusiasts, shoppers, London residents and tourists all relishing a huge variety of eye-catching machinery which embraced everything from motoring’s early pioneers to the latest electric cars.
Representing the dawn of motoring, and
right at the heart of the display, was a remarkable collection of 100
pre-1905 machines. As a curtain raiser to Sunday’s running of the annual
Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, these were partaking in the
prestigious EFG International Concours d’Elegance. This year’s
star-studded judging panel included multiple-title winning F1 team
principal Ross Brawn and TV personality Edd China. The beautifully
original 1902 Arrol-Johnston of Alistair Hacking was awarded with the
overall prize (photo above).
“In many ways this is a dramatically new world for me,” admitted an intrigued Brawn, who is gearing up to participate in his maiden Bonhams Veteran Car Run having stepped down from the World Championship winning Mercedes team earlier this year. “Whether it’s early carburetion systems or steam cars, I’ve seen things I didn’t know existed! The passion and enthusiasm that the owners show is really impressive. They are facing such challenges just to keep these cars running properly. There’s almost an acceptance that something is going to go wrong and will need fixing!”
Further north on the packed street and close to Oxford Circus, the Top Gear Experience simulator was busy all day. Adjoining it was another power show: a mouth-watering display of Porsche 911 Turbos celebrating 40 years of the potent sportscar icon.
Top class motor sport was another of the huge crowd-pleasers. Former world champions Wayne Gardner, Christian Sarron and Freddie Spencer were revving up on Regent Street launching an exciting new World GP Bike Legends event which will be staged at Jerez in Spain next summer (19-21 June).
“It’s an incredible honour to be riding
some of my old bikes here on Regent Street in the middle of London –
it’s all a bit surreal, to be honest,” admitted ‘Fast’ Freddie. “For the
fans to see, hear and smell these 500cc bikes firing up and
accelerating right here on Regent Street is pretty cool.”
Further down the elegant Nash Curve and closer to Piccadilly Circus, the busy Manufacturers’ Zone was showcasing some of today’s most exciting and desirable machines as well as a glimpse of the future. Among a host of eye-catching models on show were the groundbreaking BMW i3; Renault Twizy, Captur, Twingo and Zoe; Infiniti Q50, OX70 and Q50 Hybrid plus three examples of Tesla’s luxurious Model S, the latter generating massive attention.
Further down the elegant Nash Curve and closer to Piccadilly Circus, the busy Manufacturers’ Zone was showcasing some of today’s most exciting and desirable machines as well as a glimpse of the future. Among a host of eye-catching models on show were the groundbreaking BMW i3; Renault Twizy, Captur, Twingo and Zoe; Infiniti Q50, OX70 and Q50 Hybrid plus three examples of Tesla’s luxurious Model S, the latter generating massive attention.
Other modern car marques on show included both Mini and Morgan while there was also a special tribute making 50 years of the iconic Ford Mustang.
“It was fantastic to see so many people in the sunshine enjoying such a wonderful display of amazing cars in the fabulous setting of Regent Street,” said Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Committee. “Staged on the eve of the Bonhams Veteran Car Run, this truly unique motor show really had something for everyone from the earliest steam vehicles right up to the cars that will be roaming our city centres in the decades to come. Once again the Regent Street Motor Show has been a huge success and a great start to what’s always a fabulous and historic automotive weekend in London and I’d like to thank all those at the Regent Association for making this possible.”
This year’s visitor experience was further enhanced by the latest Regent Street app providing personalised information for all those attending via their smart phones.
For more information visit the official Regent Street Motor Show website: www.regentstreetmotorshow.com
| Copyright © 2014 RSMS and VCR Media Office, All rights reserved. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)