Having sold Invicta to the Earl Fitzwilliam in 1933, Noel Macklin and his works manager Leon Cushman cast around for another automotive project.

Impressed by the number of speed records that Hudson’s fledgling Essex-Terraplane subsidiary was setting, Macklin duly secured a supply of rolling chassis from the parent company.

Enlisting the help of Reid Railton, whose name was well-known to the motoring public as the designer of various land speed record cars, Macklin also commissioned coachbuilders such as Ranalah, REAL, Carbodies and Coachcraft to body his Anglo-American hybrid.

Featuring a 4,010cc Terraplane Eight engine and three-speed manual gearbox plus revised damping, the first-series Railtons boasted a better power-to-weight ratio than a Derby Bentley or Lagonda M45.

With its imposing radiator designed by motoring artist F.

Gordon Crosby and its bonnet adorned with external Invicta-style rivets, the new marque soon became synonymous with acceleration and top gear flexibility....