On Saturday, July 13, 2013 9:15:48 AM UTC-4, antoine wrote:
Dears,

back home I would like to thank you all for the various suggestions.

I was in Eynsford and this was an unforgottable day; with a lovely sun

and beautiful green landscape full of red poppies. Very interesting

exibition about villa romana and lunch in the local pub.

Furthermore I would say that I found London changed; the cabs are no more

in the unique black color, traffic seems to be more mediterranean then

english. I do not remember (in the old time) having ever heard any car

horn. Now you can hear them every five minutes. Also the population seems

to me lesser english. I also noticed that english beer has disappeared,

at least from advertising; do you remember "take courage"?

But London is beautiful for the great monuments and the huge public parks.

My wife came home with a very good impression.

Very glad you and your wife enjoyed your visit Antoine.

I don't think black has been the only allowed colour for London taxis for many years though.
--
Roy

On 14/07/2013 02:26, Roy wrote:

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 9:15:48 AM UTC-4, antoine wrote:

Dears,
back home I would like to thank you all for the various suggestions.
I was in Eynsford and this was an unforgottable day; with a lovely sun
and beautiful green landscape full of red poppies. Very interesting
exibition about villa romana and lunch in the local pub.
Furthermore I would say that I found London changed; the cabs are no more
in the unique black color, traffic seems to be more mediterranean then
english. I do not remember (in the old time) having ever heard any car
horn. Now you can hear them every five minutes. Also the population seems
to me lesser english. I also noticed that english beer has disappeared,
at least from advertising; do you remember "take courage"?
But London is beautiful for the great monuments and the huge public parks.
My wife came home with a very good impression.

Very glad you and your wife enjoyed your visit Antoine.
I don't think black has been the only allowed colour for London taxis for many years though.

There has never been a mandatory colour (or colour scheme) for London
taxis, though some provincial authorities, especially if licensing
ordinary cars as taxis, have been known to specify the body colour and
sometimes a two-tone scheme.

The tendency towards black dates from a time when it was simply the
usual colour for any motor car. Given the amount of maintenance and
bodywork which is carried out on a taxicab over its working life, it is
a big advantage for a uniform colour to be used, since it keeps the
problem of paint stocks nice and simple. It also makes cannibalisation
of body parts easier and more economic.

When I was in London (1968/69), all taxi were black! The traffic was very
polite and beer was english. I remember advertisement such as "help
british bacon" and the song which I loved to hear was "Hey Jude" and
"where do you go to my lovely" (Peter Starsted) and also "Summer
Morning" (Vanity Fare). I was studying english with a very good teacher
who made me love this language.
Excuse me please for this off topic.

On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 03:07:01 +0100
JNugent wrote:
The tendency towards black dates from a time when it was simply the
usual colour for any motor car. Given the amount of maintenance and
bodywork which is carried out on a taxicab over its working life, it is
a big advantage for a uniform colour to be used, since it keeps the
problem of paint stocks nice and simple. It also makes cannibalisation
of body parts easier and more economic.

Not so great in hot weather though.

--
Spud

On 14/07/13 19:18, antoine wrote:
When I was in London (1968/69), all taxi were black! The traffic was
very polite and beer was english

Well, at least all the buses are red again, they weren't for about 10
years. I'm sure you're right about the traffic being worse, or at least
more noisy. About the beer - I think there's more decent English beer
around now than any time in the last 30 years, it's a shame that it
isn't in every pub.

I remember advertisement such as "help british bacon" and the song
which I loved to hear was "Hey Jude" and "where do you go to my
lovely" (Peter Starsted) and also "Summer Morning" (Vanity Fare). I
was studying english with a very good teacher who made me love this
language.

That must have been an interesting time. Perhaps we don't always
appreciate what we have, while (correctly) looking elsewhere for
interesting places to visit.

Excuse me please for this off topic.

Please don't apologise. It's much more welcome than some messages in
the other thread on this topic. I'm glad you had a good time in Eynsford.

Richard.