Convertible prices are unseasonably low, so here are the best topless cars you can buy for just £1,000
The history of the London taxi: does it end here?
The history of the black cab
LTI/London Taxi Show Thumbnails
1 of 20
The failure of the London Taxi Company to find an investor has placed the future of its iconic London taxi in real doubt. The prospect of the classic shape of the famous London cab disappearing from our streets has provoked a worried response from the public but how has the ‘black cab’ come to be such a familiar British icon? Here, we look back at the history of the London taxi that’s known the world over and ask whether its era really is about to come to an end.
Will you be sorry to see the black cab go or is it the inevitable price of progress? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
related stories on msn
77Comments
25/10/2012 11:35
Old Lancs Lad get your facts right.
London Cabs are the most regulated in the world.
The process for drivers involves the iconic 'Knowledge' a CRB process and the size of your inside leg then a vehicle so highly tested that they cost more than a mercedes benz with an MOT plating system that is so expensive its a joke.Add to that sky high diesel prices and insurance for a vehicle that has a life span limited to 15 years and a regulatory body who tell us what to charge thru a meter.
By the way the London Taxi system is voted the best in the world and has been every year since inception.Only 1 person has been killed travelling in a London Taxi since 1969 making it the safest conveyance of any.
Who would you trust to bring your daughter home safely?
From the Best.GH
24/10/2012 14:54
25/10/2012 13:44
Britain has a tough future ahead. No national identity, landmarks being ripped down, icons discarded etc. 1 in 4 babies being born to immigrant parent, the fertility rate of British women is way down because they want careers over babies whereas the immigrants want a career as a mother, pop out 6 kids on the taxpayer and never need work for anything.
25/10/2012 11:16
25/10/2012 11:58
Black cabs now. Can't you all see? The powers that be have dismantled and are dismantling England bit by bit. Like i have said numerous times, there is no Britain anymore. UK LTD, is a company owned by Europe, the police are turning into LTD companies who work for whoever pays the highest price, ie debt companies. No revolution will be able to save us, EU's forces will claim we are a rogue state if we all stand up and say NO. Then NATO forces will come in and lock us all up, or send us to our deaths for oposing this fascist regime. It is upon us, the laws are in place for all this to happen and they have done this right under our noses. Proud to be English, i don't even know what that means anymore. Time for a change i think, a total change from top to bottom.
25/10/2012 10:16
24/10/2012 15:26
25/10/2012 14:18
25/10/2012 11:41
Yes this is the end, and good ridance, once they got rid of the Nissan engine it went down hill from there, due to Boris Johnstons emission polocy introducing an age polocy that is flawed and illegal.
How can the fairway cab be to old at 15 years, yet the TX2 that has exactly the same engine and emmissions continue working???.
TFL insistance on an out of date COF condition of fitness needs to be scrapped so that London owners can buy cabs that are available to the rest of the UK owners, and due to a high court ruleing the turning circle requirment is illegal now anyway.
TFL introduced the Vito as a replacment and it was converted with rear wheel steer, to comply with the COF but it is always going wrong and costs £10,000 more than the normal Vito others can buy.
Due to this latest steering box insident over 400 of Londons finest are out of work and due to the age polocy 1500 will be out of work by Christmas, and thoses numbers will continue to climb.
The cab is not the icon, the driver is, there brains are like the most up to date sat navs on the planet
25/10/2012 13:20
London is the countrys capital, so we should all be concerned when an iconic part of the cities history could be lost. The black cab is known worldwide as was the jump on jump off Red bus and the traditional red telephone box which we have lost already. These icons are part of the reason London attracts tourism from all over the world.
If somebody like Richard Branson could step in, make the cabs electric and with investment from the government for a charging ifrastructure this icon could be saved? Along with helping the cities air quality by reducing diesel fumes.
By the way, i dont live in the city infact 50 odd miles away but when you visit london, not seeing a black cab just wouldnt be right. :-(
25/10/2012 12:25
Always remember this when you live or visit London, and you need a taxi, only use the taxis that have a roof light, and dont get into anything eles even if a guy with a yellow coat and clipboard insists, or you could end up in an illegal Private Hire or as they are called mini cabs, these dont have a top sign and they will rip you off.
TFL allows this to happen and are meant to stop this illegal touting practice but they dont give a monkeys for your safety
25/10/2012 12:26
They're probably getting rid of them because they're black just like blackboards this is the stupid idiotic PC society London lives in today. If the back cab could speak up for itself it may say it's beacuse I'm black innit. Why not lose the black cab everything else sacred that's British is up for the scrap heap. It won't be long now before big ben is pulled down for being too phallic and upsetting femanists
25/10/2012 22:32
@ Chris X
The reason one in four babies are born to immigrants is that in their country of origin infant mortality rate is much higher than it is in the uk so they have to have many children in order for one or two to survive to adulthood
When they come over to the uk with the same idea most of their children survive to adulthood hence large families of immigrants.
Simple really BUT now the government want to re-educate them by cutting benefit to large families
IS IT FAIR YOU DECIDE
25/10/2012 14:17
25/10/2012 13:26
the cab was a shower of s**t made from the cheapest parts they could get there was no thought for the cab driver and the reliablity of this as a commercal vehicle was very poor. What car rusted at the top of the doors these do, and then there is the choice of engines placed in them was not for long term use but for cheapnest for LTI, How many gearbox's or radiators have been replaced because of LTI cheapscape ideas only thinking for that family of shareholders the greeedy ones.
25/10/2012 13:05
25/10/2012 11:32
25/10/2012 11:23
If the market place dont think its worth it then the public have to decide if they want other intervention
which will inevitably take resources... moth ball it ?? till times are better.. is that possible.. they still represent saftey in a dangerous world i think.. would love to save them if it were sensible.
25/10/2012 17:20
25/10/2012 23:07
Actually, Cabs are behind on regulation. Im am currently doing a course in Disability awareness for Private Hire/Contract Hire vehicles, which will eventually lead to an NVQ. My instructor has 37 years experience as a cab driver, and is now the foremost instructor in taxi training and he says that most cabbies out there are in desperate need of training especially in the transport of people with disabilities. The laws on this are relatively new. It was Ken Livingston who restricted the number of black cabs in London in order to remove the monopoly. This allowed the introduction of mini-cabs and new firms. The black cabs are a business like any other. Compete or die!!! a
Report
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Latest Cars videos
More on msn Cars
The A3 with a boot brings visual allure of bigger Audis to buyers on a hatchback budgets
Aston Martin launches gorgeous open-top Volante version of its range-topper
As the cost of motorings grows, here's how to cut your cars' bills
Wild, crazy and massively over-engines - pictures from the 2013 Beaulieu Custom Car and Hot Rod Festival
American manufacturer is the first to use robot drivers in durability testing of its trucks and vans
Ginger DJ Chris Evans has a legendary love of cars and a car collection to drool over
A45 AMG too hardcore? The CLA45 AMG is its softer superpower junior coupe sister
The most economical new cars on sale based on low emissions and best fuel economy
Californian company quite literally reinvent the wheel, with its crazy range of skateboard Shark Wheels
Irvin Gordon’s Volvo P1800S is set to cement its place in the record books when it passes the three million mile mark this autumn.
Goodwood of the north festival dazzles with exotic speed machines from all eras
