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 discussing the supervision of coachbuilding, body design, and lightweight construction experiments.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 71\2\ scan0178 | |
| Date | 2nd February 1927 | |
| HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X88240 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From BJ. Copy to LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} C. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} F.{Mr Friese} PN.{Mr Northey} CHB. Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/SV. re. Weight of Cars. 40/50 & 20 H.P. With reference to R5/M1/2/27, (despatched from WW 4/2/27), your memorandum was considered by the Coachbuilding Sub-Committee and LHS{Lord Herbert Scott} has pointed out that it is not quite clear exactly what Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}'s duties should be, when you state that he should 'help and supervise all models and trials bodies and report to BJ and R departures from the best dimensions and details,' nor is it quite clear what models and trials bodies are referred to. You will have realised that for some years past our body experts in London, including LHS{Lord Herbert Scott}, C and Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}, have spent very considerable time and gone to a great deal of pains in supervising all matters to do with carriage bodies, including conferring with Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} in dealing with all matters concerning bodies in which you were specially interested, and supplying to Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} all possible information which they considered would be of interest and assistance to you. Could you kindly detail more clearly what is the exact work you wish Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} to carry out, and on which particular models and trials bodies, we of course desire to fall in with your wishes in every way possible. As mentioned in my previous note, the Coachbuilding Sub-Committee are taking the greatest interest in the development of all kinds of fabric and other light types of bodies, and they are encouraging the coachbuilders in every way possible to develop these and to make them look less like the cheap attache cases in which a small clerk carries his sandwiches, and more like a gentleman's London carriage, as we have to be so extremely careful not to follow the lead of the masses in reducing the quality and appearance of their cars, but always to give our customers something which is in reality far better than the other manufacturers give, both in appearance and quality. LHS{Lord Herbert Scott} has pointed out the following:- 'With regard to rigid coachwork, Barkers, Windovers, Park Ward, and 'in a lesser degree Thrupp & Maberley, are experimenting with a 'new type of coachwork construction which will have a considerable 'bearing on the question of weight in the near future. 'Barkers' experiments have gone far with very favourable results - 'Park Ward have lately shewn us an Open Body which has been on the 'road for three years without any appearance of serious defects yet 'weighs considerably less than the ordinary standard Open Touring 'car. They are also making satisfactory progress with the enclosed | ||