Bit of a one from left field this, bear with me.
Friend of mine is an author and is writing a story set in Wales in 1964. Part of his attention to detail is that he wants to talk about a taxi - but neither he nor I are able to think of a credible car model that might have been in use at that time and place for such a purpose.
Any roomies have any comments or even memories that might be useful to us? We're thinking about a Cortina, Viva or Humber at present - would any of those be likely or conversely, unlikely?
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When Iw as growing up in the late 1960s (born 1964) I remember loads of Morris Oxfords and Austin Cambridges as minicab taxis. This was in Manchester.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I'm not sure why Welsh taxis should be any diffent from those in the rest of these islands. Were they?
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I don't know if they would be different. I just mentioned Wales in case there was any relevance, no offence intended :)
Austin Cambridge, eh?
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>>I just mentioned Wales in case there was any relevance, no offence intended
None taken, Dipstick. You just started me wondering if they were for some reason..
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In my remote part of the north country in 1964 - I seem to remember the local taxi was a Morris Oxford , certainly an original HA Viva was too small. Do you remember Carry on Cabby when the 'Glam Cabs' of the ladies were Cortinas so that would probably fit the bill.
I think Humbers were probably a bit upmarket. I always thought of them as on a par with Jaguars.
Also why not consider a Standard Vanguard?
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Austin Cambridge or Morris Oxford. Personal experience from living on the Welsh borders. Our local cabbie had had his car for 20+ years.
Incidently, I caught a cab from Newport to Kington a couple of years ago and was amazed when the cab driver offered me a joint and recommended a (drug) dealer for the next time I was stuck in Newport (the train was stopped due to flooding, hence expensive cab journey).
I am mid 30's and was wearing a suit, so I did not think I looked the correct target market...or more than likely I am out of touch and suits are the target market........
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Can't seem to go wrong with a Morris Oxford it seems. Those were standard taxis even in Jamaica!...in the 1980s!.
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After having lots of trouble owning a Morris Oxford in the late 60s, my dad sold his to a taxi driver in south Wales. Naturally it was still going for years afterwards....
Other possibilities could be something from the Rootes group?
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hackney cab might have been austin fx3 ...cheers...keo
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I have conferred with SWMBO who has connections with Wales from childhood. She says a Morris Oxford would be ok. Avoid a DAIhatsu though.....!
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Well, looks like the vote is going for the Morris Oxford then - thank you folks! Helpful as always, and appreciated. I'll pass the info on to my author friend.
(Shame it wasn't a Sunbeam really. Ah well. I just hope that if his story is a triumph then it raises the standard, heralds a new beginning and he can say it's me that always rootes for him. Course, he's a bit of a hill man, not living near the Humber, but he's no kind of a singer.)
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Avoid a DAIhatsu though.....!
Oh, gawd . . .
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"Do you remember Carry on Cabby when the 'Glam Cabs' of the ladies were Cortinas so that would probably fit the bill."
Indeed - and the silly thing is that most of them in that film were two door models!
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don't forget Vauxhall - Velox, I think (as in Heartbeat taxi, driven by Dopey David)
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1963 Ford Consul Cortina de-luxe in blue. HFF480 - that was a real car from the past ! (Registered in Meirionydd !)
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I am reliably informed that the taxi to have was the Vauxhall Velox or Cresta with front bench seat and column gearchange that allowed you to(legally) carry 5 passengers.
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I did a bit of mini-cabbing in Hereford in 1965ish. The guy running the compny made me use a 2-door Fiat 850! A bit of a squeeze when you had to pick up a couple of well-refreshed quaddies to go back to SAS HQ.
Most cabs as I recall were the Farina Cambridge, Ford Zephyr or Consul.
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.....Running around Herts in an Austin Cambridge with the Pye Cambridge main unit under the drivers seat!! You always knew it was there!!!!
The posh car we had was an ex police Volvo 240!!
Clive.
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Not quite the era asked about but in the fifties and even later in my small Derbyshire town there was only one taxi firm.
And all of their cars were Rolls Royce. Great big gleaming highly polished cars with drivers wearing peaked caps. My father hired one to take the family down to Aldershot to see my brothers Army passing out parade. What luxury this was. I suppose they would all have been pre-war cars but I do remember them being totally silent whilst travelling. I also recall my Mother complaining that they used to charge her two shillings (10 pence) to bring her home from town
This firm was also the town undertaker and did wedding cars so I suppose having Rolls Royce cars would be the natural choice. They are still in business today..
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