Monthly Musings

1 July, 2025 Gibson Square 3 Comments

1st July 2025

🎤 Talking to the Oldies

Last month I mentioned being invited to give a talk at a local retirement home, some questioned if the invitation was genuine (yes I’m taking about you Pete!), well I’m still awaiting for the call. If it comes you’ll be the first to read about it here.

⛔ Gallows Corner update

As expected this important junction, the confluence of five roads, including Main Road, A12 and the A127, has closed. The detours take you on a scenic route around the Essex countryside. I hope the tens of thousands who normally pass through enjoy the panoramic views.

🦊 Emboldened foxes

Walking my dog along our local river a young fox followed us. Soon urban foxes will be asking us for treats, leaving the rats to multiply.

📖 Tom the Taxi Driver

Tom has started outlining his next book, an autobiographical look at being a new entrant to the taxi trade and how he’s learnt the ropes, plus all the juicy stories along the way! I look forward to reading it.

London in Quotations

London in Quotations: William Dumbar

Quote 30 June, 2025 Gibson Square 3 Comments

London, thou art the flower of cities all! Gemme of all joy, jasper of jocunditie.

William Dumbar (c.1459-1530)

London trivia

London Trivia: Horniman Museum opens

29 June, 2025 Gibson Square 4 Comments

On 29 June 1901, the Horniman Museum was opened to the public, it contained a collection collected by a member of the famous tea brand. It has displays of anthropology, natural history and musical instruments, and is known for its large collection of taxidermied animals.

On 29 June 1920 Croydon Airport replaced Hounslow Airport as London’s civil airport

It is illegal to die in the Palace of Westminster on the grounds that anyone who dies in a royal palace is technically entitled to a state funeral, unfortunately, this has been proved to be a myth

The world’s first underwater tunnel was the Thames Tunnel opened in 1834 between Wapping and Rotherhithe was until 1866 used by pedestrians

The Museum of London has in its collection 6,500 skeletons comprising for study every period in London’s 2,000-year history

Charles I, rather ungallantly it has to be said, after his own nuptials declared that “you can get used to anyone’s face in a week”

The figure of The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street on the facade of the Bank of England has a model of the bank on her lap

On 29 June 1905 the Automobile Association was founded in a meeting at London’s Trocadero restaurant. The RAC was founded 8 years earlier

Staying in London after winning the U.S. Open American golfer Walter Hagan celebrated driving a ball across the Thames from the Savoy’s roof

Before motorised vehicles, horses were involved in an average of 175 fatal accidents a year in London and eat over 1 million tons of fodder

The Press Association was formed from an idea hatched in the back of a Hansom Cab stuck in a London smog in 1868

On 29 June 1960 the BBC Television Centre opened in Shepherd’s Bush. The first studio production featured comedian Arthur Askey

Trivial Matter: London in 140 characters is taken from the daily Twitter feed @cabbieblog.
A guide to the symbols used here and source material can be found on the Trivial Matter page.

Previously Posted

Previously Posted: An icon’s swansong

28 June, 2025 Gibson Square 2 Comments

For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.

An icon’s swansong (19.06.12)

The other day my cab broke down – gearbox in case you were wondering – and I found myself driving, as a replacement, an old Fairway of the type American tourists love. It’s hardly surprising, if your vision of London is of a rather quaint city that is still stuck firmly in the 50s, then the classic Fairway fits the bill for our colonial visitors.

Little changed since its launch in July 1958, few vehicles have matched its longevity. Although the indicators were moved from their original position on the roof (giving them the sobriquet ‘bunny ears’) the vehicle still has the little round indicators last seen on a car being driven by Jack Regan in The Sweeny.

Manual sliding rear windows locked by means of an ineffectual metal lever, no intercom, brakes fit for a go-kart with 2 tonnes of momentum to slow down, top-heavy necessitating roundabouts need to be negotiated at half the speed of a modern car and its acceleration beyond 30 mph is almost impossible especially when travelling up a hill. Clunking doors which open the wrong way – the driver can reach out and open the offside passenger door without leaving his driving seat. Oh yes! and plastic seats.

It was a trip down Memory Lane. The hardwood 3-spoke steering wheel, imitation walnut trim to the doors and a top speed of 60mph. Many passengers could not fathom out how to open the doors and with the stiff buttons on the outside handles, ladies needed strong thumbs to open the door. The chrome door handles have a plastic guard, presumably an early health and safety requirement.

For all its faults driving this London icon has been a privilege, evocating days when London changed little and we worked at a gentler pace. I’m not the only one who loves this cab. Tourists love its quaintness, choosing it over the more brash upstarts. I’ve even had a guy chase me down the road offering to buy the vehicle. Apparently, they are very much in demand abroad and a rather enterprising cabbie buys them for export to of all places Saudi Arabia.

So it looks like the old girl might have a second life after being taken off the road by the Burgers at the Public Carriage Office who following the dictats of Europe have decreed that cabs over 15 years old must die.

Or she might stay in England many owners like them some even write blogs about them.