Taxi factory veteran Basil sees in the new TX4

A former factory worker who saw one of the first ever London taxis roll off the production line in the 1940s was invited back for a VIP tour to see how the latest model is made.

Basil Armstrong, aged 89, worked in the tool room back in 1949 when the iconic FX3 was launched, the first taxi to pioneer the distinctive “black cab” shape which is familiar the world over today.

When he heard a new version of the cab was being launched, the TX4, he wrote to manufacturer LTI Vehicles to see if he could visit the plant – on the same Holyhead Road, Coventry, site as it was nearly 60 years ago – to see how things have moved on since his time.

And delighted bosses were only too happy to roll out the red carpet for father-of-three Basil, who lives in the Coundon area of Coventry.

"I've always been interested in the factory because I had a nice job here,” said Basil, who began work with the firm, then called Coventry Carbodies, in 1949.

"I also wondered how many people may be around that I'd recognise and how the workers make the taxi, which is a very fine vehicle. The paint work is excellent.

"I really enjoyed working in the tool room. I loved mucking in and getting my hands dirty.”

The tool maker started out his career working on ship turbines in the Armstrong shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, and crafted blades used on HMS Illustrious and HMS Ajax, among others.

He said: "Because I came from the North, the Midlanders thought I was a real duck egg.

"But I'd started work when I was seven and I knew a thing or two about machine tools and I got on alright and became the tool room foreman.

"The factory has changed so much and is beyond anything I thought it might be, but I have to say the standard of work I've seen today is very good.

"The only problem is there are no teenagers here, which is bad for the industry because it shows there are not enough youngsters coming through."

Coventry Carbodies became London Taxis International in 1984.

The plant employed about 500 people when Mr Armstrong worked there, and now employs 400. It remains the largest British-owned vehicle manufacturer.

Matthew Cheyne, Sales and Marketing Director with LTI Vehicles, said: “We were delighted to be able to show Basil around the factory with the new TX4 in production.

“Things have changed a lot since 1949. At the time, our vehicles were new, catering for an untapped niche. Now they are recognised around the world as the standard-setters for purpose-built taxis.

“Though there have been changes over the years, we still occupy the same Coventry site and employ around 400 people in the city – and we strive to maintain the high standards that have always been set by LTI Vehicles employees.”

The TX4 was launched in October and has since seen unprecedented sales. Retaining the world-famous taxi shape, the purpose-built cab features a new Euro IV emissions-compliant VM engine, anti-lock brakes, is fully-wheelchair-accessible and houses a raft of safety features.

A new suspension system also gives a smoother ride for both passenger and driver.