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).
Internal memorandum about a Phantom III steering incident caused by an undetected flat tyre, raising safety concerns.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 95\1\ scan0447 | |
| Date | 18th October 1937 | |
| S/W 380 To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re P.III Steering. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}12/E18.10.37 One of the Press representatives was telling me the other day down at the Show of an alarming experience he had when a car driven by one of our drivers refused to answer the steering on a corner and nearly crashed into a lorry. The trouble was found to be due to a flat tyre which the driver had not even noticed. I attach report from the driver for which I asked. I do not know what experience you have at Derby in regard to this but it seems to me rather an alarming state of affairs if owing to independent suspension etc., one does not know when a front tyre is flat but only gets to know when the car does not answer to the steering, which may of course mean a serious and fatal crash. Crawford tells me that he tried the car specially with 7 lbs. pressure only on the offside front tyre and except for cornering you could hardly know that the tyre was down. Would you please let me have your comments. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Enc. Copy of RC{R. Childs}/L/16.10.37 | ||