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'The Sweeney' TV Series - The British Flying Squad.

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  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    I rewatched The Sweeney several years back, that and The Professionals always entertaining.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    fire_and_ice wrote: »
    I rewatched The Sweeney several years back, that and The Professionals always entertaining.

    INdeed...i have all the Professionals on DVD...Im really enjoying The Sweeney on ITV4 at the moment...you cant beat these TV series...Regan is so badass...love it.
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    At work shortly though I'll have to record some episodes, John Thaw is a legend he had two great iconic roles at least.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Its on 5pm on ITV4 ...set your box for Monday and game on !!!
    Or ITV Hub has some (no adverts !)..

    John Thaw was indeed one hell of an actor,to play 2 big characters who are so far apart in personality just shows how good he was.

    He was also damn funny in the comedy series 'Home to Roost' with Reece Dinsdale.

    At least he got a CBE...thoroughly deserved..shame he died only 60 years old.
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    edited April 2017 Posts: 1,053
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Sad ? thats impressive @stag ....hats off to you..i was 5 so i cant remember them all but i do recall seeing them and being in some..

    @barryt007

    I was a young copper at the time. In those days every car was different, not like the generic stuff you get today. 'Panda' cars in those days were the Escort and (sometimes) Mini van. 'Dog vans' were also Escorts. Traffic cars were the Granada and Consul (same car just re-badged), the same as 'The Sweeney'. I don't recall unmarked vehicles being anything other than the escort. Not much good for high speed pursuit! You could park with impunity in unmarked vehicles and leave them unattended with no fear of being ticketed, the unofficial sign to the traffic wardens that it was a police vehicle, was to hang the radio handset (which was like a telephone receiver) off the rear view mirror.
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited April 2017 Posts: 19,339
    stag wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Sad ? thats impressive @stag ....hats off to you..i was 5 so i cant remember them all but i do recall seeing them and being in some..



    I was a young copper at the time. In those days every car was different, not like the generic stuff you get today. 'Panda' cars in those days were the Escort and (sometimes) Mini van. 'Dog vans' were also Escorts. Traffic cars were the Granada and Consul (same car just re-badged), the same as 'The Sweeney'. I don't recall unmarked vehicles being anything other than the escort. Not much good for high speed pursuit! You could park with impunity in unmarked vehicles and leave them unattended with no fear of being ticketed, the unofficial sign to the traffic wardens that it was a police vehicle, was to hang the radio handset (which was like a telephone receiver) off the rear view mirror.

    Wow thats great information,and respect to you for being a copper full stop...i remember the light blue and white panda cars with the spinning blue light on top.

    But i also remember the Rover police cars ,they were the powerhouse vehicles,V8 i think...

    They werent souped up obviously @stag ,so they just relied on the power of a Granada or a Rover V8 and the skill of the driver if the villain had the same type of car,in a chase ?


  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    @stag Were you a police officer during the 1960s by any chance? I have always wondered type of vehicles The Met drove during that time.
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    edited April 2017 Posts: 1,053
    @barryt007, ordinary patrol vehicles were not souped up. There may have been instances where un-marked special duties cars were modified, but I'm not aware of any. Vehicles belonging to the Traffic Division were another matter. They were indeed subject to modification. Among other things, the engines were especially tuned and they were fitted with special fuel tanks which were designed not to split in the event of a crash. Given their role was high speed pursuit, such measures were deemed necessary. Also the very best tyres were fitted and changed at regular intervals. Should a puncture occur, the tyre would not be repaired, but replaced by a new one. This meant that, if a vehicle had just had a new set of tyres fitted, and driving out of the fitting bay, one suffered a puncture, the tyre would be discarded.

    @PropertyOfALady, no. I think they would have used a variety of cars for beat duties at that time. Most likely the Austin 1100, Anglia and (perhaps) Cortina.
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    Just two other points. Watching 'The Sweeney' car chases, you will note the sirens. Personally I feel they remain far superior to the current generation of 'rise/fall' sirens. Then it was two air horns which - when activated - blasted out a tremendous noise which could be heard for a long way. To me at least, it is now more difficult for the road user to tell from which direction an emergency vehicle is approaching.

    Also, in those days, a police officer could have his own blue light. By that I mean those magnetic roof lights which were powered from the cigarette lighter, which he could use - in emergency situations - on his own vehicle. I never heard or saw any guidelines, but remember they used to be advertised in the police magazine along with 'humourous' T shirts bearing slogans such as 'Feel safe at night - sleep with a cop!'
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    The sirens were indeed loud,i can remember them.
    The Rover V8 always fascinated me,because when you saw one you knew something big was happening !!
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    barryt007 wrote: »
    The sirens were indeed loud,i can remember them.
    The Rover V8 always fascinated me,because when you saw one you knew something big was happening !!

