A good dousing with WD40, a rub with a paint brush and a Doherty brake is revealed. I wasn't expecting that. I've seen the odd alloy Doherty caliper looking like a GB but this is a steel one with quick release chrome. Actually, that's unfair as the chrome may have clung on tenaciously for half a century before giving up the fight.
I wonder why the original owner spent money on an expensive Parkes frame, Chater Lea pedals, Sturmey hubs, lugged stem and Parkes branded mudguards but dropped in some unlikely parts such as the cheaper cranks and a steel caliper brake more usually found on roadsters? It's possible the bike is entirely original - that's the way it looks to me - but it might also be the case that the brake and cranks were carried over from an earlier machine. A little curious, really.
The frame is starting to clean up quite well but the paintwork is very faded and it will be difficult bringing it back to life. Without the transfers and box lining to worry about I'd have given it a good polish but I have to be careful I don't rub everything off. I might just put some oil on a soft cloth and gently rub the paintwork to make it shine. It won't stay shiny forever but the oil will also help keep rust at bay.
Below is an iphone pic of one relatively shiny part, though: the obligatory King of the Road bell. The Sturmey hubs are going to come up very well, too, having been protected from the elements by a think layer of gunk. The only difficulty is removing it! A scrape with a sharp lollipop stick should do it, I reckon. Not much else is going to be gleamworthy no matter how hard I rub and polish.
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