[Closed] An interesting book (for some folks at least!)

An interesting book (for some folks at least!)

Not strictly a 1:43 topic, so if someone suggests I should move it to The Lounge I will do that, or the moderator can if he wants to.

Anyway, I just found an unexpected new acquisition at my local library - "Cops and Robbers - The Story of the British Police Car" written by a former police officer and now a TV presenter on car-related shows.

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There are plenty of picture books around covering all sorts of historic/nostalgic vehicles, but this isn't a kiddie picture book, it is 400+ pages of solid text and tells the story of British police cars, from the first officially recorded vehicle purchases (two Wolseley 10hp wagonettes in 1903) through to the present day.

It details the procurement process (why certain makes or models were selected), their basic specifications, the engineering modifications and upgrades and the additional fixtures and fittings required, their performance, their individual strengths and weaknesses in service and why the police loved them or hated them.

There are also sections on cop cars on film and in TV shows and on "fantasy cars", i.e. the tarted-up and largely impractical image-boosters (Lotus, Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc.) the police acquired from time to time for public relations purposes. In fact, it appears that rather than being impressed by these police supercars, the public tended to dismiss them as an extravagant waste of the taxpayer's money - but that's all part of the story.

I've seen some grumbles online that the book doesn't have enough illustrations, and that while the colour plates are fine ...

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the black-and-white photos (which are printed straight on the page rather than on separate photo plates) are too small and fuzzy.

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Fair comment. But as I say, this isn't a picture book, and if you want a solid bit of well-researched information on this specialist subject you might find it worth getting hold of.

Obviously, if British police cars aren't your thing - and I am prepared to accept that as a remote possibility - it could drive you completely mad with boredom. But there you are.

NOTE: For anyone interested, this book is officially available on Amazon.uk for ?9.99 but there are Amazon secondary sellers offering it new in hardback for as little as ?0.19 (yes, folks, nineteen pence), plus ?2.80 postage. Don't know if they would ship overseas or what they would charge, but you could always ask. Rather oddly, the paperback is more expensive from all sellers.

Amazon