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).
Testing protocol and handover of the 3½-litre Bentley cars to the Sales department.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\4\ 04-page264 | |
| Date | 26th April 1933 | |
| RH{R. Hollingworth}5553 To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re 3½-litre Bentley Car. Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} BI. Referring to Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}4/E12.4.33 you will remember that, arising out of your suggestion contained in Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}9/KT.7.4.33, it was agreed that No.3 car should be handed over to Sales when it was ready a few weeks after Easter. I have been thinking about this matter further and also discussed it with Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} in London to-day. I feel that it would probably be a mistake for No.3 car to be taken away from W. for some considerable time. It would leave you with only car No.2, and it seems to me that the necessary testing to make sure that we are right ought not to be confined to one car and that two is certainly none too many. I do not know exactly what you are intending to do with No.2 from the point of view of dynamometer tests or 10,000 miles in France, but in any case I think that the necessary "thrashing" so to speak should be done under your jurisdiction from Derby before any car is handed over to Sales. Sales do not really want the car in London until they are assured that the car they are given is similar to what is going to be produced. This does not mean that we do not wish any Sales officials brought into the testing of the Bentley and I should like, as I have mentioned to you before, Sales people brought in in the same way as they were in the testing of P.II, but that for this purpose they could go over to France and take their turn - by this I include such people as EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}, Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}, Br.{T. E. Bellringer - Repair Manager} and JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} As I have to go away on Friday for a few weeks for health reasons perhaps you will discuss the matter with Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} further on his return, but we are both in agreement at the moment of writing this letter that the above is the right procedure. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||