Salisbury, WiltSHITE

[Rod/b]

There was I, wandering along Castle Street in Salisbury yesterday afternoon, when a D-reg Volvo 240 saloon in a delightful metallic green drove by.

 

Not that remarkable in itself, except that this 23 year old example of Swede-o-shite was also a working, plated taxi, complete with an enormous taxi sign on the roof. I'd have flagged it down had it not been going in the opposite direction with a fare.

 

Does anyone know of anything older still in active service?!

[garethj]

Does anyone know of anything older still in active service?!

Only a Routemaster bus Most councils have strict rules on the age of cars that can be taxis (although apparently no rules about how knackered it can be and how appallingly driven)

[brammy777]

A contact of mine on flickr posted a picture of a Granada Scorpio still in use as a taxi.....But that 23 year old Volvo is a bit extreme! Ive seen a few F plate Metrocabs recently though, bet they have been through a few engines.

[Albert Ross]

I think the rule has to be something to do with constant use as a private hire vehicle since that date aswell. You can't use an old car NOW, unless it's always been a cab etc.

[morris_ital_lover]

In abingdon there are some lovely pieces of tat going about daily business, old shape corollas, vauxhall cavalier and vargas' fleet of knackered metrocabs!But, a 23 year old volvo is ace!m0rris

[Rusty Pelican]

Radio cabs where I live used to keep mileage records of their own cars , highest ever recorded was 656, 000 miles in a Renault 12 saloon in a lovely primer grey colour , had about a dozen engines and boxes in its life though

[Pete-M]

I know a chap who's been a cabbie for 25years or so and only had four cabs. First was an A reg Sierra that he killed in 300,000 miles.Then there was a maroon E reg Sierra Sapphire 1.8 (Pinto) that did an astonishing 650,000 miles and was still going for a few years after he sold it.Then a Black Mondeo Mk1 2.0 that did about 450,000 miles and now he's busy hammering a Mk2 2.0 Zetec into the ground.There was a beige, "S" reg Vauxhall Victor knocking about in Huyton until the late 90's at least.

[Richard]

I read about an Escort 1.6D that had done 750k once.

[brammy777]

Didnt some Greek Taxi owner run up over a million miles in a Merc? Its now in a musuem I think....I dont remember getting many minicabs back when they were interesting, a 405 to the airport and a Sierra Sapphire, thats about it.

[maxpower]

oldest cab i have seen still working was a "G" reg black cab...