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).
Road test in France detailing the testing of new fan blades to solve an engine overheating problem.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\I\June1922\ Scan22 | |
| Date | 10th June 1922 | |
| Hotel Lesdiguieres, 193 Cours Jean Jaures, Grenoble. June 10th.22. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} 6-Goshawk-11. We have wasted some time here trying to get at the right people to pay the revenue tax on the car as the Laissez-Passer expires on the 11th.June. Finally, we yesterday ran over to Aix-le-Bains and saw the R.A.C. representative there and he got the matter fixed up. This man is English and runs a Garage there and has a nice workshop with lathe etc. He said we could have the use of it any time, so if we require any bits machined, we could get them done there by ourselves. On the return journey we came by Chambery and Les Echelles and climbed up from St.{Capt. P. R. Strong} Laurent-du-pont to the top of the Grand Chartrevse which is a long second gear grind. The car went very well and did not boil but the valley was damp and cool and the load was eased off many times by short stretches of easy gradient. This morning we made the new fan blades and fitted them. They were 1 1/4" longer than the existing ones and 1" wider. The fan was inclined to roar at some speeds, but we took the car out to the hill on which it boiled and made a trial with the new fan. This fan obviously moved much more air than the original blades but the results on the hill were very little different; the water boiling at nearly the same place as before, that is, 2 miles up the hill. "e then removed the fan altogether and made a further test and the water boiled 1 1/2 miles up the hill. contd:- | ||