Topic: Solved - MJW #1044 - Guy Arab III Half-Deck Crellin-Duplex prototype 1949

[woodinsight]

a short name=GUY?

That's it!
Not enough to lock it yet unless you can provide more information......

[targhediferro]

Guy Arab mkIII, 1949?...I have no idea of the coachbuilder

[targhediferro]

perhaps Strachan body?

[woodinsight]

Guy Arab mkIII, 1949?...I have no idea of the coachbuilder

Yes it's a Guy Arab III c.1949
Coachbuilder is not Strachan though.
I'll give the point for the name of the designer of this type of bus rather than the coachbuilder of this particular vehicle as it was the only one they constructed I believe.
LOCKED for you until your next answer only

[targhediferro]

maybe Doug Pargeter who worked for Northern Coachbuilders and for Picktree?

[woodinsight]

maybe Doug Pargeter who worked for Northern Coachbuilders and for Picktree?

Not by him......
The name I'm looking for is not the name of a person (forename & surname) but a hyphenated name of the patented design (the first word may be a surname)

[woodinsight]

I've just received confirmation that the first name is the surname of the person who patented the design.

[targhediferro]

hard challenge...

[woodinsight]

hard challenge...

Perhaps but if you know your bus history back in the 1940s/1950s it shouldn't be too difficult;
I think you have to know what this type of bus was called to take it further.
OPEN for others now.

[woodinsight]

Moving it up to the Pros now.....

[Carnut]

It's the original Crellin-Duplex prototype of 1949, designed by George Crellin and based on a Guy Arab Mk III chassis.
I'll add a bit more shortly!

[Carnut]

This particular half-deck coach was built (I believe) in Preston, where George Crellin was based, and it was originally operated by a company associated with the businessman who funded Crellin's exploits.  It was registered DCK 111, a Preston issue from October 1949, and ended its days as a school bus with Butters of Childs Ercall, Shropshire.

Around 20 or so coaches to this or similar design were built, based on Guy, Foden, AEC and perhaps other chassis, bodied by various different coachbuilders in various parts of the country.  Mann Egerton were one of those builders, and below are a couple of advertisements for their bus.

They were, however, not popular with passengers.  In order to keep the height as low as possible, the footwells for the upper deck encroached into the headroom of the lower deck, making passengers feel claustrophobic.  Hence only the 20 or so were built and did not remain in service for very long.

I'm happy to say there is one survivor, in a preservation group!

Here are more photos:

[woodinsight]

That's it Carnut and for your excellent reply with all those extra photos I'm going to award you 2 points.

[Carnut]

You're too generous!
Many thanks.
A very interesting bus and a great find for a puzzle; well done woodinsight!

[Carnut]

Regarding the heading - it's not strictly true to say it's "by Crellin-Duplex" because that was the name under which George Crellin's design was patented.  The bodies were then made under licence.

The original Guy prototype was constructed by Farghers of Preston, but the next 11 or 12 (depending on where you get the information from!) were made by Lincolnshire Trailer Co of Scunthorpe (incl the one pictured above operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines).  Note in the picture used for the original puzzle photo the bus actually wore a Wolverhampton trade plate (039 UK), but I'm not sure why when it was built and eventually registered in Preston.  In the other pictures of a Guy that I posted it's wearing a Lincolnshire trade plate, which would suggest that it's perhaps the first one produced by Lincolnshire Trailer and seems to be an exact copy of the prototype.

The final 8 were made by Mann Egerton, including the one in the very small picture below which is the only survivor.  It was delivered in 1952 to Homeland Tours, who only kept it for 4 years, and eventually ended up in the hands of Mr R.A. Jenkinson, who has restored it, only completing it this year, and intends to enter it in bus rallies.

[woodinsight]

Heading altered as suggested.....