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).
Poor storage conditions for patterns at Shardlow and recommending their relocation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\4\ scan0051 | |
| Date | 27th February 1940 | |
| Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Sft{Mr Swift}/EW/WP.27.2.40. PATTERNS AT SHARDLOW. With reference to your memo Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/CTS.{C. Trot Salt - Carburation}4/ML.14.2.40 and our telephone conversations concerning the above, I have been along to Shardlow to inspect where these Patterns are stored. The place is certainly damp owing to the present weather conditions, which has caused the Patterns to warp, a circulation of heat would no doubt have been an advantage but even this would not have made the place suitable for a Pattern stores without something being done, for I noticed Patterns are directly under a slate roof, which means that when we have a change to hot weather, the place will be extremely hot and unsuitable without the roof being covered inside, causing excessive shrinkage. Patterns and Core-boxes having reached this stage are difficult to renovate to 100 % again From what I could see of the Patterns stored there, they appeared to be only B.60/80 parts which were sent direct from our Iron Foundry. Alum. Foundry equipment, such Patterns as bottom half Crankcase, Cylinder Heads etc., are still in our Pattern stores at Osmaston Road, so we therefore agree it would be much better if all these Patterns were stored in one common place. In view of the above we would suggest that these Patterns remain where they are, at Shardlow, for the time being, as it should be noted we are having a Pattern stores built at the Osmaston Rd. works which we are hoping will house all Pattern equipment now stored in various places, and will probably be completed in 6 to 8 weeks. We therefore feel that all Chassis Patterns could then be cared for to the best advantage to all concerned. Sft{Mr Swift}/EW. | ||