Description
Railton cars were built by the Fairmile Engineering Company in Cobham, Surrey. This company was the enterprise of Noel Macklin who had been building Invicta cars at the same premises. The Invicta were hand built using expensive materials and were no longer selling. Macklin was determined to produce a car with similar performance and good coachwork at an affordable price. Following evaluation, he was very impressed by the performance of the new Terraplane model launched by Hudson Motors in 1932 and came to an agreement to import the straight eight-cylinder chassis. Improvements to the chassis and suspension were carried out so that they handled in a way more to the liking of British motorists. He then contracted several independent coachbuilders to design and construct Light Tourers, Drop Head Coupes and Saloons. F. Gordon Crosby, the well-known motoring artist, designed the Railton radiator grille in a similar style to the Invicta; Reid Railton, the designer of Land Speed Record cars agreed to his name being used for the new car. As the 1930’s progressed, the Hudson 8-cylinder chassis became longer, wider and heavier which resulted in the engine being installed with a twin choke carburettor and manifolding. As a result, the power increased slightly to 122 BHP at about 3800 r. p. m. This was fairly impressive at the time for an un-tuned side valve engine but could be increased easily by the fitment of the optional alloy cylinder head. All 8-cylinder chassis, when combined with light coachwork, produced a car with staggering acceleration, torque and top gear flexibility
This is a car with an exceptional history having had only three owners from new, having covered by February 2020, only 82001 documented miles since purchased on the 31st August 1939 by Jersey born ocean yachtsman & philanthropist Captain TB Davis as wedding present for his daughter Marguerite. On sale to TB Davis the Railton was described as ‘slightly shop soiled’ having been registered slightly earlier in 1939, this being the description on the original sales invoice to TB Davis c/ o Westward, Dartmouth. Westward being the ocean-going racing 40m Herreshoff designed racing brigantine owned by TB Davis. Westward was raced frequently by him until he retired from ocean racing shortly after the death of King George, against whom TB Davis had often competed with Westward against the King in the sailing brigantine Britannia.
Following Marguerite Davis’s marriage to Harley Street surgeon Alexander Simpson-Smith, the Railton remained in London before returning to the family home in 1955. In her later years, Marguerite Simpson-Smith approached Michael Wilcock, owner of the Jersey Motor Museum for advice on how the car could be sold, with the result that the car was purchased by the Jersey Motor Museum, remaining there until the Museum closed and the exhibits sold some 20 years ago. Michael Wilcock a keen amateur racing driving, who had after the war coincidently owned a garage in Sussex where Railtons were serviced, and where he is known to have competed with a tuned straight eight Railton saloon. On the closure of the museum, the Railton was purchased by a local car enthusiast and it has been in his ownership for the past twenty years, during which period it has been frequently used for both local motoring events and European rallies.
Sold with the original sales order signed by TB Davies, the original bill of sale specifying the Bazin mascot, the car is complete with the original Railton brochure, driver’s handbook and registration book’s from the 1950’s onwards, together with correspondence relating to the car. A number of spare parts formerly gathered by Michael Wilcock during his ownership accompany the car and are listed below.
The Railton is in very good overall condition having been partially restored with a full engine rebuild in the late 1970’s following the Jersey Motor Museum acquisition of the car. The paintwork is mellow, and no doubt some enthusiastic polishing would bring a shine to areas of the bonnet side which have dulled over the years. The hood is in good condition, with a very good dark blue leather interior and carpets. Mechanically the car has been well kept and maintained and used for European car tours proving to be an extremely reliable and well-suited car for long runs through France. It is today as when new, a high performance straight eight pre war DHC capable of maintaining a high average speed, in addition to more than adequately keeping up with modern traffic as speed limits allow.
The bodywork is in very solid as pictures will confirm, the underside is free of corrosion, the coachwork is finished in midnight blue complimented by a dark blue leather interior and carpets, all of which are pleasantly patinated. The grey hood has no rips or tears and is easy to operate. The bonnet has some fading to the sides which forms part of the cars character, there are some minor localised areas of surface corrosion which can be rectified on behalf of the next owner. Unusually the centre dash is covered in sharkskin, perhaps to the original request of the noted yachtsman TB Davis.
Mechanically the Railton is in good mechanical condition having been owned by Jersey Motor Museum and one enthusiastic owner since the engine and mechanicals were rebuilt by Michael Wilcock's engineer in the late 1970’s. It has been used and serviced regularly over the last four decades. There are a quantity of documents and spare parts for the car which are listed below.
Documents.
History File containing correspondence between Mrs Simson - Smith & Michael Wilcock.
Factory Brochure
Handbook
Photo Album
UK V5
Spare Parts, to include bearings, brake cylinders, new cylinder head, new gearbox, clutch and other parts.
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