Oscar Oscar - 1980's Metropolitan Police Traffic Division

Short film from the early 80's of the Metropolitan Police Traffic Patrol - TDJ...
After the closure of the TDK Police Station, most of the officers relocated to the new Traffic Patrol Station just off the High Street in Grove Road.
Filmed by Bob Miller, staring Chris Raindle and Les Crossland... all stars in their own right...

[@jamesandrews8391]

Best bit is” it’s quarter to three,that’s it for the day”

[@ayyywerelisteninghere1022]

They probably started work at 6 in the morning doggy.

[@DM-hp7ct]

@@ayyywerelisteninghere1022 doggy?

[@51WCDodge]

35 years ago my sone was born premature at Farnbourough Hospital Kent on a Friday morning. At 08;25 an ambulance with police escort left to take him to the West London Hospital, Intensive Care baby Unit. They arrived at 09:10..

[@msgamer9759]

Amazing how the camera arrived to the hospital first, this cameras in the 80s were different man!

[@andrews0208]

Even more funny is how the ambulance left Harold wood hospital drives along then arrives back at haroldwood hospital just at different building on same site and if you pay good attention he knew the call was coming before he even got it for the fatal accident as they talking and then one of them goes hold on then the radio goes with the dall

[@aljack1979]

Those Rovers look ace 👍👌😊

[@leebrown3895]

I was waiting for them to say 'you've just met the Sweeney son your nicked'!.

[@areyouserious3092]

Nice to see the good old Rover jam sandwich in action lol.

[@CARLIN4737]

Early 80s this 5plus years later 1988/89 London was mint.😉

[@metpol]

bloody good video. i love the old rovers. the best part for me was solo bmw.....i love the bmws r80s. the old sirens were something else. great job.

[@jasbarsoph]

Fantastic video, The old siren on the police car were the same that the Irish Garda had been using. The ambulance was something else. I think the police changed there sirens to the two tone of the ambulance service later and then onto the present screaming cat sirens of today.

[@gosportjamie]

I didn't know the Met SD1s had US-spec 3500S steering wheels fitted. That's really cool, and makes a lot of sense, I know a lot of police drivers didn't like the standard oval SD1 wheel and that it could be inclined to get distorted when manoeuvring as Met SD1s ran without power steering...

[@a20rkn]

Les Crossland is also in The Liver Run 1987

[@51WCDodge]

The Camera Car still exists ,currently owned by an Ex Met Copper and seen at many shows.

[@KiwiGraggle]

lol, the music, class.

[@Retro_Rich]

And now on Sale of the Century...

[@factcheckersbranch]

This is the police force I will always remember and respect. Today's police are far beyond the reach of any of the officers of the day. I'm not saying all police of today, but most in my book leave alot to be desired. How our government has allowed our police to become the mess it is today is beyond me. Recruitment standards need to be addressed and applicant's should be vetted as they where back then.

[@CARLIN4737]

I was knocking about the city and Brixton in the late 80s different world. Lived in tulse hill and Brixton and worked in the city 1988. Man life was good then. London was quality now it's a cess pit of hell on earth 🌎.

[@marknestbox]

So what exactly do you attribute to making that statement, what elements in particular?

[@plumduff3303]

@@marknestbox I worked there then and now it's not a cesspit..kings x 1970s was tough old place remember the red light district

[@StarBoyyX]

What do you thinks gone wrong ? I would of loved to have lived back then looks so much better, born late 80s ,east ham looks like Bengal now , worse atmosphere than actual Bengal probably

[@billmarsh1971]

@@StarBoyyX it's obvious what's wrong with it now, only we're not allowed to talk about it or we get cancelled

[@warriorboy1976]

@@plumduff3303 I and many others I know would fail to concur with you on this matter.

[@paulbaker3304]

takes me back to when I was on duty

[@smith2781]

My father in law was an officer he started in the late 70’s. He’s got some great stories I could listen to him all day. But my God it sounds like a totally different world back then. Him and his colleagues would meet up at a particular pub at lunch time. Could you imagine the outrage now seeing police officers in uniform on duty drinking down the pub 😂🤣

[@Felix-rising]

@@smith2781 yes then they would drink drive through the rest of their shift.

[@jasbarsoph]

The ambulance service was the same, The crew would leave the phone number of the local pub with the control and have their pints while waiting on a call.

