THE OLD DAYS
May I correct an error in your résumé leading to my article on The
Old Days. The lady I picked up at the Waterloo ‘rats hole’ going to Manchester
neither offered 600 Canadian dollars, nor did I ask for that amount! She said that all she
had was 600 Canadian dollars and that I could have the fare in that currency. The actual
agreed fare (bearing in mind that it was 1953) was 75 Canadian dollars which was about
£20. I had to get that in quickly before you receive an avalanche of correspondence
calling me a greedy so and so…!
Sam Harris S95J)
HELP REQUIRED
You seem to be in contact with London taxi drivers on a regular basis.
We are trying to contact an old school friend who started as a London taxi driver over 25
years ago. We lost contact with him and his wife 18 years ago when we moved from Adelaide
to Perth. Is there a corner in your magazine for lost taxi drivers. Just in case you are
able to help, I will give you their details. He is Michael Stopher and his wife's name is
Penny. They used to live in the Worcester Park area. If you are able to help it would be
most appreciated.
John & Marlene Pearcey
Shelley, Western Australia
If you can help, please contact the Editor who will pass it on. Incidentally, the ‘Paul’ who was being looked for in the November Mailshot has now come forward…Ed
ACCOUNT CAB SHARING
The suggestion that was put forward by W34 John Hudson (Nov Mailshot),
seems like a sensible idea. If maybe this was put to our bigger clients, or indeed any of
our clients, that if they have staff and / or deliveries going in roughly the same
direction, that they could double these up saving them some money and us a cab. This might
just eliminate the ‘older trips’ that quite often come up on the screen. With
the advent of legalisation of PHV’s, there is always the threat that our client's
could be looking to make savings in this direction.
W34 also made a suggestion about paying sub's over 10 or 11 months, so that
we don't have to find this money after coming back from holiday's etc: Has any more
thought been given to this?
One other point. Sometimes when clearing messages from the screen, you hit the
Clear button and at exact same time that a job is sent and you inadvertently wipe the job
off the screen. Is there any way in which this job can be recalled?
Brian McKenzie (A63)
As for the ‘sharing’ suggestion; software will be put into place after the New Year holiday which will provide a ‘going home’ facility (as mentioned in the November Mailshot). This same piece of software can be adapted to provide a sharing facility. It is all connected to the validation of the set down address - which currently is just entered into the details without any validation.
Unfortunately, that awful second when you delete a message only to realise that a trip offer came through at the same time and THAT is what you deleted is a fait accompli. However, when we get the new terminals, that problem will be addressed and remedied …Ed
HELP FOR ‘VINTAGE’ NETHERLANDS
Your mag is getting better and better. Even though it's an 'internal'
magazine, it is still great fun and very informative reading for an outsider like me. Nice
idea about the 'junior' and '(in)famous' dispatchers.
On your letters page I found the letter from Arnhem (re the Dutch Vintage
Taxi Club). Do you have a contact address or a telephone number for that group as I would
like to contact them. There seems to be quite an interest in London cabs in Holland. The
Amsterdam radio-circuit TCA bought two FX3's a while ago, after using four fairly
clapped-out FX4's for a promotional thing. No TX1's in sight yet though...
Wim Faber
Brussels, Belgium
Wim Faber is probably the most influential taxi journalist in the world although I will probably embarrass him by saying that! He is also a very nice guy. Hans Dooren of the Dutch Vintage Taxi Club is on: hansdoo@tref.nl
URGENT DELIVERY!
As you know, we use your company on a regular, even daily, basis but do
not usually have exciting journeys such as that which took place recently!
On Wednesday 11 November, our lady Chief Executive, Nichola Odey, went into
premature labour - her baby not being due until Christmas Day. My secretary accompanied
her in a taxi
driven by Frank Danna and asked him to get to St. Thomas's
hospital as quickly as possible.
Fortunately they were able to persuade a motorcycle police officer from
St. James's Palace to lead the way to the hospital. Frank was magnificent, whizzing past
red traffic lights and the wrong side of keep-left islands, but in safety and using all
his driving skills.
Mrs. Odey was so grateful and has also asked me to let you know that she was
safely delivered of a 5 lb, seven week premature, son the following day. Mother and baby
are doing well.
Please accept our thanks for this exceptional service and we look forward to
continuing our good relationship with your firm.
James Hambro
Chairman,
J O Hambro
London SW1
You can read Frank Danna’s story elsewhere in this issue…Ed
TAXI INFO HELP NEEDED
I am a student on an humanities access course at Greenwich Community
College. Part of the course is on taxis. It can take any form eg
videos/slides/talk/handouts etc. I have a friend currently doing The Knowledge so I'll be
able to get some background from him as to the form the runs take. I am possibly going to
film him doing a day from the blue book and calling them over though he doesn't know this
yet! In addition, I'd appreciate stories from people who've actually completed it, of how
it changed their lives. How many years did it take, how frequently did they go out on
runs? Did it affect their marriage, are they still trying 10 years on? Also maybe a few
statistics - how many people currently doing the Knowledge, what proportion are women,
what is the worst route, what is the longest anyone's taken to qualify & maybe a bit
about the history of how it was invented.
Thank you in anticipation.
Brenda F Stitt
Greenwich
Any help for Brenda can be passed to the Editor and I will pass it on…Ed
