1936 Austin 12 London Cab

“My mum bought the London taxi over 20 years ago and shipped it to Australia where it was used at a Warner Brothers film studio on the Gold Coast, as well as for weddings,” explains the vendor. “When she returned, she had all her stuff shipped back, including the taxi. It’s always been regularly driven and serviced and comes with paperwork detailing all its history.”

Originally a UK vehicle, the vendor’s mother, Lady Norma Ewen, bought it after opening the UK’s first Women Only Driver’s Service and ferried around the likes of Sir Bob Geldof in it, before it made the journey down under. There, as well as earning its living, the Austin taxi won several awards at local car shows, before settling into its role as a fun Sunday driver.

A report detailing some of its time in Australia can be found here:

Gold Coast Bulletin

Believed to be one of very few London taxis of this era remaining in original, untarnished condition, it still features its fare meter, fare table, and taxi licence plate. The vendor says:

“The Austin has recently been serviced, with new plugs, an oil change, and a new battery, too. We are selling as mum has gone into a care home now and we will need the money for her care.”

Lady Norma’s adventures with the Austin 12 have now come to an end, but understandably the family want to try and find a new owner who will love this incredible London taxi as much as she did.

What a charming looking thing.

The body is a Landaulette style that allows for the lowering of the rear portion of the roof, and which must have been rather fancy for a pre-war London cab. In terms of condition, the fabric portion remains decent, although its colour has faded slightly – no doubt thanks to exposure to the Australian sunshine. The roof mechanism works easily, and smoothly allowing it to be both lowered and raised at will.

The blue paint remains decent; it’s not concours by any means, as it’s been driven and enjoyed. Therefore you’ll find the odd blemish here and there, but it generally remains nice and smart. There’s a bit of chipping where the body meets the running boards, but it’s relatively minor and simply a product of general use.

The black cast spoked wheels (wire wheels could be had from 1933) would have been de rigueur for London taxis in period and remain in relatively smart condition. They are shod with Firestone whitewall tyres that lend an extra soupçon of period feel to the exterior; you’ll also find a matching spare (albeit with a standard non-whitewall Firestone tyre) mounted on the rear of the car.

Of course, the real gems here are the original taxicab items, which include the fare meter (located on the nearside of the front cabin), the ‘FOR HIRE’ sign sitting atop the roof and luggage boards/frame, and City of London taxi licence number mounted above the rear nearside bumper.

The front windscreen also sports a more recent ‘London Vintage Taxi Association’ sticker.

The taxi-related items continue inside, with the fare table sitting just inside the offside door and a No Smoking sign. Blue leather again marks this taxi out from more standard utilitarian transport, and it remains in good condition.

Up front, the driver’s compartment is sectioned off, with the seat removed on the passenger side for fitment of the fare meter. In the rear, the fawn headlining remains very smart indeed, although there is a large stain on one of the coir mats – it looks like oil may have been stored in the cabin and spilled, possibly during its return to Blighty. Sourcing a fresh mat should sort that out quickly and easily.

Two flip-up seats are fitted directly behind the driver’s compartment and offer that perfect London cab feel, as does the sliding window: “ere, do you know oo I ‘ad in the back o’ me cab last week?”

Lovely.

“The running of this old vintage taxi requires double de-clutching, and the steering is good; it’s a really charming car to drive,” says the vendor. In later years during its time in Australia, the Austin’s driving service reduced but it’s still said to drive very well in the present day, and you can view a video below of its redoubtable four-cylinder engine running smoothly.

It's not the prettiest power plant that we’ve ever seen, but then this isn’t a concours show queen and its well-used demeanour suits this old girl perfectly. It breathes through a modern pancake-type air filter and is fitted with a similarly modern fuel filter (sensible for purposes of longevity). The paint on the bulkhead is peeling a bit here and there, but again adds to the car’s undoubted charm.

The Austin’s underside looks to be in good condition with solid wood boards and just a touch of surface corrosion on one or two of the metal surfaces, but these should be an easy tidy up for the next owner.

You will find some lovely newspaper clippings from Lady Norma’s time with the Austin 12 taxi down under in the car’s history file, as well as some photographs from before it was shipped to Australia.

Also present are numerous expired MOT test certificates and invoices for works carried out, including several official ones and a more relaxed contemporary one (scribbled on an envelope!) for its recent service.

There is also a trophy, a handful of spares (including a head gasket and some fresh spark plugs), an oil can, and the car’s Australian number plates included, as well as numerous rattan picnic baskets.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has maintained to the very highest of standards.

You wait all your life for a period-correct Austin 12 taxi to pull up and then two arrive at the same time… except they don’t, because this is believed to be one of very few in the entire world to remain in such original condition!

It’s certainly lived a life, this example, with Lady Norma enjoying it to the full during her ownership. Alas, it is now time for the 12 to find pastures new and as we intimated earlier, the family are really hoping to find an enthusiast who will cherish and use it as well she did.

Given its condition, rarity, and originality, we think that this charming remnant of pre-war London’s transport history will sell for somewhere between £11,000 and £16,000.

There is no doubt that it would make a perfect museum exhibit (preferably one that exercises its steeds regularly!), and yet it would also slot straight into a private enthusiast’s motoring life; think of the joy to be had at vintage car shows, summer fetes, and the like.

Alternatively, you could always ship it to sunnier climes and embark on a new and inspiring adventure. Hmmm, next stop the Caribbean, or the Far East, or…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at the vendor’s premises in Axmouth, Devon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.