[@djreddy666]

Really enjoyed this 😂😂😂 ❤

[@StarBoyyX]

Do you know any other 1980s police documentaries around London etc like flying squad ,Oscar Oscar, subway btp, any would be appreciated thanks for this great video!!

[@baileystorrar9304]

I remember driving the ambulance made a change from normal duties

[@numbpull]

Hi I'm guessing with the same surname that you are related to the guy in the film? I am amazed! I am sure these guys pulled me over in 1980 when I was riding my Vespa in Romford. It was great seeing all the old streets & Oldchurch hospital from 1970's and 80s am I right in thinking they were based at Chadwell Heath? I live in Australia now so I can show people out here what it was like back in the day. Great video any more? Thanks.

[@bobsmith-zj2ky]

Bullshit

[@chalkfarmcarsquadso1664]

Thats is the nuts of a film .

[@barbaraannecortina7899]

I think this is where the Crimewatch UK theme came from, don't you?

[@timothyclapham3934]

At the end you wanted and voice over and say "Our true hero's drive off to the fight crime again "!😃

[@lbukem4259]

Back when an Ambulance Driver was just that - no medical to limited medical training. Pick up patient, put in back, drive.

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

This was the time when it was very much changing towards pre-hospital paramedicine. Note the orthopaedic stretcher on the back door of the ambulance.

[@contactacb]

@@samanli-tw3id They were more than that by the 80's, the Ambulance Driver with a first aid badge is more 60's. In the 1970's after the Millar Report the 'Qualified Ambulance Person' 6 week training course was introduced to the NHS - QAP's had a special badge on their uniform known as a 'Millar' Badge. By the 80's London & Brighton were pioneering the 'Extended Skills' programme for QAP's which became the modern day Paramedic by the end of the decade. Note they transferred an intubated patient without a medical team on board suggesting an extended skills QAP on board. The various 70's Met, W.Yorks and GMP films on here are more reflective of the early days of ambulances as most of the crews weren't Millar trained (only see the badge on one in one film)

[@extremeways2930]

Hump and dump as it was known.

[@jpht1964]

Nope, people where already very skilled and higly trained. You refer to the 60’s mate..

[@sammydingdong4540]

Back when D.O.A. Was commonplace............

[@colinloc]

References to Brixton and Liverpool at 2.00 suggest July 1981 I think.

[@Keithbarber]

Being the vehicles are W plate, which ran from September 1980 to August 1981, sounds odd on for that era

[@sammydingdong4540]

Back to the good old days when chummy received a well deserved wooden enema if he was leery ............

[@p165711]

With all the cuts have to wonder if TDJ still exists

[@plumduff3303]

I think it still is tds has gone just flats

[@hannahjames3180]

That child not strapped in that pram. The days were so different.

[@Polemicist0]

The driver of that 1970s, Bedford CF Dormobile, ambulance should have also put the vehicle's dipped headlights on as well, whilst transporting that patient on a blue light emergency call. This was always undertaken to make the emergency response vehicle far more noticeable to all other highway users.

[@timwingham8952]

Bedford CF Wadham Stringer. Not Dormobile

[@Keithbarber]

08:30 onwards - don't hardly ever see police escorting ambulances in this day and age

[@mstriker3656]

It does happen, but usually the police will help the ambo through roundabouts and junctions if they're there.

[@contactacb]

Resourcing is one reason you don't see this, the other is it's considered dangerous to escort as inevitably once the first vehicle passes drivers will, without looking, pull out/drive on, causing an accident or near miss. It's limited to very specific situations (high risk prisoner transfers being the most common). Also ambulances are better equipped & crews better trained to stabilise patients these days - back then they weren't as well set up and even with a doctor on board for a transfer were limited with what they could take on board with them, the ambulance would have no advanced monitoring or treatment kit so high speed escorted transfers were vital as you couldn't sustain the patient for long on board

[@Retro_Rich]

The SD1 reminds me of the intro of The Bill.

[@Mbard333]

This is probably early 80's

[@rutter1ify]

Matt Bardell 👏👏

[@Keithbarber]

As their car is a W reg it's 1981 onwards

[@Keithbarber]

As their car is a W reg it's 1981 onwards

[@harrycast9924]

I wonder if the guy in the ambo survived?

[@StarBoyyX]

This local to my area , love these old documentaries, have you got anymore mate , I think it looks so much better back then , what do you thinks happened to make it like it is today , chaos everywhere ? What’s your take on it better living in the 80s or the last decade ?

