Pedal cars: the vintage machines that are hugely collectible

So which pedal car scored a £9154 sale? That was a beautiful replica of a 1930s Blower Bentley, complete with model supercharger beneath its mesh-protected headlights. This is a pedal car you wouldn’t want to let a child anywhere near, despite the provision of leather flying helmet and an electric motor. The same applies to many of these cars, including a petrol-engined AC Cobra of impressive quality (it went for £5712 with fees), some beautiful pre-war sports cars and grand prix racers and a couple of restored DS Citroëns.

Most of the cars were more mainstream, the vast majority relying on junior feet for propulsion. That sounds like a simple method of travelling from dad’s armchair to the bathroom, except that for a small child it’s a sizeable test of co-ordination. The child must consistently pump their legs while navigating domestic furnishings, walls, doors, dogs and adult shins if they are to avoid both a Carpet Traffic Accident and the irritation of relatives. Despite these minor drawbacks, though, pedal cars are almost as old as the car itself.

The first appeared in the 1890s and were doubtless considerably more reliable than the full-size cars on which they were modelled. Many were fabricated from pressed steel and featured plenty of detail, making them the rich child’s plaything.

The heyday of the metal pedal car lasted half a century, from the 1920s through to the end of the 1960s. In the 1970s they were increasingly made out of plastic (as with so many things of the time), somewhat diminishing the appeal to collectors, many of whom were present for this bonanza of pedal-powered automobilia.

“Pedal cars have a huge following and they always go very well,” says Toby Service of Brightwells auctioneers. “It’s extraordinary to see so many in one place. I’ve only seen one collection bigger than this in my 17 years”. Also extraordinary was a collection of model planes, many of them radio-controlled and large enough to need the hangar space of a domestic garage. Most spectacular was a huge Hercules bomber, a bargain at £896. Still, all lots found homes, underlining the appeal of machines that their collectors can neither drive nor fly. 

Our highlights: 

TRIUMPH TR3 - £1064

This impressive Triumph is almost big enough for an adult to enter, although battery life (it’s electric) would then be further curtailed by the extra weight.

FERRARI-STYLE SPORTS CAR - £5824

Another electric car rather than a pedal-powered one and really beautifully finished despite not being a scale replica of a specific Ferrari.

AVRO LANCASTER B.III - £2016

This magnificent monster, modelled on an aircraft from the ‘Dambusters’ squadron, is radio controlled. Not surprisingly you need official clearance to fly it, what with its 204in wingspan.