Life, the Universe and Everything

Whenever I venture up to London with my friend Joe we play a little game: first person to spot a black cab. It has to be a proper black cab though - a Fairway FX4 - which must be totally black. Any advertising on the livery disqualifies it from the game: it is not as easy as it sounds and sometimes neither of us manages to spot a cab that qualifies. The game looks set to become much more difficult - impossible even - to play following news that Mann & Overton are offering FX4 operators up to ten times the vale of their cab if they trade it in for the more modern TX4.

Mann & Overton say that they are making this offer to provide “an improved taxi service fit for the 21st century” and reduce emissions: although cynics could point out that selling a few £31,000 TX4s will not do their business any harm. The disturbing news is that the FX4s traded in will not be sold on to private owners or fitted with cleaner engines: every single one is destined for the crusher.

The TX4 was specifically designed to follow on from the iconic FX4; although you can see a family resemblance the modern version lacks the charisma of the original. The FX4 is as much a part of London as the driver bemoaning that they, “won’t go south of the river this time of night.” Just as a bendy bus is just a bus whereas the double-deckers are Routemasters, the FX4 is a cultural icon that we look set to lose forever.

Our red telephone boxes were replaced by plain and soulless glass things, the pound note ceased to be legal tender and Tizer [other soft drinks are available] appears to have changed colour from red to pink and certainly does not taste how I remember it as a child; but this is one change we cannot allow to stand. The FX4 must not be allowed to go the way of the dodo.