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 from A.F. Sidgreaves to J.D. Barclay discussing the cause of an accident following an investigation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 88\2\ scan0154 | |
| Date | 13th February 1936 | |
| 13th February 1936 Dear Barclay, I thought you would be interested to know that the Works have spent a good many hours investigating the cause of the accident. They have come to the conclusion (very definitely in their opinion) that what happened and caused the accident was that the bumper bar fell off first on one side. The weight on the underneath of the bumper bar was then immediately underneath the front wheel. The wheel was unable to mount the obstacle because it was carried along with the car. The rolling motion of the wheel was immediately stopped. The bumper weight formed a sort of sprag and locked the front wheel. The fracture that occurred was the result of all this. We of course agree that the bumper bar should not have fallen off but this is a matter which can be fairly easily dealt with and I thought you would be interested to know that the axle fracture was the effect of something else happening and not the cause of the accident. I was pleased to hear that you were resting to-day and sincerely hope that you are feeling better. If you feel well enough to-morrow to telephone Mr.Hives at Derby, I am sure that he would be pleased to explain the matter to you more technically than I have done above. Yours sincerely, (A.F.Sidgreaves) J.D.Barclay Esq., Chandos House, Chester Street S.W.1. | ||