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).
Letter to Mr. E. Coley regarding design difficulties and faults with the Ley's Transporter project.
| Identifier | Morton\M6\ img070 | |
| Date | 5th July 1927 | |
| Copy for Mr. Bauslay. 5th. July 1927. Mr. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Coley. Messrs Royce Ltd. MANCHESTER. My dear Mr. Coley, I regret I have not been able to write to you sooner. I conclude that the pressure upon your time makes it very difficult for you to come here, so I must do what I can to help you by meeting you in London when you are there about other business, and at board meeting times, or by letter. You will remember that I have repeatedly asked if I could help you in a consultative way with your design work, which I have always found at R-R Ltd. very difficult to get done with sufficient skill and care. Looking over the drawings of your Ley's Transporter confirms my impression that we are making losses of money and reputation through work being badly instructed (designed) both electrically and mechanically: there seem many faults - for instance - (1) Did we realise the difficulties of the job, and could we have simplified the specification, for instance would lower voltage, or curves of larger radii made the job easier? (2) Could we tell them that we could get a more reliable job if continuous current, and one conductor only, were used? This makes me think that the order was not a wise one to accept, unless we had done a similar job before, or we were prepared to spend a good deal of money on designs and experimental work. I thought I heard you say that it was exposed to the weather - i.e. the insulation had to stand rain. I certainly do not believe it will as shewn on your blueprints. Is this so, and who is responsible? Have Royce Ltd. any standard (well tested) design of transporter that would fill the requirements? My impression (1) | ||