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).
Standardisation of tyres for Bentley Sports cars, comparing Avon and India brands.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 158\2\ scan0002 | |
| Date | 20th March 1939 | |
| Thursday. 1339. S/W...Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ----- C1/C20.3.39 Re TYRES. ------- Referring to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}11/R11.3.39, Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} asked me to look into this matter and to refer to the former correspondence, as he had in mind that when approval was given to the idea of standardising Avons it was for B-50 and not to replace Indias on the Bentley Sports. This is clearly borne out by a reference to your Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}12/R28.3.38. To throw Indias overboard on the Bentley Sports and stan substitute Avons is quite a different question of policy and one which wants serious consideration as to how you would justify it in the eyes of the Public, and we can imagine that a good many people would want to know why we were standardising Avons, as this is nothing like such a well-known tyre, in place of India. One objection would surely be that, apart from anything to do with the tyre itself, replacements are not so readily obtainable. Or have you satisfied yourself that they are? We agree that it is rather hard lines on Avons if their order is to be delayed, but this is because of the Re-armament programme; by this I mean that B-20 is not going forward at the same rate for that reason. As Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} will be at Derby tomorrow perhaps you would like to discuss this matter further. C. | ||