Triumph Herald returns to family of first owner

A classic car, widely regarded as one of the best kept of its kind, has returned home to Orkney — and to the same family who purchased it from a Kirkwall garage almost 60 years ago.

Owen Tierney is now the proud owner of the Triumph Herald 1200 first owned by his uncle, James William Miller.

It was 1967 when Mr Miller ordered the car from Rossland Garage in Kirkwall. It was eventually sold south, and has been kept in near-mint condition with just under 5,000 miles on the clock. 

Mr Tierney recalled that his uncle had his new motor held by the dealer until the turn of 1968 in the hope that he could get the first of a new registration series. 

“The registration back then was ABS,” he explained.

“But they were coming up to the 999 registrations, and so they were going to have to change to BBS.

“So his ambition was to get the first BBS number.”

Sadly, a fly in the ointment meant that another car was given the first BBS plate, while Mr Miller’s was given the second.

The mix-up is well-remembered by Malcolm “Stun” Sutherland, whose father Malcolm Sr. sold the car almost six decades ago. 

Mr Sutherland, aged just ten at the time the car was new, was astonished to be able to see the wine-coloured motor once more, and to be taken out for a spin, this Thursday. 

He remarked on the Herald’s condition, which is notable for its lack of wear to its chrome accents and the lack of damage to the white rubber bumpers. It also retains the pre-sale protective plastic sheets on the inside of its doors. 

Indeed, Mr Tierney explained that his uncle — who owned the car for 20 years — never took the car out of there was “even a chance of rain”, and only drove it about 1,500 miles in that time.