This is Ray Philips’ 1954 SM1500, which he purchased from Keith Payne, who had bought it from Mike Hyman, who had restored it and got it back on the road again after being laid up for the best part of 46 years. In 2004 Mike took over the restoration from John Spellacy, who had spent about 4 years removing the body and rebuilding most of the underbody and inner sills before deciding to emigrate.
The car had been collected new from the factory in November 1953 by Derrick Bedwell, who drove it for over 140,000 miles, taking it off the road in 1963. It then stood for 20 years until David Green bought it and got it through an MOT test, following which it did about 1500 miles before being taken off the road again, after which it stood for a further 20 years.
In May 2009 Mike, Simon Bishop and Bill Haverley drove NON 471 down to East Sussex and re-united Derrick with his old car at the Bentley Wild Fowl Trust.