[@paulraindle6047]

I only have the 2 films - they were made by my fathers station sergeant... good (easier) times back then...

[@andrews0208]

I have one issue with this program at the end the end the sleeves are with Hospital and Advise back at home with just two for buildings where is maybe going from Harold Wood to old church doesn’t make sense. Oh how earth did the camera get to the hospital before the police ca.

[@jasbarsoph]

Different kinds of people, Notice how traffic clearly moves out of the way of the approaching emergency vehicles, People won’t give up their place on the road anymore for emergency services until they are right on their bumper. Things seemed so much simpler and calmer back then, I wonder is it just that a really high percentage of people are using drugs and that has changed people???

[@jasbarsoph]

@@paulraindle6047 Thanks Mate really enjoyed your video video👍

[@StarBoyyX]

@@jasbarsoph different kinds of people , mass immigration from 95/97 ruined the country and now left with pure stress and degeneracy in society with single mums breeding for money and property and stopping access to the one night stands it’s and terrible place to live now , just look at the decline clearly going backwards , I’m looking to get out myself now and head abroad , housing prices and corrupt laws and a social scene that is now non existent and everyone seems dull and miserable , I’m off to much energy for this place now 😂

[@glenntomlinson8047]

Must be early 80s with an SD1 2600, rather than a 3500, as a TAC.

[@mistofoles]

Ha ha, this is great, reminds me of Z Cars! :D

[@keefsmiff]

Look out... its the Fuzz...

[@vinniechenz73]

The Rover SD1. One hell of a classic. Remember seeing them as a teenager in mid eighties and wanting so desperately my Dad to buy a white one. Had to settle for a red BL Princess😢

[@gemspotting6252]

2600? I’d be gutted - I’d want the v8

[@terryroberts505]

I think the v8 sd1 police cars had two blue lights on top

[@brunob442]

@@terryroberts505 We supplied the Met with parts for the Sd1's, the V8's tended to be Traffic ( pursuit ) vehicles the lesser 2.6 2.3 just plod mobiles but used for pursuit duty when needed, when the V6 Sterling came on board these things normally ate brake discs and the occasional engine lol.

[@brunob442]

@Nichen Fauster yeah all the workshops ever did was re-jet the carbs ( su's ) and afew tweaks here and there, when ecu's come along definitely afew tweaks to these, warranty was never an issue on parts just replace Happy days lol

[@lennyh500]

Oh yes, is this your vehicle, sir???

[@Drew_Eden]

Interesting to see that was a 2600 rover rather than the 3500. I wonder if it was an automatic, I've heard some were. Anyone know for sure ? I loved those rovers, had a 2600, 3 x 3500 VDP and a Vitesse.

[@robbierobson3251]

Drew Eden. All the Met SD1s were automatic. They gave us the 2600 engines at a big discount because BL wanted the prestige of a police endorsement of what was a gutless engine, particularly in automatic form. Later, Traffic Patrol ("Oscar" units) were given the 3500, while area cars (attached to Police Stations) were stuck with the hopeless 2600 until the very last "E"-reg cars were issued. They were repainted white (from metallic red) VDP models with the badges removed and the sunroofs sealed up. They looked the part, but had no acceleration at all with the 2600 engine. They topped out at about 115mph, but took all day to get there. In the meantime, XR3-driving yobbo was far gone!

[@irishboer7124]

@@robbierobson3251 Yeah, they failed to catch up to me on my Honda CX500 on the A12 in the 80s in their SD1 2600. Thank you BL.

[@MK-mh6lh]

When cops has skills and didn’t rely solely on technology to tell them what they Should abs shouldn’t do. No ANPR just a good coppers nose .

[@marknestbox]

NB. Stop exactly at 4:57 - the scene of the accident (in 1981) then see the changes 37 years later on the link below at Google Maps. Banks gone, and the Halifax, among many others of course. www.google.com/maps/@51.599059,0.1619728,3a,30y,150.25h,92.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWb1sciaBTJycOB7_Iucu7w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[@dodgydruid]

Hmm straight six 2600 SD1's? I could of sworn the traffic plod used V8 SD1s, don't think anyone used the 2600SE's. Quite ironic in the 2300 and 2600 were bored out Triumph 2000 and 2500 both used commonly in police vehicles.

[@Aut0five]

2.6 litre SD1? Why not use the 3.5 v8 for traffic cars? penny pinching perhaps.

