A FLEET of ageing vehicles from a bygone era of British motoring takes to rural roads of the North-East for an annual test tomorrow.

The 31st Beamish Safety and Reliability Run is back on its normal 150-mile route after being curtailed due to last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic.

It gives other road users, enthusiasts and lucky passers-by a chance to run the rule over a host of lovingly preserved vintage and classic cars, trucks, buses and motor cycles.

The event, starting and finishing at Beamish Museum, near Stanley, in north-west Durham, follows a route through picturesque areas of Weardale, Teesdale and into Arkengarthdale and Swaledale in North Yorkshire, where there will be the popular lunch-time stop on the village green at Bainbridge.

Nine checkpoints have been strategically selected to include several places of interest, designed to attract the crowds, particularly if the weather remains fine.

In keeping with the Golden Jubilee celebrations, organisers felt it appropriate to lower entry to allow in all vehicles registered before 1954, therefore including those from the years of the Queen's accession and coronation.

Vehicles set off from the car park of the open air museum from 8.30am, led by 83-year-old Beamish run regular Cyril Purvis, from Sunderland, on his 1950 BSA Bantam 123cc cycle.

One four-wheel vehicle or two motorcycles will leave every minute until all 101 entries are on the road, en route to checkpoint one at the Punch Bowl at Satley, between Lanchester and Tow Law, before heading to Hamsterley Forest.

Bowes Museum is likely to be a focal point for spectators with vehicles passing checkpoint three, there, between 10am and 11am.

An added attraction at checkpoint four, at the C B Inn, at Langthwaite, near Reeth, will be a round of the World Quoits Championship.

The lunch stop at Bainbridge will last up to an hour-and-a-half, with no vehicle allowed to depart before 1.30pm.

In the afternoon, the return to Beamish passes a number of familiar landmark pubs, including England's highest tavern, at Tan Hill, the Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk, the Grey Bull at Stanhope, the Moorcock at Waskerley, the King's Head at Lanchester, the Wardle's Bridge Inn in Holmside, and the Charlaw Inn at Blackhouse.

For visitors to Beamish, there is also a static display of pre-1980 vehicles, staged by the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain, with the first reliability run entry expected back by 3.45pm.

Entries, some from as far afield as Bristol, London, Derby and Edinburgh, are vying for prizes not only for the roadworthiness, but also for their knowledge of the Highway Code down the years.

A team of 80 marshals will help to judge the event and keep the veterans of the road pointing in the right direction.

The run is organised by George Jolley and fellow enthusiasts from the North-East Club for Pre-War Austins