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).
Significant delays and poor secrecy during the shipment of chassis 9 G.III from London to Boulogne.
| Identifier | Morton\M2.6\ img005 | |
| Date | 6th June 1925 | |
| V5840 Hotel de France, Chateauroux, Indre. France. GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}I/Crn.6.6.25. R To: "HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}" & "BP" From: G.W.Hancock. ---------- Re Mr. Pope's enquiry concerning the shipment of chassis 9 G.III. Our experiences in the shipment of this car prove that the route is not one for quick transport. We arrived at the offices of the General Transport Co., London at 11.45 a.m. We were told to wait until 2.30 p.m., as had been arranged. We received word at 3 p.m. from them that the car could not be shipped until 6 p.m. and that we could not take the car down to the Docks. As this is an out of the way place and there are no garages handy, we had to hang around until this time. We were accompanied down by one of their officials, and after waiting about some time, we got into touch with one of the shipping officials. Petrol had to be taken out, and also water out of the engine. They promised us that the car would be in Boulogne by 6 a.m. the following morning. We proceeded to Boulogne by the usual route, arriving there at 12.30 p.m. The cargo boat did not arrive in Boulogne until 7 p.m. Saturday. We leave you to draw your own conclusions as to whether this is the best means of transport. The route is certainly more secret from a public point of view, but information re this car was already known in Boulogne by the R.A.C. & A.A. officials, even to the colour, 4 brakes, and even to the name of the boat on which it was coming in by.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} How this information is got, we do not know. G.W.Hancock. | ||