Rolls-Royce Archives
         « Prev  Box Series  Next »        

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).
Summary of a discussion with Leyland's regarding a potential collaboration on tank design, specifically transmission systems.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 144\4\  scan0148
Date  30th October 1940
  
SECRET

Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}

LIAISON WITH LEYLAND'S.

For record purposes, the following is a summary of the discussion with Messrs Liardet and Spurrier of Leyland's, held on Tuesday, October 29th, in your office.

Mr. Liardet outlined the present tank position. He said that the tanks they had been asked to make were exceedingly difficult to fabricate and had a number of unsatisfactory features. They were also unnecessarily heavy and complicated. They were thinking of designing a tank of their own.

They had just completed a flat-12 Diesel engine which was giving about 340 h.p. and which they thought would make an excellent basis for a tank engine.

They were anxious to know whether Rolls Royce would co-operate with them in solving the design problems necessary to produce an acceptable tank.

From their past experience they thought that Rolls Royce were particularly advanced in transmission design.

Mr. Hives said that they would be very pleased to help Leyland's in solving any of their design problems and also could possibly provide some drawing capacity. Messrs Rolls Royce were also in the armament business and it might very possibly be found that the two guns designed and produced would be suitable for the tank.

With regard to the manufacturing facilities however, Rolls Royce had absolutely no spare capacity since they were working to the limit on their own development problems on aviation engines.

Mr. Spurrier asked Mr. Hives whether he thought it would be best to keep the fact that Rolls Royce and Leyland's were working together on a tank design secret, or whether this information should be handed on to the Tank Board. It was agreed that to make a success of the project it would be necessary to have access to all the relevant information and that this would necessitate being perfectly open with the existing Tank Controllers. Mr. Spurrier will therefore contact the necessary officials and tell them that Rolls Royce are co-operating with Leyland's on transmission design.

- Continued -
  
  


Copyright Sustain 2025, All Rights Reserved.    whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble
An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