Guy Arab II Burton Corporation, Burgundy and Cream, Calais Road

From 1903, Burton Corporation’s municipal transport system relied exclusively on the tram system, but in January 1924, with more residents living away from the tram network, the decision was taken to bring in two ‘B’ type motorbuses with Guy B20F bodywork. In 1930, trams were entirely replaced by buses and in 1943, Burton received its first double-deck vehicles, two utility Guy Arabs with Weymann H56R bodywork, built to wartime specifications, which included wooden slatted seating. Eight more were delivered in 1944, including Burton Corporation No. 34, a Guy Arab II 5LW, registration FA 7978, which was fitted with a Park Royal body. The double-deck vehicles proved more popular than the single-deck vehicles, which were becoming heavily overcrowded, but the wartime utility buses had been built using poor quality timber and were prone to premature deterioration. Some were rebuilt by the Corporation themselves, whilst others went to Merthyr Tydfil bodybuilder D. J. Davies, including FA 7978 which was rebuilt in 1951.