BEST OF BRITAIN
ernment requisitioned around 2,500 taxis to be converted to auxiliary firefighting engines, ambulances and army personnel carriers. After the war, taxi production started again. In 1958 the four door FX4, which came with a heater in the back and a rear-view mirror fixed on the bulkhead, was produced. In 1997 the TX1 was produced, which was
that a London Cabbie still has the Knowledge. In 1897, the first self-propelled vehicle
was introduced. It was an electric powered cab with huge batteries that could only travel at five miles per hour – its range was limited to say the least. It was an unmiti- gated disaster; only 13 were ever licensed. I do hope that the newly launched LTEVC fares better. By 1906, the first in- ternal combustion engine had arrived: the ‘Prunel’. Soon, other manufacturers fol- lowed with their versions of the horseless carriage. In 1903 there were 11,000 horse drawn cabs on the road. In the space of 10 years, less than 2,000 had survived. In 1907 the first taxi meter was installed. During the outbreak of WWII the gov-
a dramatic improvement in design and relia- bility. Its reliable Nissan engine and gear box were excellent and well suited for the London cabbie. One of the innovative features was that for the first time there was a wide, deep panoramic windscreen for the driver to see through as opposed to the narrow flat letter box windscreen of previous taxis. Tere have been other manufacturers who have supplied London with taxis including Mercedes, Metrocab and Asquith. It remains to be seen whether the new LEVC electric hybrid taxi lives up to the expectations of the London cabbie and the travelling public. Today’s cab driver has all the essential mod-
ern technology to ensure that the passengers’ experience of travelling is smooth, safe and comfortable. Te taxi still retains some of the quintessential quirkiness that makes London taxis so unique, like the 25ft turning circle and being able to sit in the back of the taxi without having to remove your top hat.
David Burnetts is a London black
taxi driver and accredited tour guide. He offers private guided tours from
the comfort of his iconic London taxi. His website
capitalcabbietours.com offers full tour information. You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram at@capitalcabbie
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