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 Capt. Wilks of The Rover Company Ltd. declining to manufacture gearboxes due to increased Air Ministry requirements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 127\2\ scan0081 | |
| Date | 26th January 1939 | |
| 1091 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}5/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 26th. January, 1939. Capt. S.B.Wilks, The Rover Company Ltd., New Meteor Works, COVENTRY. Dear Capt. Wilks, I am sorry I have been so long in replying to your letter of the 10th. instant re gearbox, but I handed it over to Mr.Hives, and he has only just let me have it back with his views on the subject:- The position appears to be as follows:- The Air Ministry has been steadily stepping up their requirements, the result being that at the moment we are not in a position to undertake any chassis work other than that necessary to keep pace with our own Sales. We are just managing to do this, but it is a struggle. Weare, therefore, reluctantly compelled to say that at the moment we cannot consider undertaking the manufacture of gearboxes for anyone else. You will remember that at one time I suggested you might make gearboxes for us, but this was not very enthusiastically received by Mr. Hives. I am sorry that on the Production side we do not appear to be able to be of any assistance to each other for the time being. Yours sincerely, Signed in Mr. Robotham's absence. | ||