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).
Investigating the cause of repeated tyre failures during the Nairobi Run for car 34-EX.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 114\4\ scan0075 | |
| Date | 4th March 1937 | |
| S/W 2 covers 10 tubes 1011. 54 To Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}Bkl. re 34-EX - Nairobi Run. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}5/E4.3.37 I am very sorry to hear that the success of this trip has been ruined by failure of tyres. I do not understand the reason. In Mr.Symons' cable received the 2nd March he said: '... Decided to prolong stay Kano to attend shock absorbers and tyres stop Urgent please teal Dunlop despatch four new tyres 750 by 18 by Imperial Airqays leaving Croydon Tuesday without fail addressed to me at Nairobi...' In Mr.Symons' cable received this morning he says: 'Every tyre burst unable move unless six covers and tubes sent immediately special aeroplane to Fortlamy stop Car running splendidly great pity if unable achieve object owing inexcusable tyre failures stop arrived Bongor to schedule but obliged return two hundred miles to nearest telegraph repairing tyres every twenty miles stop no regular airmail calling here for 8 days leaving insufficient time for return trip stop also send offside rear bottom spring pad with damper and stabiliser link ball ends complete communicate grills and radio reply to Symons Faugere Fortlamy.' This seems amazing because in these days one expects to be fairly free from tyre trouble. What I do not know is what was done. The last I can find in the file is Mr.Symons' letter of the 4th February in which he says.....'all outstanding points except the question of tyre equipment' have been settled. 'Mr.Price of Dunlops was expected during the afternoon to advise on this.' He goes on to say that Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}showed him a very fine tyre which seemed ideal for their requirements and would guarantee them a no-trouble run across the Sahara, thus enabling him to put up a much better performance. He said that the wings would have to be altered to accommodate the larger tyres and he urged that this should be done but I do not know what was done. There is also some-thing, I see, about liquid filling in the tyres which he had used on a previous occasion with great success. What I really want to get to know is why we have had this tyre disaster which has ruined the trip. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||