Russian actor Vasily Livanov – known as The Russian Sherlock Holmes for his performance as the famed sleuth – enjoys taking trips around London’s attractions in an original Victorian hansom cab dating back to 1899, which he hires – along with the driver - from the Sherlock Holmes Museum. But he has a problem that Call Sign should agree with, but which we aren’t too sure about. The cab cannot gain access to the Royal Parks because of the advertising ban.
   The museum staff are currently campaigning for the right to drive the original working hansom through the capital’s Royal Parks even though it carries a discreet ad, the sponsorship of which goes to help the upkeep of the museum. But carrying ads is banned.
   The 1899 horse drawn Forder cab belongs to the Baker Street museum and is rolled out for VIPs and privately hired engagements. However, it cannot get past the gates of the park because of the advertising ban.
   John Aidiniantz, Assistant Curator at the Sherlock Holmes Museum has now taken his campaign to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, James Purnell. Requests for exemption from the regulations were sent to the Head of Policy at Royal Parks and flatly turned down.
   "It’s a Royal Park Regulation from 1977," explained Mr Aidiniantz, "to prevent people with vehicles that are constructed or adapted for trade or business driving along park
 

Sherlock Holmes Museum wants entry to Royal Park

roads. And quite right! This is a hansom cab; it WAS built for the purpose of business, serving as a Victorian taxi carrying 2 passengers with the driver behind. But that’s not what we use it as."
   The striking horse drawn vehicle has carried famous actors such as Dustin Hoffman and the wives of state leaders.
   "But we always have to stop at the park gates and ask passengers to walk – it’s difficult to explain to them why we have to do that," added Mr Aidiniantz.
   His gripe is that we as licensed taxis and tourist coaches, which both carry advertising, are permitted by special dispensation to drive through the parks.
   In correspondence with David

Call Sign Comment:
We would have no problem at all with the Museum’s Hansom Cab going into the park – in fact it would undoubtedly add to London’s colour. Our problem is whether minicabs would then jump onto the wagon and insist on being allowed to advertise their names and phone numbers too. The saying about driving a coach and horses through the regulations is more than pertinent to this issue. But we wish the museum luck … Ed

Flat battery? SIMPLE START is the answer…

As Dial-a-Cab drivers head into winter – and judging by the lousy summer it could be a long and cold one – we can expect more terminal messages for drivers requiring jump starts! We all know that the sensible thing is to get your battery checked out before the onset of winter, but while the temperature remains mild and the battery turns over, we always assume that the old one is going to be ok for a few more months.
   But isn’t it always on the foulest and busiest night of the year, when you turn the ignition key after waiting 30 minutes for a client having had your lights, wipers, demisters, heater and terminal all on and around £15 already on the meter, that you hear that familiar flat battery whirr and splutter coming back at you from under the bonnet!
   You may have jump leads, but you still need that second cab and you also know that you are going to end up cold, wet and probably with greasy fingers. Well, not any more!
   Call Sign has now heard of a new product from Black & Decker that should solve all the above problems. Called SIMPLE START, all you do if you can’t start the cab is to plug it into the cigarette lighter point, wait 15 minutes and that will boost up your failing battery enough to get your cab started.
   Although SIMPLE START fits into most car glove compartments, even if that doesn’t apply to your cab it is small enough to hide somewhere. It also has a torch so you don’t have to fumble around in the dark looking for the cigarette point.
   Sadly, SIMPLE START isn’t given away free, but at a RRP of £49.99, it still sounds like a bargain. Of course, SIMPLE START doesn’t perform miracles. Once your battery keeps failing, you will still need a new one – but you will at least know that until you get one, SIMPLE START will be there to get you out of trouble.
SIMPLE START™ is a trademark of the Black & Decker Corporation and is available from Argos.