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).
Departmental collaboration and logistics to speed up the development of a new small car, referencing the Goshawk project.
| Identifier | Morton\M1.6\ img019 | |
| Date | 14th October 1921 | |
| contd:- -3- silence, flexibility and smoothness of a car are all relative. We might say the springing of the car is very good; the Sales Dept. might have quite the reverse opinion. We, therefore, recommend that FN. (Sales) MP. (Test) Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} (Works) E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} (Design) and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} (Experimental Dept.) should meet once per week, or some time agreed upon, to discuss what progress has been made with the Goshawk and to decide what units are sufficiently good for material to be purchased and what work should be put in hand in the Works. It might be possible for the Conference to take place at Chichester so that R.{Sir Henry Royce} could be present. We know that there is a prejudice against Committees, but in this case, whether we have a committee or not, it is necessary that we should have, and we are certain to get, the criticisms from these various departments. To put a small car on the market and to maintain our reputation is a tremendous undertaking. We may be wrong, but I feel we suffer from being a disjointed concern with Derby, London and West WitteringHenry Royce's home town. To bring out a successful new model car in the least possible time, needs close co-operation. We are certainly suffering because the whole of the design staff is 200 miles away from the Experimental Tests. We suggest that Mr. Elliott should be at Derby for a period of time whilst the car is being proved - we are sure that this would speed up the job. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} R.R. 288A (100 T) (S B. 798. 10-12-20) G 2947 | ||