small sports cars due to its cumbersome size and it required the use of heavy duty batteries.
Women on patrol are also discussed and there are some wonderful stories told the women themselves. One of the earliest women police officers was Bettie Norwood“ who had studied at business college before joining the Blackpool Borough Police to work in communications.” At the age of 20, she was one of 50 policewomen to join the Lancashire Constabulary. She was an advanced driver with considerable experience of the MGA.
There is a brief mention of a shining new MG TD used by the Fire Chief of Concord, Ohio in 1954 and reported in the Nuffield News Exchange,“ Equipped with a six volt siren, three blinking, red lights, a short-wave twoway radio, and an instrument panel that looks like it had come from a B- 37 bomber, the car was owned by Dr. T. C. Hobbs who, in addition to being a medical man, is chief of the township’ s fire department.... Dr Hobbs is a sports car enthusiast... It will do 80mph he claims, and it is highly manoeuvrable. A locker behind the seat holds an axe, fire hat and coat and a one gallon fire extinguisher.”
Retired Chief Superintendent Terry McCabe tells a little about the MGC,“ The MGCs were able to hold more equipment, traffic cones and accident signs were carried, but once again you took a chance if you conveyed a prisoner.... the conveyance of a prisoner was not encouraged. You were required to radio for a saloon car; if one was not available there was little choice. I well remember arresting a young chap one summers day and he
January / February 2017
made a special request that en-route to the police station I should drive through the area where he lived so that his mates might see him in the much-admire M. G.!”
In writing the book Andrea covers a lot of detail describing each new model of MG and she seems to have got all her facts correct. Such as the extra power offered by the MG NB which replaced the MG NA and the front-hinged doors which included extra door catches... fitted as part of the pre-delivery modification. In nose to tail traffic the MGC“ would often become choked-up and misfire.” Accurate indeed!
Remember ladies and gentlemen keep‘ em tuned, Rich
This is the second edition published in 2011, $ 29 from the Book Depository
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