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).
Issues with incorrectly marked Watford EW6 magneto rotors.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65\3\ scan0153 | |
| Date | 5th January 1928 | |
| To Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} from EFC. X7791 EFC1/T5.1.28 WATFORD EW6 MAGNETO ROTOR. Further to our EFC12/T21.12.27m and Messrs. North's reply of the 29th ult. which you sent to us for our perusal, we have now gone into this matter thoroughly. We find that Messrs. North are incorrect in their statement that "the rotor arm is correct and is similar to those used on the other EW6 magnetos sent to you". We have already handed you back the rotor in question. The facts of the case transpire to be as follows :- The rotors sent on the two magnetos Nos.99171 and 99802 were correct, i.e. they had the white timing mark in the same position relatively to the rotor brush as for the present standard EO6 magneto; in fact the rotors are identical with those of that machine. The rotors, however, on the last two machines sent, Nos.100080/1, were both incorrect, but we did not discover the incorrectness of the former rotor, i.e. the one on No.100080, because when this was put on one of our experimental cars the magneto was not timed by our experimental testers to the timing mark, and they did not think it necessary to inform us that the white mark was wrong. In the second case of No.100081 this was sent to our Test Dept. to be tried and the magneto was timed to the mark in the usual way, and then found to be wrong, and as previously stated, nearly caused a serious accident. We can only reiterate our statement that "an incorrectly marked rotor has been sent with the machine" but now apply it to two machines instead of one. We have already returned the rotor to you to be again returned to Messrs. Norths, and we trust you will write them suitably in the circumstances. We have been very careful to make perfectly sure that what we have said above is correct. EFC. | ||