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).
Letter discussing three design suggestions for a red line on a rev-clock dial for Bentley speedometers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 59\2\ Scan240 | |
| Date | 23th September 1933 | |
| The A.T. SPEEDOMETER Co., Ltd. MAGNETIC SPEEDOMETERS & MOTOR CLOCKS. REVOLUTION INDICATORS FOR MOTOR CARS, MOTOR BOATS, AND ENGINES, MILEAGE RECORDERS, ETC. DIRECTORS. W. Henderson-Cleland. A.{Mr Adams} Gordon Smith. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Buckland. YOUR REF. PLEASE QUOTE OUR REF. HRB/B. CHRONOS WORKS, NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD. LONDON. N.W.2. ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMPANY. Telephone: GLADSTONE 1136 (4 Lines). Telegrams: Aytespeedo, Crickle, London. 23rd September, 1933. Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., Derby. For the attention of Mr. West. Dear Sirs, Bentley Speedometers. Following your telephone conversation yesterday with the writer on the subject of a red line to 4500 r.p.m., coming from the centre of the instrument, we enclose herewith a sample rev-clock dial on which we have drawn three suggestions. One is all in red, the second is a red line with white letters, and the third a red line with yellow letters. Perhaps you will decide which of these alternatives you prefer. In the meantime, we have received a letter from London, from Mr. Honeyman, in which he refers to the fact that the earlier instruments had a red segment extending from the centre of the dial to the scale, and he has received some instruments in which the danger mark consists of a red mark on the outer circumference. We think that these must have been done at Derby, but, in any case, the instruments are being returned to us, and we have to re-do the dials with the original red segment scheme, as they are urgently required and we have to return them before Wednesday next. Awaiting your further instructions, We beg to remain, P.S. We thought that the 3 red lines on this sample dial are on the thin side, so we have added one more 1/8" thick, for you to compare and see whether the thicker line would not be preferable. Yours faithfully, For THE A.T. SPEEDOMETER CO. LTD., H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Buckland Director. Handwritten notes: Red round dial red mark rather to end of scale. Yellow figures as per drg and R.P.M | ||