[D]

George Johnston, Locomotive engineer, built a steam tram in 1894, which was destroyed by fire. Johnston then turned to motorcars and built a Dogcart with a flat-twin engine with four pistons. A syndicate headed by Sir William Arrol who was an engineer on the Forth Bridge produced this "Mo-Car".

The 10 hp Dogcart of 1898 was very successful and produced until 1907. Several models including the six-cylinder 23/9 were built up to the outbreak of war. A 1905 Dogcart with solid wooden disc wheels still survives in Khartoum, were it was supplied as a searchlight tender for the Sidar of Egypt.

During 1912/1913 Arrol-Johnston were licensed to build 50 electric cars by the Anderson Electric Car Company (Detroit) under the Detroit Electric (Anderson/Elwell-Parker) designs and patents. Only one or two cars were completed and one was displayed at the 1913 London Motor Show.

In 1918 Arrol-Johnston re-entered the market with the four-cylinder Victory, but this was a failure and the pre-war four-cylinder 15.0 hp model was re-introduced.

Later the company merged with Aster and the final Arrol-Johnstons were actually Asters.

E-Mail: history@britishmm.co.uk