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).
Production delays, delivery schedules, and inter-departmental communication regarding engine and chassis development.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 72\4\ scan0286 | |
| Date | 7th May 1925 guessed | |
| -2- over the fabric coupling. More than 15 months will have elapsed between the first trial of the EAC. engine by PN.{Mr Northey} in the south of France and the delivery of the first EAC. chassis to London. (3) On the 24th.Oct. 1924 the Designing Dept. were asked to push through 20 HP. chassis fitted with 4-speed gearbox and the right hand gear change and front wheel brakes as soon as possible. It is doubtful whether the first of these chassis will be delivered to London before June - an interval of 8 months. I propose to send a copy of these records to the Secretary and to ask him, subject to the approval of the Board, to have a recurring item on the agenda of Board Meetings for all time, to the effect that estimates of time given by the Designing Department should always be read in conjunction with the above record of our experience. Copy should also go to C., with a request that, whenever the Works send to London a list of the probable dates of delivery of chassis in which modifications or additions are included, these dates should not be accepted until they have been considered in the light of the experiences recorded above. In making these remarks, it is not intended for one moment to suggest that the efforts of the Designing and Experimental Depts. have been anything except magnificent. The remarks are only meant to impress upon us the production of anything new entails delay, delay, delay, and that the causes of delay cannot be anticipated but the certainty of their recurring should be allowed for in all calculations concerning deliveries. Perhaps you will kindly take steps to correct the draft records which I have shewn above. As regards the V.{VIENNA} series our position is indeed an unhappy one, as we have taken orders and given dates for deliveries framed upon the expectations of the Manufacturing Dept. with the result that purchasers have to be informed that we cannot hope to make the deliveries at the promised dates but that deliveries may be delayed many weeks. This causes inconvenience disappointment and irritation in the minds of those who place orders with us, to an extent which it is impossible to measure. The dates given to us by the Works are always given subject to there being no further alterations in design. On the 13th. Oct. 1922, BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} first began to receive drgs. for the EAC. engine. On the 21st.Sept.1923 Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} got the first run on the bench with an EAC. engine. On the 10th.Dec. 1923 Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} got the first EAC. engine on the road. CJ. | ||