A01

THE first car to be registered in Cumbria is to be sold by descendants of the Edwardian magistrate who bought it from new 106 years ago.

With the registration plate AO1, the two-seater Peugeot has remained in the county ever since and is expected to fetch around £150,000 from a veteran car collector.

Boasting a three-speed gearbox and spare oil lamps, she represented cutting-edge technology in 1902. The dark blue two-seater, with just 2,000 miles on the clock, was shipped to England from France in 1902, the year the Boer War ended.

Now this one-family-owned Peugeot 5HP has proved she has staying power too by cruising through her first MOT test – 106 years since taking to the road.

It was bought in 1902 for around £185 by William Parkin-Moore JP, of the former Whitehall estate near Mealsgate.

The car has been handed down through generations of the family and remains in virtually original condition complete with wooden bodywork and oil fuelled head lamps.

The family also owned the second car registered in the county – a Daimler with the plates AO2 – which has long since gone and the plates were auctioned in 2002.

The decision to sell the piece of family history has been a tough one. “We’ve thought long and hard about it. It’s only been over the last year we’ve become aware what it is worth.

With the number plate alone expected to fetch between £60,000 and £150,000, the family found the potential sum too much to refuse. “We’ve no interest in veteran cars – we’d like to see it go to a collector who would appreciate it.”

The family would like to see the car and plate stay together and for both to remain in Cumbria.

“Since we put it up for sale we’ve had all sorts of things come out of the woodwork – people have sent in photos and information about seeing it.”

Offers have already started to roll in but none have yet been accepted.

To register interest in the car call Gavin McGuire on 01892 770310.