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).
Accident report detailing a vehicle collision with a tree caused by a broken front spring centre bolt.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\L\July1924-September1924\ Scan59 | |
| Date | 30th August 1924 | |
| EXTRACT FROM AJL1/Crn30. 8.24. :- I received your wire at 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday morning, having been out on 9-PK and been held up by broken petrol pipe. I could not get away from here until 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, having had to get the petrol pipe repaired and also the front wings which were off the car for repairs. We arrived at Dieppe late on Wednesday night, and proceeded to the Royal Hotel first thing on Thursday morning. We went to the scene of the accident with the driver, and afterwards to the car. The accident occurred as follows :- The car was being driven down a slight hill at about 30 to 35 m.p.h. The driver states that the steering took charge before he applied the brakes. He then naturally applied the brakes and the steering probably went over more. The car dived to the right-hand side of the road, and hit a small tree head on. The car could not have been going very fast when it hit the tree, as the tree gave and the car stopped with the front axle about half way up the tree trunk. Having stopped, the car rolled over slowly off the tree on to its near side. The steering taking charge was the result of the breaking of the N.S. front spring centre bolt. This had apparently gone a few days previously, as the driver complained of the steering pulling slightly to the right when the brakes were applied. The enclosed sketch shews the position of the spring as we found it. The spring clips must have been loose to have allowed the centre bolt to break and shear as it did. The top half of the centre bolt was missing. The third spring leaf from the top had moved about two inches from its correct position, having moved towards the rear. I have asked the driver to give you the piece of the centre bolt, which was left in the spring, and also the portion of the dowel cap that fits over the head of the centre bolt. The other part of this dowel cap was missing. The damage to the car was very slight. The two N.S. wings were bent, and the running board slightly damaged. The front brake actuating shaft on the front axle was slightly bent through coming into contact with the tree trunk. We straightened this out to enable the car to be driven home. The rear N.S. brake drum was full of oil, owing to the axle oil having run down the axle tube when the car was on its side. We could not find any other damage done to the car, but it would be advisable to examine it thoroughly when it gets to Derby. contd :- | ||