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).
Arguing against reverting to a 3-speed gearbox in favor of a 4-speed gearbox.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 137\5\ scan0002 | |
| Date | 10th February 1919 | |
| R.R. 235a (500 T) (S.D. 408. 26-4-17.) Bm. 2/156/13. X3720 HY{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer}3/VM10.2.19. 10.2.19. EH. from HY.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} X.3720. Your EH4/LG7219. Re Mr. Olley's proposal X.3426. to fit 3-speed gear boxes to chassis. I was very surprised to hear of the suggestion to revert to the 3-speed gear box, as we were compelled to adopt the 4 speed after failing to complete the Alpine course on a three speeder. Furthermore my own opinion is that the four speeder makes a better car as the gear changing is easier due to the smaller steps. In climbing freak hills and in re-starting on steep hills it is essential to have a very low bottom gear. It is also essential to ensure economical, fast and comfortable running to have a reasonable high top gear. These two speeds are necessarily so widely separated that they cannot satisfactorily be bridged by less than two intermediate gears. If one intermediate gear only were used gear changing would be more difficult and it would be almost impossible to "change up" while ascending a hill. In any case the three speed box certainly has no advantage over the 4-speed box, and as the 4 speed has the above mentioned advantages, however, small they may be made to appear, it would be a very risky policy to revert to the use of a three speed box and one with which I cannot under any circumstances agree. HY.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} | ||