It’s interesting how things evolve. While I have had no personal experience with the Invicta marque there has always been an interest. Little did I know how deep the story of Invicta was intertwined with the undertakings of one man.
While disparate at first glance, the names of Eric-Campbell, Silver Hawk, Invicta, Railton and Fairmile Marine Boats were all connected, as they represent the life’s work of a single English industrialist—Albert Noel Campbell Macklin.
Born in 1886, by the time he reached the age of 15, Macklin was teaching himself how to drive in the family Panhard et Levassor. At 23 in 1909, Macklin was running first a Mercedes, followed by a GP Fiat at Brooklands. The Great War saw him serving as a captain in the Royal Horse Artillery, but he was invalided out, seeing out the hostilities with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
Noel Macklin’s initial foray into the automotive industry came in 1919 when, in partnership with Eric Orr-Ewing, they leased part of the Handley-Page aircraft factory to produce a car they called the Eric-Campbell. History tells us that initial prototypes were built at Macklin’s family home at Cobham Fairmile in Surrey and once production commenced two models were available with either a 1,498-cc or 1,075-cc Coventry-Simplex four-cylinder engine. As befitting Macklin’s sporting connections, cars were entered at Brooklands and two examples ran in the 1919 Targa Florio.
It could be assumed that Macklin’s interest waned when the Eric-Campbell went into production, as he soon returned to his family home to work on the Silver Hawk. However, it is recorded that Orr-Ewing married Macklin’s ex-wife, but whether that had anything to do with it remains unknown. After approximately 500 cars were built, production of the Eric-Campbell was taken over by Vulcan, but eventually the receivers were called in during early 1926.
While the Eric-Campbell was predominately a passenger vehicle, the Silver Hawk was designed and built for speed. While just twelve examples were built, the Silver Hawk was a constant entrant at Brooklands, and a team of three ran in the 1920 Voiturettes race at Le Mans. Fitted with Coventry-Simplex or Sage engines along with external exhausts, the Silver Hawks were seen as a quick car, but the market for sporting vehicles was just not there. Production ceased in 1921.
Invicta
Not to be dissuaded, Noel Macklin, along with his design team of Reid Railton and Willie Watson, commenced building larger cars in his Fairmile home garage using a Bayliss-Thomas chassis and two-liter Coventry-Simplex engine. Impressed by earlier experiences with steam-powered cars, Macklin wanted to produce a car that provided maximum flexibility in top gear.
Finance for his new venture came from next door neighbor Oliver Lyle and brother Phillip Lyle, of the sugar company Tate and Lyle. Additional financial support came from Earl Fitzwilliam, the backer of the highly expensive Sheffield Simplex motor car.
The story goes that Mrs. Eileen Lyle wanted a vehicle that required little gear changing. So, armed with that request and no doubt financial support from husband Oliver, Macklin fitted the original car with a 2.5-liter Meadows six-cylinder engine that, from its long stroke, provided sufficient torque to accede to Mrs Lyle’s wishes.
The name “Invicta” is thought to come from the character of the White Knight contained within Edmund Spenser’s 16th Century romantic poem The Faerie Queen. However, there was another make of British car named Invicta produced from 1901 to 1906 that had a connection in name only.
With Meadows power the newly christened Invicta provided exactly what Macklin was looking for—the excellent roadholding and handling so desired in Europe, and more than sufficient power that was so noticeable in American cars.
Priced at £595 for the rolling chassis, (bodywork not included) the first Invicta went on sale in 1925 with Fitzwilliam looking after the all important London sales.
Just a year later the Invicta became available with the three-liter Meadows engine, and in 1928 a 4.5-liter version was added to the books. In was in this latter guise that the Invicta reached its peak. While the car was fitted with a four-speed gearbox, most owners only used first and fourth as it was possible to select top gear at not more than a walking pace and accelerate quickly all the way to its top speed of 90 mph.
The comparison of the Invicta to the Rolls-Royce and Bentley vehicles of the day is obvious. In fact, Macklin repeatedly stressed that the Invicta should have the build quality of the Rolls-Royce, coupled with the best performance equal to anything coming from Bentley.
So important were these two tenets to Macklin that he offered a three-year warranty on the chassis and put into place an energetic series of endurance runs.
Records
The cornerstone to the endurance runs were the records set by Miss Violette Cordery, who also happened to be Noel Macklin’s sister-in-law.
In March 1926, Miss Cordery was in a team headed toward the Monza Autodrome in Italy. There, over a period of four days and despite a serious accident, the car averaged 55.78 mph and covered 25,000 kilometers. In doing so they broke 33 Italian and four international records.
