FEATURE
‘ IF WE GOT TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE , THAT WOULD BE A VICTORY ’
Bronwen May reflects on the experience of being a first-timer on the Run in 2021
Not many things scare me , I mean really scare me . I ’ ve flown long-haul solo with newborn twins , arranged multi-billion-dollar deals and regularly remove large arachnids from bathtubs . So , I was somewhat taken aback to be staring into the darkness in the early hours of Sunday 7 November 2021 , kept awake by gut-wrenching terror as I counted down the minutes before my first time as a driver on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run .
For several years , as an observer or passenger , I had really enjoyed the Run . So much so that I had boldly declared that I wanted a car and I wanted to drive . Eighteen months ago , as a rather nice bottle of Chablis was gently taking the edge off another boring stint in Covid quarantine , the charming Daniel Ward got in touch . Would I like to buy a Cadillac for the Run ? I followed with the important due diligence . ‘ What colour is it ?’ I asked .
‘ It has a dating certificate ,’ he replied , after a polite pause . Reader , I bought it .
Maybe it is easier to say what I wasn ’ t worried about on the morning of 7 November . I wasn ’ t worried about the car . A Cadillac is a truly magnificent and forgiving beast . ‘ When you buy a Cadillac , you buy a round trip ’, promised advertisements from 1903 . But I didn ’ t want a round trip ; a one-way to Brighton was all I needed . My car had been loved in the past and more recently had been carefully nurtured by the wonderful Nigel Parrott and his team .
I was afraid of only two things as our start time approached : operator error and abject failure . I would fail the car , forget how to drive it . Fail the Run , drive in the wrong lane . Fail the passengers who were so excited . Fail everyone who had been so generous with their time and help and advice .
I went to the car . She started , much to my relief . Then , to my despair , she stalled and I couldn ’ t immediately restart her . This was a low point , but my veteran car has taught me that when things go wrong , what on earth is there to lose ? We were here – it was us and the car , and so we were going to try our best to do this . With fabulous timing , William , my redoubtable copilot , suggested a swearing amnesty , so with language befitting the heftiest of stevedores , we restarted and set off . Turning into Park Lane , we reached the heady heights of second gear . We were on our way .
I will never , so long as I live , forget driving up Park Lane on that darkest of mornings . The car was going , perhaps slowly ( due to the driver ) but definitely
30 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run