1928 Rolls Royce Phantom 1 Wilkinson tourer.

Chassis number: 55CL

Registration number: UL5136

One of the best driving Rolls Royce Phantom 1's we have had the pleasure to experience.

Chassis number 55CL left the Derby works in October 1928 and was first owned by a Scottish customer who had it fitted with saloon coachwork by Wilkinson & Sons of Derby. Notes in the history file suggest that it was later used as a hearse before seeing service in WW2 as an ambulance, after which it was put into storage in a barn near Cannock, Staffordshire, where it was to remain for many years.

In the early 1970s the car was rescued from storage by a Mr Bloor and fully restored with new tourer coachwork by Restor of Derby, an old green log book showing that it was back on the road in May 1974 and registered to JS Bloor Ltd (leading your scribe to wonder if its saviour may have been John Stuart Bloor of Swadlincote, the business magnate who founded Bloor Homes and went on to revive Triumph Motorcycles in 1991 with a cash injection of £80m?).

It was next owned by a Mr M Aspinal and then Mr M Astbury of Cannock from whom Mr J Marsh of Stourbridge (of Marsh & Baxter Butchers fame) acquired it in 1985. Mr Marsh was to keep the car for the next 30 years until he passed away, using the car regularly including numerous Continental tours, a photo in the history file showing the car bowling happily through Switzerland on one such jaunt.

Various bills show regular upkeep throughout Marsh’s ownership, the most significant being a full engine rebuild in September 1996 by Cliff Long Engineering of Kinver, since when the car has clocked up some 34, 500 miles, an average of around 1, 800 miles per year and testament to the thoroughly usable nature of this 87-year-old machine. Still in fine running order today, it fired up instantly and ran beautifully as we manoeuvred it for these pictures. Assorted more recent bills come from a coterie of specialists including Alan Glew, RR&B Garages & Ristes of Nottingham.

The car comes with a full set of weather gear including hood, hood bag and two tonneau covers (allowing half and full coverage of the interior), all in excellent condition, plus tools, wheel changing kit and an owner’s instruction manual. Altogether a wonderfully preserved motorcar, from long-term enthusiast ownership, which is ready for a new custodian to enjoy right away.

The maroon exterior paint over black is in good order thoughout. To the interior is beige leather again in good order with a light patina of age & frankly all the better for it. The full quotient of the usual instruments are found in the dash board.

I have to stress how superbly this car drives. The almost 8 litre engine is silent & powerful giving one the sensation of being pushed along the road at speed by an invisible giant hand. The steering is light play free & very direct with good feel to it. The gear box is very smooth & once warmed easily able to render silent changes with. The suspension is soft & undulating giving a pleasant ride for up to six occupants.

Simply put the driving experience of this phantom is the yard stick by which others ought to be judged. It runs cool at 60 degrees & exhibits excellent oil pressure.