Celebrity baker Paul Hollywood will enjoy a drive through automotive history when he takes part in the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run on November 2nd.
The Great British Bake Off judge will be setting off from Hyde Park, alongside over 400 other participants, as they head towards the Sussex seafront. He will be behind the wheel of a two-seater 1904 De Dion Bouton, which is powered by a single cylinder six horsepower engine that he has borrowed from the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu.
Each year more than 400 automobiles that date back to the early days of motoring complete the run. It commemorates the original Emancipation Run that was held on November 14th in 1896. This was to mark the introduction of the Locomotives on the Highway Act, which saw the speed limit for light locomotives increase from four to 14 miles per hour and abolished the regulation that a man must walk ahead of cars waving a red flag.
Speaking about his entry into the Run, Mr Hollywood said: “It’s going to be great fun. I’ve always wanted to do the Run ever since my granddad used to talk about it, so I’m really looking forward to the journey.
“I’ve got a real passion for cars and taking this trip with lots of other people who also clearly have a similar passion is going to be something really, really special. Just seeing all these veteran cars going through the heart of London is going to be spectacular.”
The celebrity driver has already been able to get a little bit of practice in with the De Dion Bouton, with expert guidance given by senior engineer at Beaulieu workshops, Ian Stansfield.
Mr Hollywood explained that the car feels very different to modern automobiles, particularly as drivers have to control everything with their hands. While there are no dials on the vehicle, he has been informed that it can do 30 miles per hour.
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