Entering Preston on 30 April 1900.
Schubert Egerton, in a De Dion Bouton Voiturette, arriving at Whitehall on 12 May 1900. were widely perceived to be the anti-social, horsestartling playthings of the rich. But he also had a grander aim: in the context of a slowly emerging British car industry, he wanted it to be‘ the biggest and most important thing done in this country.’
The cash-strapped Club was unable to bankroll such a venture, but Johnson found the perfect backer in newspaper tycoon Lord Alfred Harmsworth, a mustard-keen early motorist himself. Harmsworth’ s Daily Mail had already championed the motor car as the transport solution of the future, and the proprietor’ s backing would bring favourable, and influential, coverage. Plus, crucially, Harmsworth put up £ 452 to cover costs and prize money.
Johnson and Harmsworth had the exciting task of recce-ing the proposed route together in the press baron’ s own French-made Panhard 6hp, and the 1,000 Mile Trial was announced in January 1900.
Its stated purpose was‘ the object of advancing the automobile movement in the United Kingdom’. Private individuals and car company entrepreneurs scrambled for places on the entry list, and 83 were booked, although thanks to the unpredictable nature of early motor vehicles, only 65 cars actually started.
The 22-day odyssey formed an elongated loop taking the cars and their intrepid drivers from London to Edinburgh and back. The speed limit at the time was 12mph( 10 once across the Scottish border), and the Club’ s Committee told participants they must stick to it strictly, and to 8mph in towns.
On 23 April 1900, the roadshow began, at Grosvenor Place near London’ s Hyde Park Corner. Each car had a driver and an observer. The assembled metal throng looked more like a mad inventor’ s derby than a competitive car event because all kinds of configurations were represented – front- and rearmounted engines; belt, chain and propeller drive; steering by wheel or tiller; fuel by petrol or steam. The car was in its infancy and competing systems were still being assessed for the optimum working design.
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