    I've noticed that English sirens sound a lot more like American sirens these days. When did that start?
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    edited April 2017 Posts: 3,144
    It was back in the late 1990s that we first got wee wah
    When I was a lot younger we had Bells on the front bumper much nicer .
    http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n300/JITH/cars/Wolsey617x433.jpg
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    Another thing to remember about the police in the 1970's is the comms systems which were employed. When I joined we used the 'Burndept' personal radios. They were big blue things. All radio traffic was broadcast on the FM wavelength, which meant anyone could eavesdrop. I'm guessing that special units like the Flying Squad would have used other means so that the assorted 'slags' couldn't keep tabs on them.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I have heard that they had their own private frequency,frequently changed to keep the 'slaaaags' on their toes.
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    PYE Westminster Radios I remember them well .
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited April 2017 Posts: 19,339
    So the Rover V8 was not souped up to go faster ?

    [imghttps://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https://images.cdn.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/gallery_slide/public/1721212244143131600x1060_0.jpg?itok=matwP1Un&imgrefurl=http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motoring/vintage-police-cars-rover-p6-3500s&docid=GlLaUEHk0JhQfM&tbnid=SQ7CAt4eMi9mPM:&vet=10ahUKEwjUw6H0_cnTAhVhF8AKHenICK0QMwhMKB0wHQ..i&w=900&h=596&bih=630&biw=1366&q=police rover v8&ved=0ahUKEwjUw6H0_cnTAhVhF8AKHenICK0QMwhMKB0wHQ&iact=mrc&uact=8][/img]
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    Standard cars of the P6 were in fact the rover 2000 These were used mainly as area cars to cover greater areas with a better turn of speed the P6b was the Rover 3500 V8 and the higher performance version was the P6b 3500s which was only available with a Manuel gearbox and closer ratios this variant was used for high speed traffic work diplomatic and royal protection duties and escort & pursuit in service was not souped up but was supplied from the Rover factory at Solihull fitted with the SVO package which included a higher lift camshaft different carburettor jets & needles revised design of air filter element uprated battery and higher output alternator higher compression pistons and cylinder heads extra oil cooling by external oil radiator slightly stiffer coil springs were fitted front and rear and the wheels were changed to run with safety tyres Denovo made by Dunlop .
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    The Rover I am familiar with is the SD1. These were delivered to the main dealer, who would do the work I detailed above. From memory, I think it used to take between five and ten working days to bring them up to spec for Traffic duties. They would have the engine work done, then graphics/lights/sirens/installed before delivery to the police. The police workshop would then fit the comms units.
    The dealership salesmen would deliver the cars. They would be liveried up and - though it wasn't supposed to happen - they would drive them wihout covering the signage or lights.
    The SD1 (and the Granada Traffic cars) would be returned to the dealership for their first service. This would happen within a few days of them becoming operational.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Any photos chaps ?
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    I have, but I won't post them on the internet.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    stag wrote: »
    I have, but I won't post them on the internet.

    That's a shame.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    stag wrote: »
    I have, but I won't post them on the internet.

    Fair enough....

  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Just watching episode 1 of series 2 .....a lot harder,more swearing...more investment from ITV...time to kick arse.....OI,YOU'RE NICKED !!!!!!!!
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,045
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    It may be wise to remember that the police were quite openly racist in those days. I remember a black officer being called (among other things - and definitely not by me) 'Midnight'.
    Also, policing and the response to the type of behaviour one sees in any town centre on a weekend was far more, ahem, 'robust'.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    They were indeed,but that was a sign of the times and ,as i'm sure you can back me up on this @stag,the police had a lot of black v white situations to deal with.

    Btw good find there @vzok !
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    edited May 2017 Posts: 3,327
    Great show, one of my favourites. I've seen all episodes and the two movies countless times. They are great to nod off to on the sofa while watching ITV4, if you are nursing a hangover.

    The locations take me right back to the 70's and my childhood. Series 3 also features the long hot summer of 76, where you see cloudless blue skies, smoggy aerial shots of London and scorched grass/earth.

    And let's face it - the Ford Granada/Consul's that appeared in the show were the coolest cop cars around.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    1976 was one hell of a drought for sure...i remember being told to drop an egg on the paving slap on the street....it actually cooked .
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    barryt007 wrote: »
    They were indeed,but that was a sign of the times and ,as i'm sure you can back me up on this @stag,the police had a lot of black v white situations to deal with.

    Btw good find there @vzok !

    At that time I don't remember any 'black vs white' confrontations on anything other than a one to one basis. It's not helpful to gloss over the attitudes of many (but by no means all) police towards ethnic minorities in those days.
  • tanaka123tanaka123
    Posts: 4,325
    stag wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    They were indeed,but that was a sign of the times and ,as i'm sure you can back me up on this @stag,the police had a lot of black v white situations to deal with.

    Btw good find there @vzok !

    At that time I don't remember any 'black vs white' confrontations on anything other than a one to one basis. It's not helpful to gloss over the attitudes of many (but by no means all) police towards ethnic minorities in those days.

    Absolutely.
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