If that wasn’t enough, accompanied by sister Evelyn, in 1927 Violette Cordery set off around the world in a 3-liter Invicta, returning to the UK in July. The journey was well publicized in the press of the day with such sponsors as Castrol lauding the journey in their advertising. Countries transversed included France, North Africa, India, Australia, the U.S. and Canada. While at the Montlhéry Circuit in France, Miss Cordery averaged 70.7 mph during a 5,000-mile endurance run. In 1928, the Cordery sisters, in a standard 4.5-liter model set an astounding record of 30,000 miles in 30,000 minutes at Brooklands. Before you get your calculator out, that means they averaged 60 mph for almost 21 days.
By 1930 the public’s interest in endurance events was beginning to wane and in response Macklin turned his sights on international rallying. The name of Donald Healey soon came to his attention due to the latter’s success in such events. This resulted in Healey driving the same round-the-world three-liter model used by the Cordery sisters to win his class in the 1930 Austrian Alpine Trial.
The 1930 London Olympia Motor Show is perhaps best remembered for the debut of two very distinct motor cars—The Bentley 8-liter and the Invicta S-type 4.5-liter sports model. While the Bentley offered the largest engine fitted to a British manufactured car, the Invicta was by far the most striking car exhibited and was instantly coveted by all sporting enthusiasts. The chassis of the new Invicta was constructed so that it went beneath the back axle, providing the car a very distinct and sleek appearance. Additionally, Invicta continued to offer a high-chassis version.
To publicize the new car a single example was entered in the 1931 Monte Carlo Rallye, again driven by Donald Healey. Starting from Norway, a co-driver managed to lose control on a transit stage through Sweden and the car hit a telegraph pole. The accident damaged the rear axle, pushing it back on the left side by around three inches.
After doing what repairs were possible, including cutting the brake cable to the rear left wheel, they set off for far away Monte Carlo. Due to the rear-wheel steering caused by the accident, it was necessary for Healey to drive opposite lock for the whole journey. Despite such difficulties Donald Healey won the 1931 Monte Carlo Rallye outright in the Invicta.
Healey almost replicated his success in 1932, but finished 2nd behind joint winners driving Hotchkiss and Peugeot cars. The following year was less than successful when Healey crashed his Invicta in Poland, hitting a snow covered kilometer stone. Additionally, the Invicta S-type was particularly successful on circuits and hillclimbs, with one particular example owned by Raymond Mays who had managed to generate 150 bhp out of the 4.5-liter engine.
Great Depression
Despite the obvious excellence of the Invicta, with the onset of the Great Depression, its days were numbered.
Demand suffered significantly, and in response Invicta released a smaller 1.5-liter version that was also available in supercharged form. However, it wasn’t enough, and while prices were also dropped, Macklin wasn’t prepared to compromise on his high engineering standards.
It is thought that about 1,000 Invictas were built through to when the last one left the factory in October 1933, but not before Macklin had sold the company earlier in the year.
But you can’t keep a good man down, as in 1933 Macklin joined with Reid Railton to manufacturer the first Anglo-American vehicle using Hudson chassis and drivetrains fitted with British-built coachwork. There was also a smaller version using Standard chassis and four-cylinder engines. In 1939, Macklin sold the Railton company to the Hudson Motor Car Company, and while production was to commence at the Hudson factory in London, it didn’t proceed due to the start of WW2.
Boats
With war looming Macklin saw the need for small navel vessels for the Royal Navy. He subsequently persuaded the British Admiralty that this could be achieved by using small non-marine manufacturing companies like furniture and piano workshops to prefabricate boat sections that would then be transported to and assembled at specialist boatyards.
Macklin’s idea was welcomed with some enthusiasm, but unfortunately neither he, nor his company (Fairmile Marine) had the funds for such a venture. Undeterred, the British Admiralty requisitioned Macklin’s company making it a semi-independent department, plus paid him a tidy sum, as well as a salary. Fairmile Marine manufactured gun boats and torpedo boats throughout the war.
When WW2 was coming to an end, Macklin was appointed to oversee the disposal of what was soon to become surplus small boats, and after the war was knighted for his contribution to the British war effort. Sadly, he died not long thereafter in 1946.
Noel Macklin’s son Lance, would later go on to drive for Donald Healey and was driving the works Austin-Healey 100S when Pierre Levegh crashed into it during the ill-fated 1955 Le Mans race.
Invicta Today
While the Invicta of Sir Noel Macklin has long ceased to exist, the name has been resurrected on a number of occasions. The first time was in the mid 1930s when a 1.5-liter version was launched, but being an underpowered large car it soon foundered. The name rose again in 1946 to take advantage of the dearth of new cars in the UK immediately following WW2. The Invicta Black Prince was also powered by a Meadows engine, but it was an all-alloy engine of 2,998-cc capacity, twin-plug DOHC design with triple SU carburetors. The car, while well engineered, was probably too complicated for the period, especially with its built-in electric jacking system, four-wheel torsion bar suspension and variable-ratio gearbox.
