Topic: Solved - NEH 1128: PERA mobile cinema - 1954/62

[Carnut]

I'm not looking for the chassis/engine builder because I don't know it myselft.
I just want to know what was this vehicle's purpose and who was it operated for?

[Carnut]

Experts?

[Carnut]

Pro's know?

[Wendax]

Mobile cinema, built for British Ministry of Technology. Later on a fleet of seven mobile cinemas was built on Bedford SB3 chassis, fitted with coachwork by Coventry Steel Caravans, utilising cabs supplied by Plaxtons.

[Carnut]

Mobile cinema, built for British Ministry of Technology. Later on a fleet of seven mobile cinemas was built on Bedford SB3 chassis, fitted with coachwork by Coventry Steel Caravans, utilising cabs supplied by Plaxtons.

I'll give you that, although this particular vehicle was operated by the Production Engineering Research Association, which might anyway have been a Government organisation and they might have acquired is used anyway!

The glasshouse above the cab was the projection room and the cinema held 24 people.  It was in use in the very early 1960's.

You did well to find that one!

[Wendax]

Thank you. At least PERA and the ministry worked together as can be seen by the lettering on the next seven mobile cinemas:

[pguillem]

According to the Vintage Mobile Cinema site :

"The Ministry of Technology built seven of these custom mobile cinema units in the late 1960s, to tour the country, promoting modern production techniques to British industry. The seven Bedfords were operated by PERA, or the Production Engineering Research Association. Films would be played within the cinema, with supporting displays shown in the trailer that accompanied the towing unit as they toured the nation’s factories.
 
The Bedford SB chassis was fitted with coachwork by Coventry Steel Caravans, utilising cabs supplied by Plaxtons (hence their similarity to Plaxton-bodied coaches that used to be common throughout the 1970s). The remote control projection equipment was placed In the steel framed, perspex-glazed dome above the cab. CSC also built the towable display trailers."

This one was built in 1962 and looks rather different from the 1967 Bedford SBs shown below.  How come ?
 

[woodinsight]

Personally I don't think the puzzle vehicle is a Bedford. It looks more like an AEC or Leyland to me.

[D-type]

Presumably the puzzle picture depicts the prototype

[Carnut]

No, it's not a prototype but a working example.  It's just earlier than the Bedfords but served the same purpose and obviously used the same design elements.
I don't know what make it is, but I don't think it's a Bedford.  It might be a Commer.

[pguillem]

No, it's not a prototype but a working example.  It's just earlier than the Bedfords but served the same purpose and obviously used the same design elements.
I don't know what make it is, but I don't think it's a Bedord.  It might be a Commer.

Or Albion Claymore ?

[Carnut]

Or Albion Claymore ?

Difficult to say as there's no grille or name and the wheels are probably just proprietary parts.
The registration number often gives a clue to the chassis manufacturer, but in this case it's a Leicestershire issue and I can't off-hand think of a chassis maker there.  The registration might also indicate where the body was made, but if this one was also by Coventry Steel Caravans I assume they were in Coventry, which isn't in Leicestershire and wasn't even in those days!
There is of course a way to find out;  I'll see if I can dig it out.  'KNR 220' was actually issued by Leicestershire in April 1954 so that must be when the chassis at least was built and maybe the whole vehicle; it was certainly still in use in 1962.