On Sunday 26 April I went to the 17th annual London-Brighton Jaguar Car Run which started at Chartwell, Westerham, Kent - family home of Sir Winston Churchill, to photograph the start of the run.
The run is organised by Jaguar World magazine in association with the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club.
There were over 300 Jaguars scheduled to drive through Westerham starting at Chartwell for breakfast, getting ready for their start times between 8am and 10am. The route they followed took them on the B roads and finished at Madeira Drive in Brighton where the presentations were due to take place in the afternoon.
You may remember that after the heat wave during the week, Sunday morning was forecast to be a cold, very wet, wintery day and the forecast wasn't wrong!
I arrived at Chartwell at 7.30am equipped for the rain with camera bodies and lenses protected with plastic bags (I find the small Boots ones are best, turned inside out). This allows you to work fast without the worry the rain will seep into the equipment, leaving enough room to look through the viewfinder and operate the controls, and most importantly the freedom to walk fast without the worry that anyone is trying to shield you with an umbrella. Might sound crazy but it works!
The weather didn't stop the owners of this Jaguar C-Type Enduro/Proteus Replica 1953 taking part from the Netherlands!
There were a huge variety of Jaguars, too many to mention, in particular the three Union Jags. The styling of the Union Jag is based on the stunning XK8. This luxury convertible was inspired by Jaguar’s famous old XK-E (E-Type) sports car of the 1960s.
Car of the Run Award
I hear it was a smooth run and sunny in Brighton, well done to all who took part! Car of the Run Award was presented to Peter Hall with his MK 9 1961 Jaguar, presented by the Mayor of Brighton.
The Elite London8 and 9 May
If you enjoy the finer things in life, this could be just the ticket at Rizon Jet, Biggin Hill Airport. I'm looking forward to photographing the construction of this prestigious event and will feature more in my newsletter next week. If you would like up-to-date news about the event please follow me on Twitter and Instagram @StellaSMS
The Elite London now in it's second year - will celebrate the luxury lifestyle world by showcasing jets, super cars and featuring stunning brands from fine art to fashion and luxury gifts to exquisite jewellery. Visitors will be treated to a selection from the world's most respected companies and sought after brands. To book your tickets please click here.
Photograph below supplied from last years event.
Have a great Bank Holiday weekend, I'll be back next week with more news.
Bye for now.
Stella