This particular cab was introduced to the streets of London in 1998 by the London Taxi firm (LTi). The previous version started life as an Austin design, which dated back to the 1950's. In London, the taxi service is regulated by the Metropolitan Police. A London cab license is the hardest in the world to obtain, as a prospective cab driver must demonstrate an incredible knowledge of the map of London and all it's landmarks, including hotels, nightclubs, shops, public buildings and so on. This takes many years of practice to achieve. When prospective cab drivers are tested, the examiner will give them a spot in London (eg./ a cinema) and ask them to describe the quickest route from that point to another. The test is called "the Knowledge", and is hard to pass. On any day in London, you can see hopeful cab drivers riding around on scooters with a clipboard attached to the windscreen. They obtain the Knowledge by driving parts of London bit by bit, and the practise soon takes up most of their spare time. The reward is a healthy income that comes with being a cabbie in one of the worlds wealthiest cities, and one which is generally heaving with tourists.
The reason London cabs look like they do, is because they must conform to strict regulations allowing them to work as a licensed cab in London. It must have wheelchair access, be able to turn around in a 24 foot diameter circle, which is much tighter than the turning circles of most cars (all cabs have amazing turning circles, as the front wheels can turn almost 90 degrees away from the straight ahead) and have separate passenger and driver compartments. The area beside the driver is for the passengers luggage. Until recently, cabs had to carry around a bale of hay! This was because the regulations date back to when horse drawn cabs were the norm, and the driver was required to carry food for his horse! Black has always been the traditional colour for London Taxis, but more recently they can also be seen in a variety of colours, usually related to what they are advertising.
This model is made by Sunstar, who are a budget brand, and hence their products are only moderately detailed. However, this model is nicely made, and has a few splashes of colour in the interior (the yellow passenger grab handles). The engine is unpainted, but the real thing has an unremarkable turbo diesel engine anyway. Oddly, only the two rear doors open on this model, while the front doors do not. The boot lid does not open either. Overall I think it is a nice looking model, and gives variety to my collection.
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