Wolseley Oxford Taxi
Encyclopedia
The Nuffield Oxford Taxi, often referred to as the Wolseley Oxford taxi was the first new taxicab
designed to comply with the Metropolitan Police
Conditions of Fitness for London taxicabs to be launched on the British
market after the end of the Second World War.
The prototype, designed by Morris-Commercial, registration number EOM 844 was built in 1940 and was fitted with a landaulette body by Jones Brothers of Westbourne Grove, London. It accumulated a recorded 300,000 miles (480,000 km) in tests throughout the Second World War.
Changes in the Conditions of Fitness after the Second World War banned the landaulette style of body and the production vehicle was fitted with a fixed head body, of pressed steel over a wood frame. With its limousine configuration and open luggage platform beside the driver, it was in every other respect the same style as all previous London taxis. It was the last new design to be launched at the historic Ward End
, Birmingham
, plant which had been Wolseley's home since 1919.
It was powered by a straight-4 1802 cc petrol engine with a dry sump, based on an industrial version of an engine used in pre-war Morris
and MG
cars, The gearbox had four speeds with synchromesh on second, third and top. The brakes were mechanically operated by rods and the back axle was worm gear driven. A four-door hire car version was also made.
Distribution, sales and servicing were carried out by Beardmore Motors of Hendon. Beardmore, once a part of William Beardmore and Company
had been taxi makers since 1919, but had ceased production of their last model before the outbreak of war.
The Oxford was introduced at the Commercial Motor Exhibition of 1947, and a fleet of new cabs served to carry guests from the wedding of Princess Elizabeth
and Philip Mountbatten (now Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh
) at Westminster Abbey
in November of that year.
Three models were produced, each a detail improvement of the previous. The Series I of 1947 had artillery wheels. The Series II, introduced in 1949 had pressed steel wheels and the Series III of 1950 had what was, in effect a six light body, although of course the luggage platform had no door and thus no window.
Production was transferred to Nuffield's Adderley Park
factory in 1948, and continued until 1953. The previous year, Nuffield had merged with Austin to form the British Motor Corporation
, and the new management, headed by Leonard Lord
axed the Oxford in favour of the Austin FX3, which had been launched in 1948. Beardmore Motors would go on to produce a cab of their own once more.
Note: The Oxford is thought by many to be a Wolseley
model, as it was designed and first built at the Wolseley factory at Ward End, but the manufacturer's name as recognised by the DVLA, and shown on the Road Fund Licence ('tax') disc and V5 registration document is Nuffield.
A total of 1,926 of all models were made.
Ward End production
Adderley Park production
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
designed to comply with the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
Conditions of Fitness for London taxicabs to be launched on the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
market after the end of the Second World War.
The prototype, designed by Morris-Commercial, registration number EOM 844 was built in 1940 and was fitted with a landaulette body by Jones Brothers of Westbourne Grove, London. It accumulated a recorded 300,000 miles (480,000 km) in tests throughout the Second World War.
Changes in the Conditions of Fitness after the Second World War banned the landaulette style of body and the production vehicle was fitted with a fixed head body, of pressed steel over a wood frame. With its limousine configuration and open luggage platform beside the driver, it was in every other respect the same style as all previous London taxis. It was the last new design to be launched at the historic Ward End
Ward End
Ward End is an area of Birmingham, England. It covers the area between Saltley, Hodge Hill and Stechford and includes Ward End Park, a public park that has been open for over 100 years.-Ward End territory:...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, plant which had been Wolseley's home since 1919.
It was powered by a straight-4 1802 cc petrol engine with a dry sump, based on an industrial version of an engine used in pre-war Morris
Morris
-People:* Morris , a common family name * Morris , Belgian cartoonist, creator of Lucky Luke* Morris, one of the 14 Tribes of Galway, Ireland-Places:In Canada*Morris, Manitoba...
and MG
Mg
MG, M.G., M-G and variants may refer to:Business* MG Cars , a British automobile manufacturer, now part of SAIC* Champion Air , an American charter airline with IATA code MGEducation...
cars, The gearbox had four speeds with synchromesh on second, third and top. The brakes were mechanically operated by rods and the back axle was worm gear driven. A four-door hire car version was also made.
Distribution, sales and servicing were carried out by Beardmore Motors of Hendon. Beardmore, once a part of William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company was a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate based in Glasgow and the surrounding Clydeside area. It was active between about 1890 and 1930 and at its peak employed about 40,000 people...
had been taxi makers since 1919, but had ceased production of their last model before the outbreak of war.
The Oxford was introduced at the Commercial Motor Exhibition of 1947, and a fleet of new cabs served to carry guests from the wedding of Princess Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth
-People:* Elisabeth of Bohemia, eldest daughter of Frederick V* Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, wife of future Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor* Elisabeth of Hungary, daughter of Andrew II of Hungary, and Saint...
and Philip Mountbatten (now Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
) at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in November of that year.
Three models were produced, each a detail improvement of the previous. The Series I of 1947 had artillery wheels. The Series II, introduced in 1949 had pressed steel wheels and the Series III of 1950 had what was, in effect a six light body, although of course the luggage platform had no door and thus no window.
Production was transferred to Nuffield's Adderley Park
Adderley Park
Adderley Park is an area in the east of Birmingham, England. Charles Adderley MP donated of land to create the park, which he managed privately from 1855 to 1864.It is served by Adderley Park railway station....
factory in 1948, and continued until 1953. The previous year, Nuffield had merged with Austin to form the British Motor Corporation
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
, and the new management, headed by Leonard Lord
Leonard Lord
Leonard Percy Lord, 1st Baron Lambury KBE was a captain of the British motor industry.-Background and education:...
axed the Oxford in favour of the Austin FX3, which had been launched in 1948. Beardmore Motors would go on to produce a cab of their own once more.
Note: The Oxford is thought by many to be a Wolseley
Wolseley
-Businesses:* The Wolseley, a restaurant at 160 Piccadilly, London, based in the former head showroom of the Wolseley Motor Company* Wolseley plc, a UK-based multinational building supplies company which was formerly active in other sectors...
model, as it was designed and first built at the Wolseley factory at Ward End, but the manufacturer's name as recognised by the DVLA, and shown on the Road Fund Licence ('tax') disc and V5 registration document is Nuffield.
A total of 1,926 of all models were made.
Ward End production
- 1947; 362
- 1947/48; 331
- 1948/49; 234
Adderley Park production
- 1949/50; 323
- 1950/51; 382
- 1951/52; 44
- 1952/53; 66