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).
Reasons for not using petrol from Carless, Capel & Leonard for aero engine testing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 24\3\ Scan029 | |
| Date | 31th December 1931 | |
| To C. from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}4/AD. 31.12.31. CARLESS CAPEL AND LEONARD PETROL. We agree that we have not given attention to the petrol supplied by Messrs. Carless Capel & Leonard. The reason for this is that it does not help us at all with any of our problems - only complicates them. We have so many difficulties and so many unknown factors in conjunction with our aero testing that we do like to keep to standards wherever possible. Some time ago we had troubles which could have been due to the petrol we were using and we laid down that we should get all our supplies for aero engine testing from Shell. We have no faith in the fact that the petrol is produced to an Air Ministry specification and will give the same results as petrol produced to the same specification by another firm. Aero engine performance and reliability is so wrapped up in the quality of fuel we use that we have no desire to make a change unless we have a very good reason, and when we do make a change we should like to change over completely and not have two sources of supply. The petrol we use with which we have some latitude is that used on production car testing. As the cars are expected to run on any grade of fuel we see no reason why C.C.L. petrol could not be used. It might also be used on London Trials Cars. We do need some protection from car owners who are interested in Petrol and Oil Companys. It is frequently arising and it adds greatly to our worries when we are asked to change from a product which has given no trouble whatever, to something else. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||