Shining examples of brass lamps from veteran cars on the Run.
was the first person to look at them since they were lodged.’
The then curator of the Transport Gallery, Peter Mann, allowed access to the rarely-seen“ secondary collection” of artefacts and catalogues held by the Science Museum, which was equally helpful.
‘ So putting it all together, I found the lighting aspects of bicycles, motorcycles and motor cars quite fascinating. Nobody had tackled that side of motoring transport before.’
In the intervening period Peter has become the pre-eminent expert on the subject. He’ s written the definitive book on bicycle lighting and is now working on a sister volume for early motor cars. He also writes a column on collecting veteran and vintage automobilia in The Automobile magazine. Of course, you won’ t hear him talking about it over the Tannoy today. He is the interviewer, after all. But as the vehicles set off one after another he’ ll no doubt reflect on the evolution of car lighting in motoring’ s infancy.
‘ Lighting was first fitted to Victorian cars in about 1895 with town-to-town racing in France. Because those races finished after dark or in the early morning, the idea arose to put carriage lamps on the
car so that the vehicle could be seen.‘ The lamps were not used to see the road ahead’ – it was so somebody else could see you!’
These were candle-powered lamps and because of the speed, bumpy roads and solid tyres, they extinguished at the slightest wind or draught. Oil lamps replaced them, although they were quite bulky, and by the time more compact acetylene gas lights arrived they were definitely for seeing-by during night driving.
‘ It was a slow change, and it took until about 1909 for CAV to bring out electric lighting,’ Peter explains.‘ Yet even then there were problems because the bulbs and filaments were so brittle.’
Peter admits he’ s addicted to the unique atmosphere found at the Veteran Car Run start.
‘ There’ s an excitement you can almost smell. People are eager for the adventure ahead, but they’ re also fretting the car might let them down and not actually leave the startline. They also have guests with them who won’ t be impressed if they don’ t get to Brighton. And I find the backdrop almost Turner-esque, with the reds and the greens and the glow of brass against the swirling smoke. There’ s a lot of emotion going on.’-
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