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 from a customer concerning a damaged steering tube on a 20-HP vehicle, Chassis No. 71-A-8, and a subsequent near-accident.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\5\ Scan089 | |
| Date | 1st November 1926 | |
| COPY. TELEPHONE - CITY 5638. CENTRAL 5178. TELEGRAMS - FELDMUHLE, MANCHESTER. JAMES P. CHETTLE, 29, MAJOR STREET, MANCHESTER. November 1st. 1926. Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., DERBY. Dear Sirs, 20-HP. Rolls-Royce Chassis No.71-A-8. Re new Steering Tube written for urgently on Friday. I am pleased to say we received this on Saturday evening and it was fitted to the car yesterday morning. I thank you for your very prompt response to my request for a new tube. I have instructed my driver to return the old tube to you to-day and would like you to examine it. In this connection I should like you to refer to some correspondence that took place after the car was at your Works last May. The car was sent in for decarbonizing etc., and owing to the general strike it was held up for several weeks. When it was returned I noticed that it had a new offside wing and a new hub cap on the offside front wheel. I pointed this out to Captain Strong who communicated with you and I was informed that there had been a slight accident to the car whilst at your Works. It appears that my driver noticed a dent in the steering tube but he did not attach much importance to it, and unfortunately, he did not draw my attention to it. As, of course, the steering tube is close to the damage sustained by the car, I think it quite possible that it was damaged at the same time, no doubt, you will give this your consideration. The serious part of the matter is that we very narrowly escaped a bad accident, but fortunately, had just turned off the main road into Davenport Park before the car went out of control - my driver had considerable difficulty in getting it home and into the Garage, and had this happened in the thick traffic on the main road it might have been very serious. (P.T.O.) | ||