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).
Production and delivery schedule for armoured cars, detailing modifications suggested by the War Office and potential delays.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 180\M5\ img007 | |
| Date | 13th October 1920 | |
| COPY. X.4195 Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}4/M13.10.20. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} - from Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} " BJ " " " re Armoured Cars ---- The Works Committee have met this morning to try and push this job. Attached to this note you will find a specification showing the modifications that up to the present have been suggested by the War Office should be fitted to these cars and delivered by November 21st. By putting all possible machines on the modified parts and working night and day, and doing all possible to deliver these chassis, we still shall not be able to deliver these 100 cars by November 21st. We shall be able to deliver a good number of them, possibly about 60 by this date, but only with modification s (a) (b) (c) and (d), which comprise stronger Springs, Strengthened Back Axle, Michelin Disc Wheel Hubs, and 'D' type Steering. You will see from this there are a number of other important modifications to do. These are still to be finished from the design point of view. Mr.Day estimates that possibly, so far as the modifications are concerned that he knows are required by the War Office, he might be able to finish in ten days, which would mean that he could finish and give drawings to Mr.Bailey by the 23rd October. Mr.Bailey would be very fortunate if he finished detailing these drawings by October 30th. There would then be certain patterns to make, also certain tools, and certainly some material to obtain. These operations may take the best part of November, so that we do not see that it would be possible to guarantee delivery of all these modifications before January or even later. It should be remembered that possibly a considerable time will be occupied in fitting the armour plating to these cars and it would be possible, we think, to deliver the chassis to have this done in such a way that we could fix the other modifications to them fairly easily. We fully realise the importance of delivery,especially considering that London are stopped with our standard chassis, owing to the coachbuilders' strike delaying delivery, and a possible alternative is to buy any of these modifications from outside and fit them on after they have been delivered to the Government for the armour plating, at the same time proceeding as hard as we can with our own design of modifications. The only trouble with this policy is that we should have to get the War Office to agree to paying for the two types, but we can point out to the War Office that there would be great advantage in this because buying the parts outside may save time, but | ||