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).
Continued use of experimental cars for testing and data collection during wartime.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 135\2\ scan0194 | |
| Date | 4th May 1942 | |
| 1212 1184 To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/ET.4.5.42. TRANSPORT. Thank you for Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}4/DK.15.4.42. Obviously we must economise on petrol and tyres and have been doing so for some time. As you know, however, our experience with some of the small cars we have been running has been most uneconomical with regard to maintenance and reliability. I am particularly anxious to keep 3.B.50 running, as it represents our fully rationalised chassis, and we can never reproduce the information obtained from normal usage by accelerated tests after the war. Incidentally it does 18-19 MPG., a far better consumption than the official Humbers. If we do this, it leaves us with four Senior rationalised cars licensed:- 8.B.V. 78,000 9.B.V. 46,500 12.B.V. 48,000 3.B.50. 55,000 We really require these four cars if we are always to have two available for use, since to keep up experimental records of wear, inspection and examination at frequent intervals is essential. 1.RT.1 is really a reliable small car, and I think should be regarded as such. I hope it will be possible to maintain at least this minimum amount of experimental running, as it is certainly a direct contribution towards the war effort in the way of reliable transportation, and its post war value is difficult to estimate. We have, as you will remember, completed with great difficulty six gear boxes. At present we have nothing to put into production for the Senior Range. It will take at least 18 months to two years to prove these boxes on 6-cylinder cars, with the present rate of mileage we are doing. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||