Photo: Paul Woodward

Nottingham's Bedford cell block MTV 999P stands next to ex-Metropolitan Police SYN 452N at the Gatehouse Yard of Nottingham Traffic Wing soon after the Miners Strike of 1984. This dispute put an enormous strain on Nottinghamshire's resources, both manpower and vehicle-wise and it was necessary for additional cell blocks to be brought into service to accommodate arrested strikers as well as maintain court transport. Hence the purchase at £500 of the splendid petrol driven machine that the Met no longer required. During its transfer from London to Nottingham it broke down on the M1 and at about 10 miles to the gallon it was soon apparent why the Met were glad to say goodbye to it.