On Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:28:12 +0100, Mizter T wrote:

On 22/10/2012 20:39, Bruce wrote:
The company that makes London Taxis (LTI) has called in the
Administrators.

http://tinyurl.com/8fqam4x

From the Wikipedia entry for Manganese Bronze (aka LTI), this
(unreferenced) para:

---quote---
On 12 October 2012 the London Taxi Company announced the recall of some
four hundred TX4 models delivered since late February 2012 owing to two
incidents involving a loss of power steering. For reasons not yet fully
understood by the Company a hydraulic line had on the affected cabs
become detached at the steering box resulting in a partial loss of power
steering. As the cause/circumstances of the failure is yet to fully
understood, and a remedy made available, no new cabs can be sold.
---/quote---

I suspect, having seen earlier reports relating to this story, that
someone in china has used a cheaper alternative component to something
specified in the steering system, or the manufacturer of a part has used
a cheaper production method or material, and whichever it was, it's
buggered the steering.

Found at http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/m...ticle-2216982/
Manganese-Bronze-shares-frozen-vehicle-recall.html
or: http://tinyurl.com/986qy3w

"Manganese recalled 400 TX4 Hackney carriages, after two cabbies found
themselves unable to steer properly due to a faulty part made in China."

Also, at https://cabtradenews.wordpress.com/t...ng-box-recall/ or:
http://tinyurl.com/9a6pfxk

"The steering box is a new design from a new supplier that was introduced
in production at the Coventry factory in late February 2012."

There's also some info at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/
oct/12/400-london-taxis-recalled-safety or: http://tinyurl.com/9hcbbeb

"Coventry-based company - which manufactures the cabs in China"

"a circlip, which holds hydraulic fluid pipes in place, had either fallen
off or been damaged."

"the company had recently contracted a new Chinese company to supply its
steering box."

Rgds

Denis McMahon

On Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:52:36 +0000 (UTC)
Denis McMahon wrote:
I suspect, having seen earlier reports relating to this story, that
someone in china has used a cheaper alternative component to something
specified in the steering system, or the manufacturer of a part has used
a cheaper production method or material, and whichever it was, it's
buggered the steering.

Another load of hopeless british management discover the hard way that cost
cutting without testing first is not a good long term solution.

"a circlip, which holds hydraulic fluid pipes in place, had either fallen
off or been damaged."

"the company had recently contracted a new Chinese company to supply its
steering box."

I wouldn't want to be the one to try and recover compensation from a
company in china, but surely in theory they have a case against the parts
manufacturer?

B2003