10,000 mile trip to go for a drive at the Black Country Museum

And the snap, from the 1920s, has led one family to make a 10,000-mile journey from their home in Australia to see that very same car almost 100 years later.

The classic Bean 14 belonged to the grandfather of Graeme French, aged 77, who this week travelled from Adelaide with his son Timothy to the Black Country Museum, which became the car's home in the 1970s when it was restored.

The black and white picture of the car, which would have been made in one of Bean's factories in Dudley and Coseley, shows a relaxed-looking Thomas Woodall, then managing director of iron and steel works John Elwell & Sons, reading a newspaper.

He is with his son Wilfred, in the driver's seat, his son other Eric and daughter Winifred, who sit behind him looking at the photographer.

Winifred was Mr French's mother and the photograph was passed on to him, but never did he expect to see the fancy car again, let alone take a ride in it.

That was until while living in Australia, he received a newspaper cutting in the 1970s showing a story about the restoration of the Bean 14 his grandfather purchased for £395 in about 1924.

Mr French, a retired financial advisor, then organised to see the car at its new home at the Black Country Living Museum during a visit to the country in the 1990s.

And this week, he returned with his son Timothy to take another look at the vehicle and to take it on a ride around the museum grounds.

Holding the old family picture of the car, he said: "It's a real beauty, isn't it?

"It has been wonderful for me to find my grandfather's car. It had always been a vehicle I'd look at through the picture and admired, but never thought I'd see it and go in it myself."

Mr French was born in Australia after his mother emigrated in 1929. He believes the photograph was taken in Rhyl and is thought to be about a year after his grandfather purchased it.

Bean Cars brought out the Bean 14 model in 1923, making about 4,000 up to 1929. There is thought to only be about 200 to 300 in working order today.

The number 14 reflected the horsepower of the engine, which was used to tax the car, with £1 a year for each horsepower value.

The car has four gears and drives at about 45 mph comfortably. It has black leather seats.

Mr French said: "When my grandfather purchased the car he was living in Stanmore Road in Edgbaston - there were only two other cars in the road at the time, so it was quite a sight for the neighbours and the family remembered it well.

"But with my grandfather's ill health I think it then got left in a lock-up garage and then under my grandmother's ownership was lost.

"I'd often see the picture of the car when growing up and marvel at it, but never did I think I would see it, until aunt sent me an article cutting about the same car being restored.

"I could not believe it. The story was about the car being found and so when I came next to England in the 1990s I made a point of seeing it.

"Seeing it working was amazing - it completed the picture for me and felt special getting inside it."

Mr French's son, Timothy, 45, a chartered accountant, said: "It's a fabulous car which is special to our family - it's great to see it so well looked after here."

Mr French was born in Melbourne. He has two brothers. He grew up in Australia before moving to work in London for 10 years in the 1960s. He returned to Australia and had two children. He now has five grandchildren.

Jim Pease, museum vehicle engineer, is one of the volunteers who has helped look after the vehicle, which is now coloured red and black.

He said: "The museum has had the car since the 1970s, it has had a chequered past, but we're delighted we have the car among our display here.

"It's great to see the story behind it with Mr French coming here too."

Bean cars were manufactured between 1919 and 1929 and in the early1920s, they outsold Austin and Morris vehicles. But the success was short-lived after one design was released with a series of faults. It led to a drop in sales, and car production ceased in 1929 before the firm went into liquidation two years later.