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).
Explanation regarding an engine failure on a B.56.BN Bentley during a road test in France.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 83\4\ scan0240 | |
| Date | 10th June 1936 | |
| X2064a HOTEL DE FRANCE. CHATEAUROUX. Indre. France. 10th June 1936. To. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} B. 56. BN.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} BENTLEY. I deeply regret I did not send you a further explanation with regard to the engine failure on B.56.BN.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} The car up to the time of failure had been run with every precaution and had been given no more severe treatment than it received on the return run from Chateauroux to Derby. The failure occurred in 3rd gear. I had been following a convoy of lorries for a considerable distance and decided to pass them on reaching a long straight gradient. I therefore changed into 3rd speed, and in order to gain my correct side before reaching the crown of the gradient increased the revs. to approximately 4000, not expecting for a moment this slight increase in revs should result in such a failure. I hope that this explanation will be satisfactory, for under the circumstances no other course was open to me. H.F. Hamilton. Hf.{H. W. Frost - Coachwork Inspector} Hamilton. | ||