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).
Effectiveness of P.100 headlamps with dipping reflectors versus a centre fog lamp.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 61a\2\ scan0245 | |
| Date | 14th March 1934 | |
| S/W. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} [text struck through] c. " C. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} [text struck through] c. " Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} BX [text struck through and boxed] 26116 [handwritten] R-R and Bentley Headlamps. With regard to paragraph 3 of Page 2 of Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst2/KW9.3.34. we are very pleased to note your remarks about a good fog lamp for use on our cars, particularly one that matches up, in the case of the 40/50 R-R) with the P.100 headlamps. There is no doubt that a lamp of this kind which really is effective in fog would be a very welcome addition to any motor car. We cannot agree with you, however, that this centre fog lamp, designed as it doubtless is for use primarily in fog, would act as an efficient substitute for dipping reflectors in the headlamps. A fog lamp would probably not be as good for that purpose as our old centre lamp of the three-lamp scheme, and we should not to-day consider that sufficient in substitution of the dipping reflectors. There is not enough driving light left for safety at high speeds with the present black road surfaces and frequently unlighted cyclists, etc., in fact I would go further and say that we do not find one P.100 headlamp dipped sufficient driving light for safety to-day on a fast car, and we are therefore much more partial to the double dippers on P.100 lights for any form of anti-dazzle scheme. The ideal, therefore, seems to be to have P.100 headlamps with dipping reflectors for ordinary clear atmosphere driving, with a centre fog lamp of an efficient type which would naturally only be used in foggy weather. WST [handwritten] Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} | ||