Two models were listed, the Wentworth four-door sedan and the Byfleet drophead coupe. Such complication appeared to be too much for the English market as just 16 were built through to 1950 when the company was bought by AFN Ltd., the manufacturers of the Fraser Nash. The Invicta car line was not continued.
In 1980 the Invicta name was acquired by Englishman Michael Bristow and the 2002 Birmingham Motor Show saw the first public showing of the Invicta S1. Powered by a five-liter Ford V8 engine and driven through a six-speed manual gearbox, the car was listed as good for 200 mph.
The S1 boasted a once-piece carbon fiber 2+2 bodyshell bonded to a tube steel space frame chassis that weighed a total of 1,380 kilograms (3,036 pounds). Unfortunately, the hoped-for manufacturing rate of 50 a year didn’t materialize, and in April last year Michael Bristow’s company was issued with a winding up order by an English court. Will this be the last resurfacing of the Invicta name?
A Chat with Roger
I can’t say that I have seen that many Invictas on Australian roads. In fact, our featured car is only the second example I’ve seen. So, before we set off to see how it performed on the road I sat down with Roger Rayson in his home, set about in the middle of the state of Victoria, for a chat about his car.
“It’s known as a 1928 model 4.5-liter high chassis.” Roger answered. “It doesn’t have any other model name or number. The original Invictas were under production from about 1925 through to 1935 starting with a 1.5-liter model to 3-liters, which was the Meadows engine, they then went to a 4.5-liter engine. Then in 1928 they made a couple of 4.5-liter cars for Scotland Yard. Years ago I remember reading a story written by one of the police officers, of them in the Invicta chasing bandits who were driving a 30/98 Vauxhall and catching them by jumping from one car to another while both were still moving. Justice was done!
“I have been involved with older cars for some time, starting in the 1960s with a Darracq and a Talbot. Like so many young Australians I went overseas, so they were sold to provide some funds. When I came back I started on my post-WW2 period with a few Austin-Healeys, including a 100M and ex-works 3000. For pre-war cars there was a bit of a gap through to 1990 when I bought a Triumph Gloria, which was followed by a Delage, a Vauxhall 20/60 and finally the Invicta. To keep that company there is also an Essex Special in the garage.”
In answer to my question as why pre-war cars, Roger replied. “For as long as I remember there has always been an attraction to pre-war cars, as I consider them to be rolling works of art. Unlike more modern cars that have beautiful fittings and when driving a pre-war car at 70 mph you really know that you are driving. I have been a member of the Vintage Sports Car Club for more years than I care to remember with many of those years serving on the committee. I particularly like belonging to a club that allows all marques rather than a single make club. Frankly I like all cars from 1895 through to 2012, providing they are interesting.”
My Invicta
“I bought the Invicta about 11 years ago.” Roger added. “Like so many such cars it was never advertised when it came up for sale. There is a bloke not far from here who had a sizable collection of cars and occasionally he would open his home and garage for charity functions. I was living in
Melbourne at the time and a friend mentioned the opening to me. So I went along for a look and one of the cars was the Invicta that I really just couldn’t keep my eyes off. There would have been about 60 cars to look at, but I kept coming back to the Invicta. It didn’t cross my mind that I would ever be able to purchase it.
“At the time I had the Delage, but I soon found out that the gentleman with the cars fell foul of the Taxation Office to the tune of about three million dollars. So he had to sell what he could.
“While I liked the Delage, it wasn’t quite as quick as I would have wanted. Then the pieces started to come together when I was speaking to a chap who was making me a front guard mounted wheel for the Delage who mentioned that he might have something coming up soon that was faster and perhaps to my liking. I thought he was talking about the Invicta and said so. He agreed to call me when it arrived and to his word, he did. I was around there in a flash and paid a deposit. The car was in almost concours condition when I got it.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know much of its early history. What I do know is that it came from New South Wales in pretty sorry state and was fitted with a new body in the early 1970s. I did hear that there was an Invicta sedan in Melbourne around WW2, but that seemed to have disappeared in the late 1940s. Whether that’s my car with a different body, I really don’t know. Whether it was put together from other bits and pieces I also don’t know, but what is interesting is the engine and chassis numbers are just a few away from the cars built for Scotland Yard.”
Low Chassis
“After 1928 Invicta redesigned their cars into two different chassis.” Roger continued. “There was the “A” type and the “S” type, with the “A” being the high chassis and the “S” the low chassis that are so highly sought after today.
