marshalling on the Hughes Rally and the Preston , which is an intense , all-night job .”
They also started competing , with Jonathan alternating between driver and navigator , and last year his dad became chief marshal for the Sevenoaks & District Motor Club . That meant he received a call for volunteers to help on the Veteran Car Run , which is how Jonathan came to be stationed at a set of traffic lights on a long climb near Redhill , watching drivers ’ faces drop if the lights turned red as they approached .
“ We were mainly there to direct traffic , and we pushed a few broken-down cars out of the way . There was a guy on a veteran motorbike and he had absolutely no power all the way up the hill – he was running alongside it basically the entire way !
“ All the different vehicles were so interesting , though , and I ’ d happily do it again . It ’ s not too taxing , either – it ’ s a lot harder getting a rally car out of the mud !”
Jonathan ’ s advice for anyone who wants to help with any sort of marshalling is to contact their local motor club . “ Reach out to them , because they ’ ll be up for it . They really want new people to join in . I ’ ve been the young guy in Sevenoaks for a long time and they ’ re always telling me , ‘ Bring all your mates , get everybody here , we need more people .’ Ask your relatives . You ’ ll probably find your dad , your uncle , your mum , brothers or sisters will go , ‘ Yeah – I ’ m up for that .’”
Jonathan ’ s advice for anyone who wants to help with any sort of marshalling is to contact their local motor club . “ Reach out to them , because they ’ ll be up for it . They really want new people to join in .”
The family connection played a central role in Genevieve Pocknell becoming a marshal on the Veteran Car Run . In fact , having been named after a veteran car – the eponymous star of the 1953 film – it was probably inevitable that she ’ d get involved in some way .
“ I started in 2018 through the Triumph Sports Six Club ,” she explains , “ because they were asking for volunteer marshals . We ’ ve got a Triumph Herald that ’ s been in the family since new and I ’ ve always been interested in classic and veteran cars .”
“ We used to go and watch at Staplefield ,” adds Genevieve ’ s father , Iain . “ There ’ s a big cricket green and lots of classic cars , and it ’ s a really nice atmosphere . Every year we used to look out for Genevieve ’ s namesake , but we ’ d have to make sure we got there early enough because it does go at quite a lick !”
Genevieve was only 15 when she first marshalled on the Veteran Car Run , and has always done so with Iain alongside her . That first year was spent helping at the tender-vehicle car park at Crawley . “ The only drawback of that , of course , was that we missed all the cars ,” says Iain with a smile , “ but we did get the chance to talk to the drivers of the ones that had broken down !”
“ In 2019 , we were on Crawley High Street ,” says Genevieve . “ There was a 1903 Humberette that people could sit in and have their photo taken , so we looked after that .”
“ It ’ s about being flexible as to what they want us to do ,” says Iain . “ The most important thing is making sure the event runs smoothly , so we just turn up and ask what needs to be done .”
Highlights of their time marshalling have included Genevieve ’ s automotive namesake being reunited with its on-screen ‘ rival ’ – a Spyker 12-16hp Double Phaeton – but every year they revel in the event ’ s unique atmosphere . “ You get to talk about your love for cars with like-minded people who are there because they enjoy it ,” says Genevieve . “ Also , if you get to speak to the drivers , hearing the history of all the different cars that are going through is really cool .”
With Genevieve currently studying music performance at the University of Chichester , any future marshalling depends on her timetable , but she ’ ll be there if she can . “ It ’ s something we always enjoy ,” she says . “ It ’ s really nice being part of it .” -
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