Things in living memory which seem very anachronistic now

[Merle Haggard]

The term "Robin Reliant" is very irritating. You wouldn't go around saying that you drive a "Mondeo Ford"

It's funny that the topic of three-wheelers has come up. I had a video about the Bond Minicar pop up in my YouTube feed the other day. Staying on the same theme, who remembers the Invacar? I used to see quite a few of them around when I was visiting grandparents, although I don't recall seeing many around here. You could have any colour you wanted, as long as it was "Ministry Blue"!

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Buch-t CC BY-SA 3.0 de

Invacars were made in Watford and were distributed by rail, loaded on Lowfits.
In the days before TOPS it was part of my job in FRS distribution to order a Lowfit when an Invacar was to be despatched. There would be advice that a Lowfit was being released at some distant terminal and had been labelled to Watford Jct.. It usually took a few tries before one actually arrived, though. Lowfits were comparatively few in number and in high demand and one had suspicions that a transit location had been tempted to highjack ours to fulfil their own requirements.
The number of cars produced seemed to be very low; just a few a month, from what I remember. Perhaps they were hand built.

 

[gg1]

The term "Robin Reliant" is very irritating. You wouldn't go around saying that you drive a "Mondeo Ford"

It's funny that the topic of three-wheelers has come up. I had a video about the Bond Minicar pop up in my YouTube feed the other day. Staying on the same theme, who remembers the Invacar? I used to see quite a few of them around when I was visiting grandparents, although I don't recall seeing many around here. You could have any colour you wanted, as long as it was "Ministry Blue"!

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Buch-t CC BY-SA 3.0 de

I remember those, opposite the house I grew up in in the 80s was a small estate of flats and houses entirely occupied by the elderly (presumably there was a minimum age requirement to live there), there were a few of these dotted around there.

 

[dangie]

I remember a Jasper Carrot sketch when he said he’d discovered they made the Reliant Robin new? When you think about it I never saw a Reliant dealership?

 

[swt_passenger]

It was Regent petrol IIRC, not sure what the pretext was.

Googling suggests far more explanations of it being Esso, and they coincided with arrival onscreen of the Goldfinger DB5.

 

[Lloyds siding]

I remember a Jasper Carrot sketch when he said he’d discovered they made the Reliant Robin new? When you think about it I never saw a Reliant dealership?

The site of Moorfields station and adjacent NCP car park in Liverpool was previously Bob Sergent's, who sold cars and motorbikes, and was a dealer for Bond and Reliant (among many others).
Here's a Facebook picture of the cars in the showroom. Facebook page of Bob Sergent's Liverpool

 

[Ediswan]

Staying on the same theme, who remembers the Invacar?

I do recall seeing the remains of one which had been in an accident. Broken into pieces. I believe the occupant was OK.

 

[Lloyds siding]

The term "Robin Reliant" is very irritating. You wouldn't go around saying that you drive a "Mondeo Ford"

It's funny that the topic of three-wheelers has come up. I had a video about the Bond Minicar pop up in my YouTube feed the other day. Staying on the same theme, who remembers the Invacar? I used to see quite a few of them around when I was visiting grandparents, although I don't recall seeing many around here. You could have any colour you wanted, as long as it was "Ministry Blue"!

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Buch-t CC BY-SA 3.0 de

About half of these were made by AC Cars, more famous for making the really fast AC Cobra sports cars. But they also made railbuses for British Railways.

 

[Sun Chariot]

About half of these were made by AC Cars, more famous for making the really fast AC Cobra sports cars. But they also made railbuses for British Railways.

Did they make 25kv electric locos too?

 

[Lloyds siding]

Did they make 25kv electric locos too?

Yes, no, yes, no...well alternating!

 

[McRhu]

Yes, no, yes, no...well alternating!

Ahhh...that reminds me of The 'Yes/No Game' on Take Your Pick?. Does anybody remember Michael Miles asking the questions and the little fella with the gong? No? BONGGGG

 

[dcbwhaley]

I do recall seeing the remains of one which had been in an accident. Broken into pieces. I believe the occupant was OK.

At our local raceway they have banger races one of which is for three wheel Reliants.
It is hilarious watching them attempt to take the corners at too high a speed and simply turning over or crashing into the barrier

 

[Ediswan]

At our local raceway they have banger races one of which is for three wheel Reliants.
It is hilarious watching them attempt to take the corners at too high a speed and simply turning over or crashing into the barrier

Sinclair C5 racing had much the same problem. Saw that once on closed roads in Milton Keynes.

 

[Killingworth]

At the back of a cupboard in our kitchen sits a box of 12 candles, 10 unused. They may have cost 17.5p, originally 3/6 Probably bought during the early 1970s when power cuts were frequent and used for emergency lighting. The more recent fashion for decorative candles had barely begun. Matches? Can't find them.

