FEATURE
THE GENERATION GAME
The challenges and enjoyment of driving a veteran car have real youth appeal , reports James Page .
Since the 1930s , students from Imperial College have been taking part in the Veteran Car Run on a 1902 James & Browne that was acquired for £ 45 . Named Boanerges – or Bo for short – the car is the motorised mascot of the City & Guilds College Union and is maintained by students , with the occasional helping hand from faculty members and alumni . This year , it ’ ll be driven by Andrew Beggs .
‘ Before Bo , I had never worked with cars at all ,’ he says , ‘ never mind one that ’ s 119 years old ! I joined Team Bo in my first year during the Freshers ’ Welcome Fair purely because it looked interesting . Literally any student at Imperial can join us and we ’ ll teach them everything they need to know .’
Andrew will have alongside him a fellow student as a co-driver – their role is to control the engine speed with the accelerator and timing levers – plus two more passengers in the rear . They will be far from the only youngsters on this year ’ s Run .
George Hudson ( 25 ) has been going on the event ‘ since birth ’ and has driven it from the age of 17 , when he took the controls of his father ’ s 1903 Flint . On one memorable occasion , and with no prior planning , all three family cars arrived at Madeira Drive together , having left Hyde Park at significantly different times .
This year , George will be on a 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout : ‘ It ’ s a little more forgiving than other Brighton cars I have had the pleasure of driving , but the main thing to be aware of is the start – it can get rather exiting if the settings aren ’ t correct .
‘ I really enjoy the support that everyone gives to each other , the wonderful spectators who keep you
38 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run