LAR 988C This Ford Anglia dates from 1965 and was made famous by appearing in many episodes of the vintage police television show Heartbeat. Notice the white doors and front half of the roof. There is also a ‘police’ roofbox fitted with a blue flashing beacon on top. This type of box and beacon set-up was in use on UK police cars through to the mid 1990s.
WRO 509E This is another very similar Ford Anglia that appeared on Heartbeat. In the background you can see Aidenfield Stores. Aidenfield is the ficticous setting for the TV show – it is actually the village of Goathland near the North Yorkshire coast.
HRL 999L This is an ex-Metropolitan Police Rover P6 3500 V8. The car carries almost no indication it is for police use, except for the blue rotating beacon and spot lamps. It dates from 1973 and is now in preservation.
NLX 258L This is a black Morris Mini van dating from 1972. It was for sale in early 2009 for £5750, much more than when the car was new!
The rear view of the Mini.
Here is a police officer and cycle from yesteryear. Notice the white bands on the ends of the sleeve that are used to show that he is on duty.
K244 EYT is preserved Rover Metro from the Metropolitan Police. The wheel trims were removed by the force to reduce the chance of them causing injury or damage if they came off during high speed driving.
The rear view of the immaculate looking Rover.
VBF 594 This classic police car is a Jaguar Mk.II, the epitome of the 1960s police car. It has a small ‘police’ plate on the front and a single blue rotating beacon on the roof. Some forces mounted the ‘police’ plate on the roof.
PTD 975M is a Ford Consul of the Lancashire Constabulary. It is actually a Ford Granada but the smaller-engined versions were given the Consul name for the first few years of production. Notice the large black police sign on the roof and the black markings on the rear of the sides.
D676 FBP This is a 1987 BMW 528i that was in service with Hampshire Constabulary. It is now privately preserved as a police vehicle by a Hampshire police officer.
C307 BYO is a very well preserved example of a Metropolitan Police Rover SD1 3500. Notice the two siren units mounted below the bumper and the ‘police’ sign mounted on the tip of the bonnet.
A431 PTP This is a 1983 Jaguar 4.2 XJ6 police car. It was used by Hampshire police and is now preserved.
MWA 721P This icon of the 1970s is a Rover P6 3500. Popular with police forces across the country, this example was with South Yorkshire Police. The ‘3500’ in its name refers to the 3500 cc V8 engine that powered this car. Notice the police roof box, with blue rotating beacon on the top and two rear-facing red lights attached to the sides.
YYX 315T is a Land Rover 109 that was used in the late 70s and early 80s by South Yorkshire Police as an armoured vehicle. You can see the toughened windscreen and small windows on the sides. It has a small crest and ‘police’ wording on the side.
H217 YUC This is a Metropolitan Police BMW R80 motorcycle which is currently in preservation. Despite the fact that it is no longer in used, the vehicle has been kept fully operational.
The rear view of the bike showing the illuminating police sign and mast mounted blue rotating beacon.
A152 SUW This is a Metropolitan Police Rover SD1 3500. This car was a common site throughout the UK in the late 1970s and 1980s. It has two rotating beacons on the roof, as well an an illuminable ‘police’ sign mounted on the bonnet, between the headlights. Up the sides are red and yellow stripes and the Met’s logo. This livery was used up until the late 1990s.
The rear view of the same SD1. Notice that a large ‘spolier’ sign that has been fitted which illuminates ‘police’ and optionally ‘stop’. The Rover SD1 is often regarded as the best traffic policing car of its era. The Met actually stockpiled them when they heard Rover were to stop making them.
AOD 443B is a preserved Austin ‘black maria’ police van from the early 1960s.
ECU 348E In the same colour as the Austin is this Ford Transit police van. Notice the flashing blue beacon and horns on the roof.
The rear view of the Ford. The police in the UK started using the Transit at its introduction in the 1960’s, and still use it today.
XAS 546 This black police Zepher is fitted with police wording signs in the same style as registration plates and a blue flashing light.
BAP 886K A MG B GT police car. Currently being privately preserved, this 1971 example is displaying an optional ‘wide load’ sign for escorting large vehicles. This type of car was used for traffic policing duties, but didn’t really have enough carrying capacity.
The rear view of the same car. Notice the illuminable stop sign on the rear bumper. When not on display, the police sign and blue light are removed to stay legal on the roads.
S644 SLB and PGW 834L A Metropolitan Police Ford Fiesta panda car and a far older panda being washed.
The rare sight of a pristine Austin Landcrab police car.
LX09 BKO This is a Ford Focus estate. It is a response car that is based at York and covers the city and surrounding areas as part of the BTP’s North East Area.
The rear view of the Focus, showing the standard livery.
AE56 KVA is a Vauxhall Astra CDTI estate that is used by the BTP. Notice the super-slim light bar on the roof with repeater blue lights on the front grille.
This 2007 Mercedes Benz Vito is used by the BTP. It has a yellow bonnet, and many force crests placed around the bodywork. Notice the two full-sized light bars on the roof, packed with blue led’s. It is used for chemical, nuclear, radiological and biological incidents.
LX07 AFU is a BTP short wheel base Vauxhall Vivaro with a band of battenburg. It has two full-width light bars on the roof and seating and secure prisoner transportation inside. Notice that due to the nationwide remit of the force, this London-registered vehicle was stationed at Edinburgh station in Scotland.
VK56 VXA is a Saab 9-5 saloon demonstrator that is being tested by the BTP in Peterborough during the summer of 2007.
The rear view of the Saab. It has grey bodywork with the bright livery over the top. The blue light bar has been attached with clamping brackets to avoid drilling holes in the roof.
LX06 DFU is a Vauxhall Astra Estate car used by the BTP photographed at King’s Cross Station in London.
