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).
Dispute over an unsuitable experimental heater component and responsibility for its installation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 108\1\ scan0251 | |
| Date | 8th January 1938 | |
| [Redacted] from HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} c. to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} 1600a. HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}2/VS.{J. Vickers}8.1.38. 26.G.VI. HEATER. Referring to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std.4/MH.{M. Huckerby}7.1.38., we would point out that the facts are not as stated in your memo, since our objections were not based on the heater being unsuitable for operation on a 12 volt system but upon your failure to notify us of this. Whilst we agree that this component has been in our possession for some time, we wish to make it clear that the responsibility for the present position rests solely with yourself, since, as previously stated, we have never received instructions to incorporate any compensating resistance, and furthermore this component, which should have been passed to the electricians, was handed to the fitting section who, as you may be aware, are not expected to differentiate between correct and incorrect voltages. We note that this arrangement is purely experimental and that its reliability is not therefore assured despite the fact that many types of car heaters have been fitted to experimental chassis during the past fifteen months. We are calling attention to this matter since Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} stated this car was to be to a "dotted line specification" and thoroughly representative of the production chassis. In view of the aforegoing, we shall be pleased if you will give a little more thought in future before issuing instructions to the Shop. HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} | ||