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Page 8 Remember – You saw it first in the Globe! 15 August 2012 1910 PANHARD ET LEVASSOR 12/15HP x5 ‘W & G’ DUCROS LONDON TAXICAB by Graham Waite It was my pleasure to attend the recent Richard Edmonds auction held at auction on Castle Coombe racing circuit on 30th June and to successfully bid and purchase this lovely old Panhard et Levassor taxi on behalf of London Vintage Taxi Association member Gordon Elliott. The most numerous makes of London cab post-1906 were the French Unic, introduced by dealers Mann and Overton plus the Napier and Panhard taxicabs, both of which were operated by taxi fleet owners W & G duCros of Acton, West London. Only a small handful of very early taxis still survive, mainly of the Unic and Beardmore variety and it is believed that this is one of only 2 Panhard et Levassor taxis which still survive. W&G duCros were commercial body builders who made bodies for many coaches, buses and a variety of heavy goods vehicles. Around 1910 with the ever increasing number of motorised taxicabs coming onto the market, they decided to run a large fleet of no less than 500 taxis. Most cabs were purchased in chassis form with W&G duCros building the taxi bodies onto the supplied chassis’s, this particular cab although made by Panhard was purpose built on the Napier 15hp chassis with Panhard engine and mechanicals. All W&G duCros drivers were required to wear a uniform consisting of a white waterproof rain coat, brown leather gauntlets and a white flat-top cap. Their trademark, the W&G logo was on the rear doors of all their taxis as well as their name on the radiator grill. There are period photographs depicting long rows of W&G cabs but these were mainly Napier cabs. Panhard’s started early in 1889 and remained in business until 1967 and they are one of the greatest names in motoring history. Panhard’s were successful in the early racing world using large 15.4 litre engined cars. This Panhard Taxi is a rare survivor of pre WWI motoring, particularly in such sound original condition. The taxi was 128 Three Colts Lane, London, E2 6JN THINKING OF GOING PART-TIME? IS YOUR CAB IN OVERHAUL? IS YOUR CAB BEING REPAIRED? WE HAVE TX1/ TX11/ TX4 AVAILABLE TO RENT ON A DAILY BASIS HIRINGS AVAILABLE FROM 1 DAY TO 1 YEAR TOTAL FLEXIBILITY RENTALS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM £95 P/W Telephone 0207 613 0684 / 0207 613 0630 colts cabs 614.indd 1 22/7/09 15:58:51 Panhard showroom, Lower Regent Street sold new in England and first registered on July 10th July 1910. In total 1,415 type X5 Panhard’s were made between the end of 1909 and the very beginning of 1912. From this total some 674 were sent to England, most of which are supposed to have been sold as taxis. Although this taxi was owned and run by W&G duCros it is believed that Panhard’s were generally purchased by owner drivers because they were more expensive than other manufacturers at the time (comparable with the cost of a semidetached house at the time). The early history of the Panhard is vague although it is believed that it was used on the streets of London until around 1921. Then until the early fifties not much is known of its whereabouts or use. A firm of motor dealers bought the Taxi in the early 1950’s from a Birkenhead car collector, and they set about restoring the car, with a view to hiring the car out for various publicity events and film work. Indeed it appeared in the 1950’s film, ‘The Man Who Loved Redheads’, starring Moira Shearer. Then in 1958 it was purchased from a Mr G.W. Thompson, of Barnsley, by a relative of the previous owner, the Rev. Martin Atkinson, who was a founder member of the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club, with Lord Montague of Beaulieu. Accounts indicate that the Rev Atkinson had first seen the car in 1944, and had tried to buy it. Every two years he went back in an attempt to buy the taxi, but the answer was always the same. In 1952, he found that the owner had died, but the cab had gone. Enquiries all over England were made but it was pure chance that he encountered the cab in the back streets of Liverpool, waiting to be shipped out to America. There are numerous copies of newspaper articles about the cab, mostly relating to the 1950’s, and copies of photographs of it, taking part in novelty driving tests including a ‘rocking-ramp’ at Birkenhead road courtesy rally. There are a few photographs of the Panhard outside the London General Cab Co. Ltd, alongside the then more modern early 1950’s Austin FX3 cabs. The cab Panhard at London General Cab Co with FX3s is also featured in a piece of Pathe News footage. In October 1958 the Panhard was used to collect the President of the Yellow Cab Company, Mr Lansing Rothschild from Claridges Hotel in Mayfair and take him down to meet Mr John Houghton head of the London Cab Company in Brixton Road (there is a photograph of him entering the taxi). It retains its original registration number of H 6460. Its chassis no. is 20370 and engine no. 21103. It is shown as a four cylinder 12/15 horse power. It has 3 speed gearbox with a quadrant change and leather coned clutch. In the passenger compartment the hood opens for summer use and there is a small indicator which the passenger can turn to indicate to the driver which direction they want him to take (lucky we haven’t got those nowadays!). The lamps are all the original brass oil burning type. The meter is an early Halda which is still working but believed not to be the original. The Panhard survives in basically sound condition. The wooden wheels are solid and have layers upon layers of cream paint on them, this has probably protected them and prevented wood worm from attacking them over the years. The rear seat is in black leather and shows signs of various neat stitching repairs over the years. The brass wheel centre caps have the cabs registration number engraved upon them. Signs indicate that the engine was rebuilt some years ago and whilst the cab is driveable it will need some work to re-commission it for general use. The cab will shortly be available for charity and other appearances, if you require more information please contact Graham Waite by email at oldlondontaxis@yahoo.co.uk Website: www.taxiglobe.info – To advertise in the most independent newspaper – Telephone – 01778 391189 Editorial – 01707 885439
15 August 2012 Remember – You saw it first in the Globe! Page 9 Website: www.taxiglobe.info – To advertise in the most independent newspaper – Telephone – 01778 391189 Editorial – 01707 885439
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