It’s not very often that you get to see a vehicle from pretty much the beginning of motoring as we know it. That’s why I think this 1902 Arrol-Johnston Dogcart is so special. Even its number plate of XS 2 shows the car’s early days, as it was only the second car ever registered in the town of Paisley.
Evidence strongly suggests that this is one of just eight survivors worldwide. That alone makes it special enough, but, as with most things this age, it also comes with a pretty interesting life story that someone new will soon be a part of, as it will be available to buy at the next H&H Classics auction in Buxton on 15th October 2025.
Arrol-Johnston
Arrol-Johnston was set up in 1897 by George Johnston and Sir William Arrol.
Sir William was a much respected engineer and worked on projects like the Forth Bridge, the second Tay Bridge, and he even worked on the metalwork used for Tower Bridge.
One of the earliest vehicles that came from Arrol-Johnston was the Dogcart. The Dogcart looked a lot like a horse-drawn carriage and had solid-tyred wheels, varnished wooden coachwork, and a high stance. However, underneath the carriage-like looks was the foundation of a motorcar. Early versions of the Dogcart had a single-cylinder engine with two opposed pistons, but by 1902 the design had been developed to have a 10/12hp twin-cylinder engine with a four-speed gearbox and chain drive. This setup gave the Dogcart a top speed of 25mph, which, I would guess, back in 1902, was a fast way of getting around.
XS 2
This Dogcart has the chassis number 281, and is believed to have belonged originally to Sir Thomas Coats, from the famous Paisley textile family. It was put into storage on the Isle of Bute in 1919 and wasn’t rediscovered until 1942, when naval officer and veteran car enthusiast, Tom Lightfoot, found it. Since then, it’s had several owners, including Norman Cole in the 1960s and Norman Ball in the 1970s, before finally being bought by Geoffrey Plaister in 1998.
XS 2 has taken part in the London to Brighton Run in the late 1990s, and it also participated in the 2002 Arrol-Johnston Commemoration Run from Glasgow to Paisley and Dumfries. Most recently, it’s been displayed at the Great British Car Journey museum, where it underwent a partial recommissioning. It’s not completely roadworthy in its current state, but with a little bit of work, it could realistically be back on the road where it started its life. Hopefully, any future work will be done by a suitable person as it is a highly original car right now, so it would be great if this can continue.
A Very Rare Car
These cars were built to handle rough terrain and steep climbs, which is why they fit perfectly in Scotland.
With only eight Dogcarts currently known to survive, each one is obviously hugely important and rare. Two of the known survivors take part in the London to Brighton run on a regular basis, a couple live in museums, and then this one will very soon have a new home when it goes up for sale with H&H Classics.
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