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 Dunlop Rubber Co. Ltd. responding to a complaint about balloon tyre failures on a car belonging to the Marajah of Pattiala.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 53\3\ Scan099 | |
| Date | 1st June 1928 | |
| X4565 DUNLOP RUBBER CO.,LTD. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: "DUNLOPS, BIRMINGHAM" TELEPHONE: BIRMINGHAM CENTRAL 4108 P.B.E. 25 LINES YOUR REF: OUR REF: WB.{Mr Brazier/Mr Bell}7.16 FORT DUNLOP ERDINGTON BIRMINGHAM 1st June 1928. W.A. Robotham, Esq., Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., DERBY. Dear Mr. Robotham, I am replying to yours of the 31st ult. in the absence of Mr. Paull. Your letter informs us about the complaint from the Marajah of Pattiala and his conclusion that balloon tyres are not as satisfactory as the high pressure tyres from the point of view of life in tropical climates. Your letter, however, does not give us any information with regard to the manner in which the balloon tyres fail. Of course, tyres of the balloon type are in use in very large quantities in India, having been standard fitment on practically all British and American cars for the last three years or so. I suspect it would be found upon enquiry that the failure of the Marajah's tyres does not arise from tropical climate, but probably from the fact that as he uses the cars for hunting, he is sending them over all sorts of country where there are no roads, and it is, therefore, probable that in these circumstances the tyres are being destroyed by concussion. I would, however, like some further information about the whole question, and if it will meet with your approval, I would like to try and get the Managing Director of our Indian Organisation at Bombay (Sir Reginald Ford, K.C.M.G.. C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.) to get into direct touch with the Marajah and to report to us further on the subject. If you can agree this, will you kindly let me know and I will take the necessary steps. Yours faithfully, W. Bond Technical Director's Office. | ||