More than 400 pre-1905 cars pass through Norbury, Croydon, Purley and Coulsdon on Sunday 1 November, from about 7.25am to 11.05am. Where to watch, and when.
Yes, the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is on this Sunday, 1 November 2026, and it comes through the borough. The organisers’ spectator route guide gives the cars in Norbury and Thornton Heath from about 7.25am to 9.50am, in Croydon from about 7.40am to 11.05am, and on Coulsdon High Street from about 7.35am to 11.05am. Watching from the roadside is free.
More than 400 cars built before 1905 are expected, according to the organisers’ latest announcement on 23 October. The run is organised by the Royal Automobile Club.
When the cars come through Croydon
The windows below are from the organisers’ 2026 spectator route guide, which calls them approximate. The first cars are through early; the stragglers, often the oldest and slowest, take much longer.
| Where | Road, per the guide | Approximate times |
|---|---|---|
| Norbury and Thornton Heath | A23 | 7.25am to 9.50am |
| Mitcham | A236 | 7.25am to 9.50am |
| Croydon | A236, A235, A23 | 7.40am to 11.05am |
| Coulsdon High Street | A237, A23 | 7.35am to 11.05am |
| Merstham | A23 | 7.40am to 11.05am |
The cars leave Hyde Park from sunrise. They line up on South Carriage Drive from 6am and the last car leaves at about 8.45am, the guide says, so a car that leaves late reaches Croydon well after the first ones have gone through.
Where to watch
The guide lists Coulsdon High Street among its recommended places to see the cars on the move. It is the only spot in the borough the organisers name.
Purley BID says the cars come along the Brighton Road in Purley, and has asked shops to open early. On its list (Purley BID):
- 7am: The Class Cafe, Costa Coffee (950 Brighton Road), Sainsbury’s and Purley Express
- 7.30am: Star Express
- 8am: Infinity Coffee Shop
- 8.30am: FILTR by Coromandel Coast
- 9am: O Farol, Subway and The Next Level Cafe & Patisserie
- 11am: Dallas Chicken
- 12pm: Cuppa Chaii
The only official viewing areas on the route are the two paddocks at the start in Hyde Park and the finish on Madeira Drive, Brighton, where cars arrive from about 10am until the run closes at 4.30pm.
Road closures and driving that morning
The organisers have not published any road closures for the route through Croydon. If you are driving south on the A23 or the Brighton Road that morning, allow extra time between about 7.30am and 11am, when the guide has the cars passing. Our roadworks and travel page has this week’s closures, and our parking in Croydon page covers where to leave a car in Purley and Coulsdon.
What the cars are
Every car must have been built before 1905 and carry a Veteran Car Club dating certificate, according to the organisers’ FAQs. The 60-mile run commemorates the Emancipation Run of 14 November 1896, when the speed limit for light locomotives rose to 14mph and the man walking ahead with a red flag was abolished. It has been run since 1927, and this year marks 130 years since 1896 and 140 years since Karl Benz’s Patent-Motorwagen, the organisers say. Steam and electric cars, penny farthings and early motorcycles take part as well as petrol cars.
The night before, Saturday 31 October, many of the same cars are on show at the free St James’s Motoring Spectacle on Pall Mall in central London, organised by the Royal Automobile Club (Veteran Car Run: spectators).
Is it on every year?
Yes. The run is traditionally held on the first Sunday in November, the organisers say. If it keeps to that, the 2027 run would be on Sunday 7 November. This page will be updated with next year’s route guide when it is published.
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