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).
Daily report on a test run of a Paulin Bentley II and a standard Bentley, detailing performance, route, and fuel consumption.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\3\ scan0143 | |
| Date | 1st February 1939 | |
| 1379 To. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GR.{George Ratcliffe} Levallois. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GR.{George Ratcliffe}2/JAB.I.2.39. DAILY REPORT. Paulin Bentley II.- B-27-LE. Car prepared and made ready for test run with the Press Representatives. Messrs. V.E. Morgan, Sports Editor, Reuters. J.F. Dugdale, of "The Autocar" G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Lefevre, of "Vie Automobile" A standard Bentley, B-6-MR. was also run in conjunction. This car complete with 4 passengers and luggage registered a maximum speed of 160 Km.p.h. at 3,900 r.p.m. on the Autobahn. Start from Rue Gide, Levallois, with speedometer reading 14,273. Petrol 20 litres, Oil approx. 14 pints Castrol "XXL". Details as previous report. Car driven to public fuel pump on way out from Paris and tank filled with approx. 75 litres "Azur". Continued to La{L. A. Archer}-Ferté-sous-Jouarre where a stop was made for lunch. Route taken through Chalons-sur-Marne, St.{Capt. P. R. Strong} Menehoulde, Verdun, and Metz. After spending the night at Metz, the car was driven to Forbach and tank replenished with a few litres of Esso fuel. Crossed the frontier and entered Saarbrucken, continued to Kaiserlautern with a stop for lunch at Manneheim. Entered the Autobahn at Manneheim and ran towards Karlsruhe. 5 litres fuel measured into tank for consumption test at constant speed of 80 m.p.h. 23 miles being recorded on the speedometer before fading out through lack of fuel. Petrol pumps could not deliver the last 1/2 litre of fuel so that one gallon was consumed for the quoted distance. A blanking plate was fitted to the exhaust cut-out in place of the controlled valve to be free of rattle and this was removed for all running on the Autobahn. A high speed run 5 mins. at 112 m.p.h. was then demonstrated by Sr. to the Press Representatives on the Autobahn towards Karlsruhe and Manneheim. The cars were then driven towards Stuttgart and Munchen. Thick fog and ice were encountered on the Autobahn at Dornstadt. The run for the day was then ended at Ulm. | ||