Editing Henry Royce (section)

==Begins manufacturing automobiles==
It is not known whether it was upon his own initiative or it was the efforts of Claremont and the consulting doctor to get Royce out in the fresh air, but either prior to his South African holiday or upon his return a better motorcar than the rather basic De Dion-Bouton was purchased by Royce.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54>Reese, pp. 47-54</ref> It is known that by around September 1902 Royce had in his library ''The Automobile: Its Construction and Management'' by Gérard Lavergne, indicating an interest in the subject of motorcars.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/> It is not known whether Royce's new interest in automobiles was due to his fascination for all things mechanical or whether he was considering the automobile as a potential new product for the company to compensate for the decline in its electrical business.

Royce’s choice of car was a 1901 model two cylinder [[Decauville automobile|Decauville]] which he purchased in 1902 or 1903.<ref name=Evans/> Decauville had a good reputation at the time but the car failed to start when Royce collected it from the Manchester’s Goods Station.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/> He had to hire four men to push it through the streets to the Royce factory at Cooke Street, where a fixing the fault he drove it home. As he began using it, he found that it did not meet his high standards and so he began making improvements. With space now available at Cooke Street as the manufacturing of the company’s crane was by now being undertaken at Trafford Park, Royce suggested to the other directors that the company construct three experimental cars to investigate whether the company should expand into the manufacture of motorcars. Claremont and follow director, works manager R. D. Hulley were not supportive.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/> 

Despite this Royce decided to proceed and in May 1903 assigned A. J. Adam. a Mr Shipley and Ernie Wooler to assist him in the design, while undertaking the actual construction was Ernie Mills, with the assistance of two electrical apprentices, Thomas Shaw “Tommy” Haldenby (1886-1964) and [Eric Platford]].<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/>/><ref name=Grace4>{{cite web |date= 14 June 2020 |title= Tom Haldenby |url= https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Tom_Haldenby |website= Grace's Guide To British Industrial History |accessdate= 8 May 2025}}</ref> Using detailed notes and drawings he had made of every component on the Decauville Royce refined everything to create three new cars all bearing the nameplate "Royce". They featured a two-cylinder 10 hp engine, three speed gearbox, a differential rather than a chain drive, a more effective radiator, improved exhaust system, improved electrics and improved carburation based on the Krebs system and a larger water tank.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/> He also made close attention to reducing his automobile’s overall weight, by using lighter stronger materials and by dispensing with the Decauville’s cast bronze warning bell which weighed {{convert|40|lb|kg}}. While most work was done in-house, some work such as heavy forging and the road springs was contracted out. The team typically started work at 8am on a Monday and 6.30am on the other weekdays and work right though Friday night until noon on Saturday. 

Testing of the first engine on a dynamo began on 16 September 1903.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/> The first assembled car was completed by 1 April 1904 and taken by Royce for a {{convert|30|mi|km}} drive to his home in Knutsford and back.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/> A week later it was dispatched to coachbuilder to have a body fitted. The other two cars were completed and fitted with bodies soon after. After initially being assigned the first car Claremont was given the second car to use. Initially he often had a horse-drawn [[Hansom cab]] follow behind in case the car failed to proceed.<ref name=Reese_Pg47-54/>