 

[AM9]

Ahhh...that reminds me of The 'Yes/No Game' on Take Your Pick?. Does anybody remember Michael Miles asking the questions and the little fella with the gong? No? BONGGGG

Yes, - it was 'Take Your Pick' hosted by Michael Miles. The contestants had to go through the 'yes/no interlude' where miles would try to get a yes of a no from the contestant. During that, a small bespectacled man (ISTR was Alec Dane), wielding a small dinner gong ready to sound if one of the banned words was uttered. The rest of the game was for the contestant to pick a key that opens one of the prize boxes to win a prize which could be genuine or one of the booby prizes. Miles would then try to persuade the contestant to sell him the key.

 

[dangie]

Yes, - it was 'Take Your Pick' hosted by Michael Miles. The contestants had to go through the 'yes/no interlude' where miles would try to get a yes of a no from the contestant. During that, a small bespectacled man (ISTR was Alec Dane), wielding a small dinner gong ready to sound if one of the banned words was uttered. The rest of the game was for the contestant to pick a key that opens one of the prize boxes to win a prize which could be genuine or one of the booby prizes. Miles would then try to persuade the contestant to sell him the key.

Can’t really remember if this was correct without Googling it, but was the top prize about £64 or am I thinking of a different quiz programme?

Note: Could have been ‘Double Your Money’ with Hughie Green.

 

[Lloyds siding]

At the back of a cupboard in our kitchen sits a box of 12 candles, 10 unused. They may have cost 17.5p, originally 3/6 Probably bought during the early 1970s when power cuts were frequent and used for emergency lighting. The more recent fashion for decorative candles had barely begun. Matches? Can't find them.

View attachment 173198

Despite saying London on the box, probably made just down the road from my old office in Bootle, Merseyside! It looks like you may be able to sell them for a significant profit!!

 

[MadMac]

Ahhh...that reminds me of The 'Yes/No Game' on Take Your Pick?. Does anybody remember Michael Miles asking the questions and the little fella with the gong? No? BONGGGG

Alec Dane, IIRC.

 

[dcbwhaley]

At the back of a cupboard in our kitchen sits a box of 12 candles, 10 unused. They may have cost 17.5p, originally 3/6 Probably bought during the early 1970s when power cuts were frequent and used for emergency lighting. The more recent fashion for decorative candles had barely begun. Matches? Can't find them.

View attachment 173198When I took over management of a Charity Office I found a tin box labelled "Emergency Lighting"

It contained a dozen candles but no means of lighting them so I added a disposable lighter.
Also provided a small electric torch

 

[GordonT]

Not seen Daddies Sauce for many years. Used to be a fixture to accompany the breakfast element in many a B & B establishment.

 

[m79900]

Not seen Daddies Sauce for many years. Used to be a fixture to accompany the breakfast element in many a B & B establishment.

That's still made. My local shop sells it.

 

[AndyPJG]

The term "Robin Reliant" is very irritating. You wouldn't go around saying that you drive a "Mondeo Ford"

It's funny that the topic of three-wheelers has come up. I had a video about the Bond Minicar pop up in my YouTube feed the other day. Staying on the same theme, who remembers the Invacar? I used to see quite a few of them around when I was visiting grandparents, although I don't recall seeing many around here. You could have any colour you wanted, as long as it was "Ministry Blue"!

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Buch-t CC BY-SA 3.0 de

Remember seeing them at football matches back in the sixties, lined up behind the touch lines. Powered by the Norton Villiers 200cc motor bike engine. They were fitted with a second contact breaker (remember them?) to run the engine backwards to reverse.

 

[Trackman]

When you think about it I never saw a Reliant dealership?

There was on Bury road, Bolton - Breightmet to be exact, think went defunct in mid 80s not sure. I knew someone worked there.

At the back of a cupboard in our kitchen sits a box of 12 candles, 10 unused. They may have cost 17.5p, originally 3/6 Probably bought during the early 1970s when power cuts were frequent and used for emergency lighting. The more recent fashion for decorative candles had barely begun. Matches? Can't find them.

Funny you say that, a couple of weeks ago I had a clear out of my cupboard and found a box of candles that must have been there for about 30 years accompanied by two boxes of matches. Matches didnt work!!! .. I was taking bets beforehand if they would work or not.

That's still made. My local shop sells it.

I still buy it.
Cheaper than HP and just as good.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Not seen Daddies Sauce for many years. Used to be a fixture to accompany the breakfast element in many a B & B establishment.

Still around in many shops. They don't do sachets though, so you're more likely to see HP over Daddies in most establishments.

The Daddies ketchup is quite nice with chips too.

 

[GordonT]

The palaver trying to withdraw your own cash by cheque from a branch of your bank other than your "own" one. Sometimes the teller would go to make a phone call before they would count out your cash very grudgingly.

