London taxi outside Cafe Royal
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The black cab – a well-loved sturdy English icon as synonymous with London’s cityscape as Big Ben and the red Routemaster bus. Indeed, the two iconic vehicles spend most of their time jostling for road space and passengers, the blurred swathes of black against red offering a common and comforting sight for locals and tourists alike.
The distinctive shape and style of the modern black cab dates back to 1948 and it’s long been renowned for its longevity and robust ability. London prides itself on having the best taxi service in the world and for many the Austin black cabs (although not all of them are black) go hand in hand with reliability and quality.
Biography
Find out more about the black cab’s fascinating history, the development of its iconic design, the cabbies, ‘the Knowledge’ and how and why it became such a stoic and celebrated English icon.
Features
All black cabbie drivers have to pass 'the Knowledge' with flying colours. Find out more about the notoriously difficult test, and experience a day in the life of a London taxi driver.
