TOMORROW’S Beamish Run has attracted 136 drivers of vintage cars and light commercial vehicles, all dating from 1955 or before.

Among the enthusiasts tackling the 150-mile course, a circular route taking in mainly country roads in County Durham and North Yorkshire, is Beamish Museum director Richard Evans.

He has embraced the event since taking up the post three years ago, welcoming the start back onto the open air heritage museum site and taking part as a passenger for the past two years.

This year he will be at the wheel of a 1933 Morris Commercial light van from the museum’s collection.

Organiser George Jolley, a veteran of all 41of the revived runs either as a competitor or overseeing the event, welcomed Mr Evans’ participation.

He said: “He is a wonderful supporter and he has arranged that if people come to the museum and pay the entry fee, then that will last for a year.

“The museum is opening early, specially for the run, at 9am instead of 10am, to enable people to come on site and see the vehicles starting, and Mr Evans has arranged for a marquee to be erected to offer the early starters breakfast and a snack on their return.

“The site is staying open to the public until 5.30pm, instead of 4.30pm, so people can see them coming back in.”

A royal flavour will be added by the Earl of Strathmore, Michael Bowes-Lyon, a cousin of the Queen, from Glamis Castle, in Scotland.

He is making a third attempt to compete in the run after mechanical problems prevented his participation over the past two years.

The earl will be in vehicle 83, his 1953 Bentley R Type, a favourite car of the late Queen Mother. It was refurbished at a specialist motor works at Barnard Castle.

His son, the Honourable George “Geordie” Bowes- Lyon, will also take part, in his 1955 Land Rover Series I.

Vehicles will leave Beamish every minute, led by Paul Docherty, of Marley Hill, Newcastle, in his 1923 Morris Cowley, from 8.15am until about 10.30am.

There will be ten checkpoints, staffed by 85 volunteers, although checkpoint nine at Burnhope, near Stanley, has been replaced with one at Stanhope, where competitors used to cross the ford before it was closed to traffic for safety grounds.

The village green in Bainbridge, North Yorkshire, will again provide a colourful setting for the lunch break, with the first vehicles due in between 11am and 11.30am, and the last leaving by 2.30pm.

Most finishers should return to Beamish between about 3.45pm and 5.30pm, although some stragglers may well arrive later into the evening.

Participants will be quizzed at the checkpoints about their knowledge of the Highway Code and rules of the road.

They are competing for 14 trophies, although they will all want to avoid the “Jolly Hard Luck” award for the first vehicle to break down on the course.

For a full list of entrants, and a route map, see today's Northern Echo