Although
Crossley's origins date back to the 19th century when Sir
William Crossley acquired world rights (excluding
Germany) from Nicolas August Otto to develop his newly
invented four-stroke gas engine of 1869, the company did
not enter the truck market until 1932. Prior to that it
specialized in engine manufacture and, from 1912, in
military vehicles.
In 1932 a range of forward-control diesel trucks for
payloads of 3 to 7 tons was introduced. Three years later
came their Atlas forward-control model, including a
double-drive six-wheeler for 12 tons. Their brief
presence in the civilian market was brought to an end at
the outbreak of war in 1939.
During World War II a 4 x 4 forward-control 3-ton truck, the
Q-type, was
supplied in large numbers to the RAF. No further trucks
were built and the company was absorbed, along with the
Maudslay Motor Company, into Associated Commercial
Vehicles in 1948. ACV marketed certain AEC vehicles under
the Crossley name in some export markets through to the
late 1950s. |
