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).
Internal memorandum addressing recurring issues with car suspension being incorrectly sprung for their loads.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67a\1\ scan0194 | |
| Date | 4th May 1926 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} c. to RG.{Mr Rowledge} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} X. 8410 R7/M4.5.26. RE. SUSPENSION. It is quite evident that the chief trouble that has taken so much time and attention and so much loss of reputation and irritation, during the last 6 months, has been caused chiefly by cars being sent out wrongly sprung for their loads. I should be glad if BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} and Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} will organise a system so that this shall not happen again. It has been repeatedly happening at least for the last 12 years, and there should be a specialist whose duty and responsibility it is to take up the matter of inspecting all cars possible, before they reach the customers hands, to see that the cars with their normal load will be running with our standard deflection - i.e. with their coachwork fitted. I think it would be sufficient for gauges to be made of the clearances on the bump, and these gauges to be duplicated sufficiently, and a report sent in of the buffer clearance etc. of all cars when they are loaded as they are going to run, that is, with their proper body and spares. Do not trust to some estimated weights and finally parting with the chassis so that the springing is left to the judgment (criticism) of the coachbuilder or the customer only. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||