Gearbox failures in B:V cars and a strategy for managing spare parts and vehicle allocation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 99\4\ scan0249 | |
| Date | 27th January 1941 | |
| W/S {Derby Works / Sales} C from Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} re B V Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 6/ML. 27 1 41 428 (C 4/C 22 1 41) Since I rang you up with regard to these cars a difficult situation has arisen with regard to gearboxes! As you know, we are running in all about twelve cars with the new type of gearbox and we have had various failures, particularly when the box is used with the 8-cylinder engine on bus work, such as the service which is at present being run between Belper and Derby: We have designs completed for a strenghtened type box which would put thematter right, but at the moment, it is not agreed that we can make these new pieces: The result is that the only way to keep these cars on the road is to draw new boxes from chassis which are complete in London: The more B:V's we get on the road, the more gearboxes there are to go wrong and the less there are to use for spare parts: Actually, the car which Barclay is at present running, ought to have its gearbox replaced: I am going to have a talk to Sg {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} : and Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} : about this situation in the immediate future, but doubt that they will agree to gearbox p rts being fabricated: If we can take the four gearboxes off the Corniche(Bentley streamline(Experimental Streamline Bentley B.23.A.E)d precursor to R Type Continental, never produced) cars then that does give us a reserve: I see no reason at all why Jack Barclay should have more than one B:V: and should be strongly opposed to this suggestion that he should run the Mulliner car as well as the one he has at present: If the Mulliner car is completed and he hands over his present car to us, then I think we have as many Bentley V: cars running as can be kept on the road, and we shall gradually use up every gearbox which is available Unless I am wrong, we shall then have the following people running Bentley cars :- Lp {Mr Lappin} : B22AW Geoffrey Smith - B18AW Jack Barclay: B:30AW Wilmot Breedon B18AW Devereux: B24AW A:N:Other: B34AW Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Dictated but signed in Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 's absence | ||
From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).