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).
Wartime production issues, including gearbox delays, chassis machining hours, gear grinding, costs, and programme scheduling.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\4\ scan0067 | |
| Date | 18th April 1940 | |
| - 3 - Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} GEARBOXES. The new gearboxes were promised for mid-June. Part of the delay was due to the cutters having to be ordered. MACHINING HOURS ON CHASSIS WORK. It was pointed out that from the outbreak of war to Christmas, work on chassis parts ceased almost entirely, but from Christmas to the present date machining had been going on at 1/5 of the average hours per month for 1939, the big reduction being due to the cessation of assistance from the Works. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} pointed out that the Experimental machine shop facilities had been greatly increased since last year and that therefore they should not expect so much assistance from the Works. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} said that he was apprehensive that chassis work should be made to suffer at periods when other Divisions issued a lot of drawings. H.S said that he would see that experimental machining hours per month on chassis did not fall below the monthly average so far established this year. GEAR GRINDING. Some discussion took place on the possibility of eliminating gear grinding, but no decision was taken. COSTS. It was emphasized that no reliable cost figures yet exist for any of the rationalised cars. An organisation however, is to be started during the next few weeks which will deal with this matter. No-one has been working on costs since the beginning of the war. PROGRAMME. It appeared that since the production of Experimental pieces would be at about 1/5 the pre-war rate. the time-table outlined in Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/MH.{M. Huckerby}11.11.39 would have to be revised. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||