“As far as I know, there are only four Invictas in Australia, one of them being a low-chassis type. There is a 1.5-liter dating from the mid-1930s that was built by other people who had acquired the name, plus an Invicta Black Knight from the 1940s. So, of the early examples, there are just two in the country.
“The engine fitted to my car was made by Meadows, as is the gearbox. Invicta did the brakes and suspension while the chassis were made elsewhere and brought in. All up it was designed by Reid Railton who later designed the Railton car and both he and Macklin worked together on the Fairmile boats during WW2. Railton’s name is well known and later went on to make John Cobb’s Railton Mobil Special for the 1947 breaking of the Land Speed Record.
“I use the Invicta basically in two ways,” Roger added. “We do quite a bit of touring in the car, such as two trips to Tasmania and across to Adelaide in South Australia, and also in Vintage Sports Car Club events such as their 24-hour day-night trial and the Alpine Trial. So it gets used as a road trial and touring car. I am pleased to say that it’s been ultra-reliable for me. Apart from the occasional oil leak it’s never given me any trouble.
Magneto
“I’ve had the magneto restored, but that didn’t keep it off the road. It’s a twin ignition with two spark plugs per cylinder, with a magneto on one side of the engine that supplies the high-tension leads and on the other side is a generator, distributor and coil that supplies the high-tension leads on that side, plus the ancillaries. Both run at the same time, and if one fails the car can still be driven using the other.
“I intend to keep on using the car for as long as I can. I belong to a number of clubs that I take the Invicta along to, and find that it’s a very usable car that’s also very enjoyable to drive.”
Driving an Invicta
Well, I was glad that the gearstick was on the right-hand side of the cockpit and by my right leg. While Roger Rayson’s 1928 Invicta looks to be of a reasonable size, looks can be deceptive. Sitting alongside of him felt more like the inside of an Austin 7 Chummy.
Not much room at all, and I suspect that if I had to change gear with a shift located between us it may have caused an embarrassing moment or two. So it was really comfort all round as we set off into the Australian bush in the middle of the state of Victoria.
I thought it wise to leave well enough alone when it came to the ignition levers set into the steering wheel boss, so it was just a matter of selecting first in what is a normal H-pattern 4-speed shift. The clutch, while heavy, felt extremely progressive as I crunched into first gear. That didn’t worry me as Roger had done the same not long beforehand. The handbrake is also on the right, but outside the bodywork, and it came easy to hand and worked extremely well.
Using a non-synchro crash gearbox is not something that comes easy, however, at least not for me. So, I was delighted that I found second so readily, but I quickly recalled Roger’s advice that the engine has bags of torque, so much so that I could have gone direct to top.
I soon found myself in top gear and I thought the car came alive. Road handling was impressive even with its narrow tires, and I found that it was easy to swing the car through the tightest of corners and actually feel as it was power sliding, not too dissimilar to a competition car of the period.
Like so many older cars, Roger’s Invicta has a “sweet spot” where it seems to perform at its best and be perfectly happy. At about 2,200 rpm the engine was at its sweetest and felt as if it could have gone on all day without concern as to the steepest hill or modern traffic. It felt that good.
Changing down a gear did prove to be problematic, but with the massive torque I just went back to top. However, at the times when man won over the machine, the response from the Meadows engine was impressive and certainly provided a great degree of personal satisfaction. The mechanically operated brakes were indicative of the time and did require some planning as to when you wanted to stop.
I can well understand why Roger finds his Invicta so perfect for touring as it really is a delightful car. Note to wife: I wouldn’t mind adding my own pre-war car to the garage darling!
Many thanks to Roger Rayson for allowing Vintage Roadcar to get up close and comfortable with his 1928 Invicta. Without the likes of enthusiasts such as Roger the world of older car ownership would be a much bleaker place.
SPECIFICATIONS
Body: Tourer body with aluminum panelling
Chassis: Steel deep frame over rear axle
Wheelbase: 10 feet 6 inches
Track: 4 feet 8 inches
Weight: 3,248 pounds
Length: 14 feet 9 inches
Suspension: Front: Solid axle with semi-elliptic springs and friction dampers, Rear: Live axle with semi-elliptic springs and friction dampers
Engine: Cast iron OHV in-line six-cylinder
Displacement: 4,469 cc
Bore/Stroke: 88.5 mm x 120.6 mm
Induction: Twin SU HV5 Carburetors
Power: 110 bhp @ 3,200 rpm
Torque: 173.3lbs/ft @ 2,000 rpm
Transmission: Meadows non-synchro 4-speed and reverse
Brakes: Mechanical drum brakes on all four wheels
Wheels: 6.00 inches x 20 inches
