LONDON TO BRIGHTON 2009

Run from Epsom to Brighton organized by the Austin Seven Owners Club

The Austin Seven Owners Club celebrates it's 40th anniversary this year and the first event to mark this milestone was a London to Brighton run.

Arranged to start at the newly refurbished Epsom Racecourse so as to avoid the need to drive through London itself the 'suggested route' of 62 miles passed along a scenic route through the lanes and villages of Surrey and West Sussex and finishing at Madeira Drive in Brighton.

We had taken part in the 2004 London to Brighton run and has enjoyed the experience so we entered our car and made arrangements to hire a van to get her down to Horsham where we were to base ourselves.

As with any run in the Seven things were not straightforward, this is one of the reasons that it can be such an adventure. Our adventure started the night before the run...

We made the last pre-drive checks; greasing, filling inflating and so on and took the Seven out on a short run to make sure that she was running smoothly. All was well but on getting out of the driving seat there was a bang and the back of the seat gave way. The point at which the seat back bolts to the seat base is a weak spot and 80 odd years of metal fatigue had taken their toll. It was too late to make a permanent repair so a quick fix involving the lid of a Quality Street tin and a couple of bolts was effected.

The following morning we went to pick up the Mercedes Sprinter and found that the hire company had 'upgraded' us to the more voluminous Box Luton complete with tail lift. Great if we were moving house but not so good for us. The tail lift was uselessly small and the bed of the van was way too high to push the car up to. After a delay of one and a half hours we managed to get downgraded again and set off for home to load the car.

A pair of motorcycle ramps are ideal for getting the car into the van and the car is light enough for two people to push it in without risking injury. We were fortunate to have the assistance of two more pairs of hands in the shape of two Mormons passed by at just the right moment - it must have been a blessing or something.

After a very comfortable and uneventful drive down to Horsham we unloaded the car on the Sunday morning and set off for Epsom. At least that was the idea.

About two miles out we encountered a not particularly steep hill but the car had lost all power. After changing down through the gears and finding that she wouldn't make any headway even in first there was only one thing for it. The wife had to get out and walk.

Only to the top of the hill, of course, and by the time she caught up and after a bit of fiddling with the spark plug leads she was running better. The wife got back in and we made our way to Epsom without further excitement - unless you count the battery on our Sat Nav running out as we reached the Racecourse.

Lining up at Epsom Racecourse.

The gathering of Sevens on the concrete apron in front of the new grandstand was very impressive with many of the owners taking up the challenge to adopt period dress for the occasion.

We signed on in the registration area and wandered around the cars. I never cease to be amazed at the variety of cars that appear under the general name of the Austin Seven.

Signing in: Hi-Viz jacket optional.

Our fellow OA7Cer Rex Grogan arrived a little later with a tale of misadventure that put our minor events into the shade; his trailer had shed a wheel at Warwick with his prized Tophat Saloon on board and it was only the mudguard holding the wheel more or less in place that saved them from disaster. As it happened the driver of the recovery vehicle had just bought a new trailer and so a deal was done to allow them to continue their journey.

Waving them off from Epsom

The run started with the Local Mayor flagging cars off shortly after 9:30 and the roads of West Sussex acquired strings of Sevens to the bemusement of the natives. The weather was perfect for driving the Seven; sunny but cool enough to stop the engine overheating despite the continual stopping and starting that the weight of traffic involved.

One early feature of the route that was interesting was a stretch that required doubling back on ourselves. This gave a great opportunity to see who was behind and in front of us.

Doubling back.

An hours driving saw us at Pease Pottage Services - the half way mark and a signing on checkpoint. After a short break we hit the road south - or was it west? According to Google the direct run would be 42 miles or so but we were down to travel 20 miles more so we must have been zigzagging across the countryside, we couldn't tell for sure without our erstwhile Sat Nav.

Pease Pottage Checkpoint.

Towards the end of the run we climbed up the Devil's Dyke to enjoy the panoramic view of the South Downs. This was a painful climb as the earlier engine problems had returned and there was so little power available that top gear was a no-go zone. Fortunately the last part of the run was all down hill and we arrived in Madeira Drive despite the unevenness of the engine.

Atop the Devil's Dyke

It being a nice, sunny day the weather had brought out the crowds and so progress to the finishing line was slow and not helped by the illiterate drivers who ignored the 'Road Closed' sign at the end of Madeira Drive and joined the queue for the finish.

The Mayor of Brighton greeted us as we arrived and we received our finishers badge.

Arriving at Brighton

After a pleasant afternoon looking at the cars we set off back to Horsham. The engine was as uneven as before but after a visit to a filling station further along the Prom the fault cleared and a little lightbulb came on in our heads. Petrol!

After blaming the electrics all day we suddenly realised that the fuel must have had impurities in it either solid or possibly a condensate from its overwintering.

We are now planning to get a petrol filter installed before the next long run.

On the front at Brighton

There are 2 videos and 289 pictures of the cars that took part in this event in the Members Area.