 

[McRhu]

Yes, - it was 'Take Your Pick' hosted by Michael Miles. The contestants had to go through the 'yes/no interlude' where miles would try to get a yes of a no from the contestant. During that, a small bespectacled man (ISTR was Alec Dane), wielding a small dinner gong ready to sound if one of the banned words was uttered. The rest of the game was for the contestant to pick a key that opens one of the prize boxes to win a prize which could be genuine or one of the booby prizes. Miles would then try to persuade the contestant to sell him the key.

Alec Dane, IIRC.

"Open the box!".... "Take the money!!!" Every week I gleefully tuned in in the hope of seeing a contestant turn down a king's ransom and opting to open the box only to find it contained a rubber band or some such.

 

[Killingworth]

The palaver trying to withdraw your own cash by cheque from a branch of your bank other than your "own" one. Sometimes the teller would go to make a phone call before they would count out your cash very grudgingly.

In the days before Travel cards, which became cheque guarantee cards that were combined with ATM (Cashpoint) cards the only way you could get cash from a bank other than the office printed on your chequebook was to buy travellers cheques or set up an open credit with the bank you wished to use. About 1965 this practice started to change with the £30 cheque card being standardised about 1970/1.

When we went to Scarborough for our holidays in the early 1960s my father arranged an open credit to permit him to draw up to, say £100, over the period we'd be there. His branch sent a certified specimen of his signature on a form to Scarborough and when he cashed a cheque the signature was checked and amount marked off on the form that was filed in alphabetical order with many others. If he'd wanted more than that £100 agreement a phone call would have to be made to his own branch for extra authorisation. I can imagine a busy summer time Scarborough bank cashier cashier getting a bit tetchy with folks who'd not made an adequate arrangement.

Back then we didn't have universal subscriber trunk dialling (not in Kendal until 1970) so some calls still went through the operator, and even when we did have STD lines were often all engaged.

When people bemoan the closure of bank branches it's largely because so many of the labour intensive tasks performed in branch banks no longer exist - not least looking after cash and cheques!

 

[Springs Branch]

Dates expressed as Roman Numerals - when used in the rolling credits at the end of TV & film productions to indicate the year for copyright purposes.


Using Roman numerals seemed universal in this context until reasonably recently. But in the Netflix and streaming era, many programmes now seem to end with e.g. ©2024 in Arabic numerals, rather than ©MMXXIV. Much more sensible & digestible than, for example, a vintage episode of Only Fools and Horses made in MCMLXXXVIII

I admit I didn't have the patience to do a rigorous sample of current practice before posting this, but I suspect MMXXV might still appear here and there.

Of course, there was never any real need to display the copyright year in Roman rather than Arabic format.
This link to a Roman History website gives a few suggestions about why it persisted for so long in the entertainment industry. In summary:

• To add perceived legal gravitas to the importance of the work's copyright. It reinforces the implied threat that any breach of copyright will be pursued mercilessly through the courts - and will involve gowned barristers, judges in wigs and mind-boggling legal fees.
• In the entertainment industry, the use of Roman numerals in the copyright statement confer a classic and sometimes prestigious appearance to the work, influencing how it is received by the audience. (I would add "allegedly" here - not sure that Roman numerals could ever add any class or prestige to many TV programmes produced either side of the Atlantic.)
• Obfuscation of the film's release year. The use of Roman numerals can make it slightly more challenging for viewers to immediately recognize the production year.. This could be advantageous for filmmakers who wish to give their work a more timeless quality,

Many of my older reference books, including some railway books, use Roman numerals for the chapter numbering, or for page numbers if there is a decent-length preface or introduction (i.e. the pages of the preface might be numbered i. ii. . . . ix, then the main body starts at Page 1.) This particular anachronism does seem to have well and truly died out in the 21st century.

 

[Killingworth]

This particular anachronism does seem to have well and truly died out in the 21st century.

I wonder how long it will take to lose the 21st century and speak of in the 2000s? 20th century, in the 1900s?

 

[m79900]

I wonder how long it will take to lose the 21st century and speak of in the 2000s? 20th century, in the 1900s?

Also, when will 'the twenties' start meaning 2020s rather than 1920s?

 

[Indigo Soup]

Obfuscation of the film's release year. The use of Roman numerals can make it slightly more challenging for viewers to immediately recognize the production year.. This could be advantageous for filmmakers who wish to give their work a more timeless quality,

I understand this is the primary reason. Not so much to give work a timeless quality, as to obfuscate the extent to which broadcasters were rerunning older material!

I wonder how long it will take to lose the 21st century and speak of in the 2000s? 20th century, in the 1900s?

Apparently university students are already asking their lecturers if references from the 'late 20th century' are acceptable.