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).
The Spectre Gearbox Test, run on the Dynamometer on the Vulture Car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 94\1\ scan0095 | |
| Date | 18th February 1935 | |
| To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} C. to Hdy.{William Hardy} C. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} File only . X328 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}12/KW.18.2.35. Report on the SpectreCodename for Phantom III Gearbox Test, run on the Dynamometer on the Vulture Car, 13/14.2.35. A full load, full throttle test was run on all gears as per attached sheet. All gears appear to be O.K. with the exception of 1st, which developed noisy after ½ hr. due to the gears picking up. The reverse was run for 15 mins., the oil being changed to Whitmore's as instructed. This gear was very noisy on retard. While running in reverse there was a steady flow of oil from rear bearing due to the oil thrower running the opposite direction. A slight leak only on the forward was noticeable. A bad oil leak from servo bearing. This may have been due to the excessive heat and thinness of the oil. A temperature of 120º was registered. It was noticed that the front tubular cross member supporting the gearbox bends under load, also the rubbers were badly distorted in the retaining caps. All gears when fully engaged were marked on the change speed gate and noted for creeping; in all the speeds there was no movement of the gear lever whatever under load. The gear lever can be made to move by sharp acceleration and deceleration, but the lever returns to the full mesh position. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} | ||