LONDON TO BRIGHTON RUN - SUNDAY 13th JUNE 2004

After the success of last years London to Brighton and the Kent run, we thought that the two runs deserved a rightful place in our yearly event calendar - inviting IMOC and the MR2 Drivers Club along for the ride as well.

Alan Cayzer was in charge of getting the run together and the routes etc., and Steve Kingsnorth and I were in charge of rallying the troops and getting as many MR2s as we could. We just hoped for better weather than last time.

Well the day came and in the morning the weather looked as though it was going to be hot, and with hot weather we knew it would bring more people out. The first meeting place was in a car park near Reigate. At first there were no MR2s in sight MK1, MK2 or MK3s??? Where was everyone? Then one showed, a red MK2 from the drivers club, then another, then another. And after that they just kept coming and coming. When Alan arrived he had had a brilliant idea, get everyone to sign the guest book, then we know who has come and from what clubs. (Really it was a ploy to give to the police to catch as many of these cars they could – they could not get one of us)

As people signed their names in the book they were given a map and Steve was trying desperately to count how many cars were there but after ten he got lost (surprisingly without any food). After a bit of help Steve managed to get up to the magic number of 22 cars crammed into the car park. It got to 11.30 and was time to depart for the second stop – Pease Pottage. The MR2s gathered together and left the car park but as usual we were unable to predict traffic and we got separated into three groups. But it was not split into different MK MR2’s everyone was intermingling. It was a nice steady drive down to Pease Pottage getting lots of looks as we drove thought the towns, then we got on the motorway for the last stint and off went the turbo boys with Steve in the middle in the SC.

We got to Pease Pottage around 12.00 and there was already some more MR2’s waiting to join us, That was it Steve was off again trying that counting lark again, we went round again with the book getting names and chatting to people. Everyone was chatting and having a look round each others cars then a red MK1 turned up about 12.15, and of course it was Alan’s brother who had got lost again.

Steve, Alan and myself started chatting saying how pleased we were with the turn out, the weather was getting hotter, the cars looked good we had beaten our record of 25 cars last year and we had counted 29 cars, we were impressed. There were several of each shape and size MR2 including a couple of MK3s. Surprisingly there was still no food in sight around Steve, and then Alan noticed Jackie had stolen it and was eating it all.

As people were chatting more MR2s turned up we even had a couple from the MR2 OC. They were more than welcome to join us and an extra one appeared, everyone knew this MK1 had turned up from the 4 exhausts hanging off the back and the extra loud stereo for a MK1. He was stopping at Pease Pottage for petrol when he noticed all these MR2s in the car park, he said he was a member of the MK1 Club but did not know about the event and asked if he could come along as he was going to Brighton. By this time we had managed to get a total number of 35 MR2’s!!!

At 1o’clock it was time to depart and head towards the next stop, this stop had been added on this year as people said last year they wanted a longer run, it was time to go to Beachy Head. Again as everyone left we were all split into smaller groups, about 4 groups left Pease Pottage, and though no fault of the map or route there were a few wrong turns, but everyone got to Beachy Head. It was a nice drive down as the weather was beautiful and the cars were going well and everyone was driving safely. Touch wood there was no accidents this time. People were arriving at Beachy Head from about 1.45 and getting together and talking about the great drive down and some went off in search of ice cream to cool themselves others went towards the pub for lubrication. We then noticed we were quite a few cars missing, where were they had they got lost? What was going on? Then about half hour later they turned up, Tom Withers told us he stopped and the pub for a quick pub lunch and every one just seemed to follow him in. A few MK2 turbo owners were interested in Steve’s super edition SC; one said that he could not believe it kept up with his turbo on the motorway (up to 70), which then made Steve’s day. There was a nice assortment of colours of cars at Beachy Head with the sun shining off them, then it was time to leave for Brighton Marina, we heard it was busy, but we thought why not we will find space. A few decided to part from us and call it a day to get home in time for the football, and Karl in his red MK1 was off home for a slow drive along the coast. As everyone was getting ready to leave another red MK2 turbo turned up, he explained he drove past about 20 minutes before in his everyday car, saw all the MR2s and went home to get his to join us, and apparently there were a few more MR2s that we picked on the way as we drove past them.

Then it was back along the coast road to Brighton where we went up to the top level so we were in the sun again, everyone seemed to find a space to fit their MR2. Some went off along the marina others stayed a while to admire the cars but unfortunately this was the end of the great day as it was getting close to kick off time and everyone wanted to be home in time for the football. It was good to see so many MR2s get together and get along so well, everyone got a look round different cars and ask some technical questions to some, A good day was had a by all and a special thank you to Alan for organizing a great event, and we all look forward to the Kent Coast Run on the 15th August.

Pete Mason

Guest Book List

Name              Reg No     Club

1  Karl Thomas      E86 GRX    MK1
2  Alex Roscoe      G866 BVW   MK1
3  Andrew Jackson   G365 VHW   MK1
4  Jeff Watts       M22 SPE    MR2 OC Mk3
5  Robin Wood       M283 MYR   IMOC
6  Simon Miller     N185 GCL   MR2 DC
7  Andy Kent        F144 HMV   MK1
8  Graham Keane     GD02 WEH   MK3
9  John Kempshall   B7 JLK     MK1
10 Geoff Willing    L548 THC   MK2
11 Kevin Crane      B231 WWU   MK1
12 Tom Withers      G310 TYH   MK1
13 Mike Commons     L663 GKJ   IMOC
14 Tim Woollett     L236 NUD   MK2
15 Daniel Gatt      F391 FFJ   IMOC/MR2 DC
16 Tony Rogers      J370 RMO   IMOC/MR2 DC
17 Brian Wood       M30 ASL    MR2 DC
18 Steve Kingsnorth F33 OWL    MK1
19 Mick and Sue     MW52 YVJ  
20 Pete Mason                  MK1
21 Geoff Gill       M143 CGP
22 Alan Cayzer      F773 DGC   MK1
23 Stacey Dennis    G828 DNO   IMOC
24 Anthony Onions   J2 AJO     IMOC/MR2 DC
25 Stephen Ace      J603 MHC   IMOC
26 Adam Smith       J735 WEP   TOC??
27 Eddie Pagdin     C884 CFC   IMOC/MK1
28 Carlo Lepoon     PVD        MR2 OC
29 Simon Hicks      XYT 1538   IMOC
30 Neil Campbell    B885 SLJ   MR2 DC
31 Chad Sharpe      J115 LPX   IMOC
32 Mike Lorusso     C176 UPH   MR2 DC
33 Wesley Figh      J290 WKG   MR2
34 David Mills      C19 DCM    MR2
35 Malcom Haddow    E260 JLL   IMOC