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 requesting an opinion on the cause of an accident involving car 35-PK, specifically regarding speed and front-wheel brakes.
| Identifier | Morton\M10\ img165 | |
| Date | 18th August 1924 | |
| 35-PK +9941 Expl: Dept: Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., Derby, Angleterre. 18th. Aug. 1924. Hotel de France, Chateauroux, Indre, France. Mr. Lidsey from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} With reference to your report in connection with the accident to 35-PK. In the 4th. paragraph you mention the car tracks show no signs of a skid of any sort. I take it that you mean side skid. We are very anxious to get all the particulars possible of the cause of the accident and should be very pleased if you would give your own opinion with regard to the following points :- 1. Do you consider the accident would have occurred had the car not been fitted with front wheel brakes? 2. What do you consider the speed of the car was when the accident occurred? There is no reason to conceal the speed because the cars were sent out there for the express purpose of being driven fast, and in a way, it is fortunate that this has happened with one of our own cars instead of it occurring with a car in customers hands. My own impression from the descriptions and the diagram, is that the car would be travelling very fast, so fast that it was necessary to brake on the bend in order to get round. When the brakes were applied the front wheels skidded on the loose surface contd:- | ||