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).
Development, testing, and production schedule for a new lightened front axle.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67\2\ scan0224 | |
| Date | 1st July 1926 | |
| X8420 BJ. c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} LIGHTENED TYPE FRONT AXLE. Referring to BJ3/E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} 30.6.26. the 10,000 mile trial will have been completed long before the chassis are turned out with the axle in question. The first chassis with the new axle will be completed and ready for handing over to Test by the commencement of the third week in December. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} arrived back yesterday afternoon from a visit to R.{Sir Henry Royce} and in the discussion which arose in regard to material for "C.2." (which is now due for ordering,) Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} definitely stated that Mr.Royce was most emphatic that he must have the new axle on "C.2." Series, and that sufficient preliminary testing in the way of bumping and running in England had been done to justify this procedure. I have discussed this matter with Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} as well as Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, and we are in agreement with R.{Sir Henry Royce} that the risk of failure of any of these parts is practically non-existent, and that therefore in view of the urgent necessity for the new axle to be brought on at the earliest possible moment with its decreased weight and therefore decreased tendency to wobble, we should order material for the first hundred on "C.2" to the lightened axle scheme at once. In order to prevent confusion I would like to explain that the 50 axles about which I wrote you yesterday were forgings of the lightened type axle which I wish to have produced whilst the dies were actually under the hammers for the production of the proof forgings. After the proofs have been checked, the dies will be left under the hammer and if the proofs were correct, the 50 would be forged off, and time and money would be saved. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||