Taxi Cab Make and Model M - Z

MEPWARD

The 1922 Mepward by Mepstead and Hayward of London was a truly bad cab. It had an all-wood body, which made the already inadequate 2178 cc engine work even harder. The late Simon Kogan, writing in Taxi

Metrocab

The Metrocab design was based on models and early work for the Beardmore Mark VIII by Metro-Cammell-Weymann in conjunction with the London General Cab Company.

MCW Prototypes

Two of three developmental protoypes survive today, "Edgar" POE 629R, and UOK 729H which actually worked as a taxi in the in London in the General's fleet.

MCW Metrocab

Introduced in 1987, this fibreglass-bodied cab was powered by a 2.5 litre- four cylinder Ford Transit direct injection diesel engine coupled to a Ford four-speed automatic or a five- speed manual gearbox. It was the first London cab to fully wheelchair accessible and to be licensed by the Public Carriage Office to carry four passengers.

Reliant Metrocab

Reliant bought the Metrocab from MCW in 1989, and moved the plant to Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Hooper Metrocab

When Reliant suffered financial trouble, Hooper bought Metrocab and began a steady programme of improvement. In late 1992 the Metrocab became the first London cab to be fitted with disc brakes as standard. Six- and seven seat versions followed. The restyled Series II was introduced in 1997 and featured a great many detail improvements. In 2000 a turbocharged Toyota engine replaced the Ford in the TTT model.

Mitsubishi

The Mitsubishi MMT taxi was a conversion on the L300 forward control van. It was powered by the standard 1600cc petrol engine, converted to run on LPG. The cab trade did not at the time consider a van conversion, even though 25% cheaper than an FX4, a suitable vehicle for London taxi use. The vehicle did not meet the PCO 25ft turning circle requirement and was not approved for use in London

Morris Commercial

Lord Nuffield's organisation produced a line of taxicabs under the Morris Commercial name during the late 1920s and 1930's.

Type G "International"

From 1929, Morris offered a cab powered by its 4 cylinder 1.8 litre Oxford car engine, based on the unsuccessful Empire Oxford car.

G2

This smaller version of the G, introduced in 1931, was known as the "Junior".

G2S

Introduced in 1932, a 15hp side valve 6 cylinder engine was fitted. A well-built cab, it was popular with owner-drivers.

G2SW

A newer version of the G2S introduced in 1937, this cab had a 1.8 litre overhead valve six-cylinder engine rated at 14hp. To date, the Morris is the only maker of London cab to fit six-cylinder engines.

Oxford

Approximately 1800 Oxfords were built from 1947-1955 based on a 1940 prototype, which accumulated 100,000 miles during wartime service. Built at the Wolseley factory in Birmingham, the Oxford was the first new cab to be offered on the London market after WWII. It was powered by a 1.8 litre dry-sump industrial engine, derived from a contemporary MG unit. Three successive models were introduced: the MkI, the 1949 MkII with a six-light body and the 1950 MKIII, distinguished by its pressed steel wheels, instead of the artillery wheels of the previous models. When Morris and Austin merged to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952, the new organisation found that it was making two competitive vehicles for the same market, the Oxford and the Austin FX3, so in 1953 the older Oxford was dropped.

Napier

D. Napier & Son, Ltd., of Acton, produced a taxi which from 1908-1911 was their primary commercial vehicle offering and which very substantially exceeded car production. These cabs featured an L-head engine, 3 forward speeds and shaft drive. They were offered in either a 1.3 liter 2 cylinder form, or 2.7 litre 15 HP 4 cylinder form. The 4 cylinder taxi was extensively exported.

The French built Prunel had the distinction, in 1903, of being the first motor cab to be licensed to work in London. Operated by the Express Motor Service Company, it had a two-seat Hansom body, a 12hp Aster engine and chain drive.

Renault

This old French maker supplied taxis to Paris. In 1907 the General Motor Cab Company of Brixton bought 500 2-cylinder Renault cabs. With a 2-cylinder engine of 8-9hp they were somewhat underpowered. They ran until the General began replacing them with Unics.

Winchester

This fibreglass taxi was developed and built by Winchester Automobiles (West End) Ltd., a subsidiary of the Westminster Insurance Group, after consultation with cabmen. The result was a conservatively styled low maintenance vehicle, which was manufactured in several models from 1963-1972.

Mk I (1963)

The Mark I was powered by a Perkins 4.99 diesel and had two-tone grey paint.

Mk II

The Mk II shared the same body as the MkI, but had a 1.7 litre Ford Transit petrol engine.

Mk III

Using the Ford Transit engine, this version had an all- new chassis by Keewest.

Mk IV (1968)

The MkIV had an all-new body on the MkIII chassis and its Fords Transit engine.

Unic

This French cab was extremely popular with London operators for 25 years (1907-1932). It started life in London in 1907, powered by a 2-cylinder engine. Post war versions were little different from their Edwardian predecessors, although now fitted with four-cylinder engines. High import duties and the sheer antiquity of the cab prompted Unic's dealers, Mann and Overton, to seek a replacement, which they found in the Austin 12/4.

A new model from Unic, built in Britain by United Motors, the 1930 KF1 was heavy and expensive. Few were sold.

Vauxhall

In 1905, Vauxhall offered a 3-cylinder Motor Hansom for taxi service.

In 1990 a taxi conversion of the Midi van was produced for the NEC Motor Show. Whilst its interior complied with the PCO specifications, it did not have the mandatory 25ft turning circle

Vulcan

In 1922 Vulcan introduced a 2.6 litre, T-head taxicab. In 1928, car production was abandoned, and by 1931 Vulcan was in receivership.