VN55 OMT is a Vauxhall Corsa police demonstrator used by the BTP in London. The inset shows the rear view of the car.
CK55 UDZ is a British Transport Police Renault Master van. It carries a single band of battenburg down each side and has blue lights on the roof and grille. The large windscreen shield indicates that the vehicle can be used in hostile situations, although most of the time it will be used for routine police work.
AJ05 DWF The BTP in London were operating this Ford Focus in 2005. It is a demonstrator from Ford for the force to evaluate. Notice how there is no mention of the name of the force using the vehicle (so it can be moved around easily) and the ‘Ford Demonstrator’ logo on the rearmost side windows. Another indicator is that the registration starts ‘AJ’, which is not a London prefix.
AJ05 ZZB Here is a rear shot of a similar Ford demo Focus, but this time it is the estate model.
LX05 DBZ Also in use by the London overground BTP is this diesel Renault Trafic. It has two large light bars on the roof and a simple row of battenburg markings.
KE53 FKM is an Iveco van which tows a massive custody unit for the BTP. The idea is that the vehicle can move around the country where it can be used at a major event to provide temporary prisoner cells. The van is fitted with two small blue lights in its front grill.
The rear view of the trailer. The inset shows the inside view of the central corridor leading to the individual cells.
KE05 JLV is a long wheel base Iveco van that has been modified to carry specialist equipment for the BTP. The equipment is stored in fire engine-style lockers.
A detailed look at some of the equipment carried. This includes: breathing apparatus kits, tools, water, fire extinguishers and medical equipment.
AY05 HXO is a Citroen Relay-based van that has been specially converted into a six-wheel incident command unit. Like the mobile custody unit above, the only blue lights at the front are two small ones in the grill.
The rear of the vehicle. It is fitted with satellite communication facilities and its own CCTV camera that is mounted on the roof.
LX05 CZK This is a BTP Renault Laguna in the 2005 livery. Notice the small repeater blue lights on the front wings (which appear grey when not activated).
The side view, showing the markings on this estate car. From 2005 the orange stripe up the side has been superseded by a single row of chunky yellow and blue battenburg on BTP cars. The ‘police’ wording along the bottom of the doors remains.
The overhead view of the same Laguna.
LV02 RDZ This is an example of a BTP Volvo V70. The conspicuity of this car is increased by having a high-visibility, reflective yellow bonnet. It is used in London to respond rapidly to emergencies relating to the railways.
LX04 FKA This is one of three BTP Renault Grand Espace 3.5 V6’s that are used in central London. It has two blue light bars and unusually for a BTP vehicle has battenburg markings and a yellow bonnet. This top-of-the-range vehicle has 245 bhp and can do the 0-62 mph dash in only 8.1 seconds.
The rear view of the same car. These MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) are part of the BTP’s solution to the threat of terrorism on the capital’s transport infrastructure. The three cars are available 24 hours a day to carry people and equipment to emergencies. They contain custom racking to carry specialised anti-terrorist equipment such as chemical monitoring and portable x-ray equipment, as well as personal radiation alarms.
LX54 GMV LX54 GMV is a BTP Skoda Octavia estate.
The rear view.
YG03 BGU and LX51 NTJ An 03-reg Honda CRV used by the BTP is accompanied by a Nissan Terrano outside of Leeds railway station.is a short wheel base Ford Transit outside of Downing Street in London.
W357 CNO is a short wheel base Ford Transit outside of Downing Street in London.
RN52 EWT is a Honda ST1300 Pan-European motorcycle. Unusually for a BTP vehicle, it carries a high visibility battenburg marking scheme.
LX04 FGC This Renault Traffic public order van is fitted with a sliding grille to cover the windscreen and covers over the headlights. It has a number of blue flashing LEDs around the bodywork, which appear clear when not operating.
LV52 LUW This is a BTP LDV in with overt armour. It has a white metal mesh shield to go over the windscreen and has reinforced lights.
LX51 NSF is a 2001 Peugeot 406 estate.
EK51 HZJ This is a BTP Ford Mondeo in use in the Westminster area of London.
The rear view of the same Mondeo.
LX04 FJD The rear view of an identical Peugeot, also being delivered. The rear third of the vehicle has a caged area for detaining prisoners, and the central third has regular seating and equipment storage facilities.
LX04 FHH This diesel Peugeot Expert is being delivered on a car transporter prior to going into operation. The BTP have adopted a new blue light bar arrangement from older models, and this van also has blue LED strobes in the front grille.
Here are a selection of reader captions:
Here ye here ye, I appear to be stuck! E&J
This could turn into a “mayor” of a job! – PW
It’s the Santa & Rescue Service coming to get Santa! – LA
I told you your bell wasn’t on top of that tower! – IB
Council consider fire prevention budget! – LH
Drunken fancy dress party… the morning after! – WP
Told you he wouldn’t believe us when we said we leave him up there! – MB
Didn’t you get the football down OK? – TR
I now declare this Bronto Skylift open!…. Can I come down now lads? – DM
And the mayor’s rooftop protest is brought to an early end! – SM
Here are a selection of reader captions:
Well, yeah this is fast for an ambulance, but the police force in the nearest village have a donkey with LEDs on it, now that can haul ass! – SL
If Shrek was a paramedic…! – WP
The Cow response unit – reaching all calls in under 8 minutes! – DS
Look at the new truck – its a 2 gnu power unit & does 10 miles per bale of hay! – PW
Nice to see the Trust buying state of the art and environmentally friendly this year! -JC
NHS cutbacks really started to take their toll! – KRL
Probably a hundred times more reliable than the Sprinters! – AC
A sign that fuel prices are to high for government! – JB
The ambulance broke down: this our reserve! – AG
Should have gone private! – TS
Is this what they mean by budget reductions?? – AOS