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).
Recommendation to cease using Lucas electrical equipment due to persistent failures with dynamos, cutouts, and fuses.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 36\4\ scan 210 | |
| Date | 9th June 1921 | |
| X3014 To Wd.{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} From R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to EFC. R3/G9.6.21. X.3014. RE THE LUCAS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD., BIRMINGHAM. X.4168. (WDS/NJ8.4.21) X.4172. I should not recommend for a moment that we go on with any electrical work with the Lucas Company until they put their plant right on the cars already made and delivered. I shall be pleased to hear what their proposals are, as at present the situation as regards the dynamo, cutout, and fuses is extremely unsatisfactory, and I do not know what to suggest as a way out of the difficulty. You will remember of the many complaints that we have regarding the cutout sticking, and the dynamo not charging, there are other vairous faults, including the frequent blowing of the fuses. I have suggested elsewhere that we accept no more of their equipment, whether it is on order or not, positively telling them to deliver no more, because if it is delivered we should not accept delivery. If you will see Mr. Hives you can learn the situation from him if you do not already know, but the failure of the installation is causing the company consider-able loss of reputation. I should be glad if Mr. Johnson and Mr. Wormald would confirm this definite stopping of the Lucas equipment on the cars, and the substitution of something which promises to be more reliable, such as more lately tested Smith dynamo and cutout and our own wiring scheme as fitted to 6 EX. | ||