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).
Conference report discussing the production and testing timeline for the 'Peregrine' chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\2\ Scan147 | |
| Date | 10th January 1933 | |
| "PEREGRINE". A Conference took place in connection with the above on Monday afternoon, the 9th instant, to consider the position. The following were present:- Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} Sft.{Mr Swift} The reason for this Conference was that Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} instructed EWP.{Mr Punt} to see Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} on Friday last, and inform him what Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} was thinking, in view of the items raised in the test reports from France by Hancock - memos El/WP.29.12.32. and Ha.16/MJ.9.12.32. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} wondered whether it would not be right to tell the Conference on Wednesday, the 11th instant (when Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} will be present), and also the Board, that the clock is put back say 3 or 4 months, nearer 4 months than 3, as regards chassis from Works to Test, because we have had so much work; the 'Peregrine' requires much more attention than we anticipated, tests have been disappointing, and it is not the chassis we thought it was. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} had in mind that Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} authorised, on the 29th of November last, the ordering of 200 sets of material, and the going ahead with 20 chassis, and that EWT had reported to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} the fact that By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} had only released 20%, and Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} had only ordered 16% of this material. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} had promised that the first of the 20 chassis would go to test in March or April. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} thought that all things considered, and as a new car was not easy to produce, Expt. Dept. were moving very well, especially since the 4th car would be ready this week, and the 5th car in about two weeks' time - which car will be a production model with new steering, modified carburetter, etc. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} was also of the opinion that Exptl. Dept. had passed on to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} sufficient details to enable the Works to get going; in consequence, Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} requested the officials concerned to have a Conference, and give him the full story, because Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} was still not satisfied that the first chassis would be produced in March or April by the Works. ---------------- At the Conference above-mentioned, Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} stated that he was of the opinion Works could not produce the first chassis in March or April, as promised by Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}, but this was not due to design. It was, therefore, decided to study each section of the chassis to see which had been released by By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} and when those outstanding could be released - see attached - in order that Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} could give delivery promises for the material, so that Sft.{Mr Swift} could say when the first chassis would go to test. | ||