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).
Price comparison for road springs made from different types of steel from suppliers Woodheads and Firths.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\5\ scan0266 | |
| Date | 4th January 1938 | |
| Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} [struck through] Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} [struck through] Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} [struck through] c. Ogln/S. [struck through] c. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/L. [struck through] 1260 BY.2/G.4.1.38. ROAD SPRINGS. In order to get an exact comparison between Woodheads and Firths prices, a copy of a specification defining clearly our requirements was sent to both firms, and below I give the figures :- (a). Firths Electrically Cast Steel. Wraith FW.1477 £2 14. 5d. Bentley FB.3317 £1 15.11d. [Large signature over text] (b). Firths Open Hearth Steel. Wraith FW.1477 £2. 12. 7d. Bentley FB.3317 £1 14.10d. (c). Woodheads Open Hearth Steel. Wraith FW.1477 £2. 13. 9d. Bentley FB.3317 £1. 13.10d. From these figures it will be seen that for 'Open Hearth Steel' the only material Woodheads use, there is only a difference of 1/- per spring in favour of Woodheads, also there is only a further increase of 1/10d. on the larger Wraith spring, and 1/1d. for the Bentley, to cover the use of an electrically melted and refined steel against the 'Open Hearth' method of production. With differences of this amount I see no reason for abandoning Firths as our source of supply, and electrically melted silico manganese steel as our material. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} [Signature] | ||