[@stevenwilliams8545]

Life or death run, the ambulance drivers not rushing himself.

[@contactacb]

Have you ever driven one of those old Bedfords (Or any old ambulance)? Throw it around too much and you'll need another ambulance......

[@jasbarsoph]

@@contactacb😂😂😂😂😂 Brilliant reply.

[@lezzman]

So spontaneous, natural and unscripted! roflmao!!!

[@mistofoles]

I don't mean to sound callous, but what's the point in putting out an urgent message for an ambulance, if the casualty is already dead??

[@gosportjamie]

+mistofoles The ambulance crew would be required to remove the deceased...

[@rutter1ify]

mistofoles I see dead people 😵

[@StarBoyyX]

@@gosportjamie to keep the body warm 😂

[@51WCDodge]

your not dead till a Doctor says you are.So you assume they are alive regardless.

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

@@51WCDodge That's incorrect. Its pretty obvious when someone is dead.

[@hannahjames3180]

Rover 2600. Didn't they want the Vitesse? 😆

[@robnewman6101]

Law & Order.

[@kylewaddington1983]

Old London

[@markshillinglaw3003]

Rovers are better than the diesel Astras

[@richardclarke376]

V8 SD1 = get out of the way!

[@jackshit3355]

That wasn't quite The Sweeney was it

[@09weenic]

Eh the Sweeney are the flying squad who are an armed unit who catch violent robbers

[@geoff9015]

And not a hi-vis vest in sight

[@jasbarsoph]

Or a Stab vest. How society has changed.

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

1:19 Chuffer the daylits, and the latter they ave rights in the mornings.

[@giuseppenero110]

How could they position the street cameras beforehand for the ambulance run?

[@pacmanseven2544]

Either it was fake of the film crew had a shit load of cameras around london

[@gosportjamie]

+giuseppe nero The chances are they had cameras set up on certain major junctions and roundabouts to catch fly-by film of vehicles responding. In this case they happened to be in the right place to catch parts of the hospital transfer run...

[@RSCOZZY]

All acting, and bad dubbing. But, if it was real (??) It was filmed in the same way the documentaries are filmed now. The shots of the police and ambulance are filmed beforehand, and they are not footage of them responding to the actual call you are following.

[@jakmak1199]

No there's fecking cameras everywhere.

[@andrews0208]

It was clearly fake that ambulance left and arrived back at the same hospital just different buildings on the same site

[@kwakka636]

Not a high viz in sight 😂

[@williamryan6162]

life or death run ..is it ok too drop the camera man off then come back in

[@paulraindle6047]

the cameraman was a serving Police Officer also...

[@williamryan6162]

if the traffic units was on the road like they were in my day .there be a lot less boy racer with load exhausts

[@paulkelly5653]

Made me laugh this, brilliant!😃

[@jasonantigua6825]

Back when I was a car thief Oldchurch Hospital Car Park was a favourite of mine !

[@p165711]

Hang on while I run your details, Can I have your dob.

[@mattep1ao]

Me too the smack and crack was potent as fack back then brv

[@mattep1ao]

Used to steal easy 3 cars a day in the 80s

[@StarBoyyX]

They did a hobbo on that car park for car thefts waiting and watching in the building with the smashed windows at the top of the car park , I know someone who done it . Great video is there anymore police documentaries from the 80s you know off ?

[@numbpull]

the nurses and drs saving lives loved you nicking their cars.

[@mistofoles]

Instead of wasting time giving the ambulance driver complicated directions, wouldn't it have been easier to just say "Follow us" ?

[@gosportjamie]

+mistofoles No, you can't throw an ambulance around like you can a traffic car, and especially not with a critically ill patient on-board. The police driver does a quick run-through of the proposed route with the ambulance driver so that the ambulance driver knows what route they intend to take and can point out if there are any turns that he considers too tight under the circumstances or any roads that are too rough...

[@mistofoles]

You seem to know a lot about this, are you a former/serving police officer?

[@gosportjamie]

+mistofoles No, but I'm familiar with the way traffic officers did work and work now...

[@mstevens113]

The traffic car might race ahead at times to block off problem junctions to clear them for the ambulance arriving. They won't always necessarily remain in sight to simply follow. It's about the ambulance having a smooth steady journey as much as it is speed.

[@51WCDodge]

35 years ago my son was born premature at Farnbourough Hospital Kent on a Friday morning. At 08;25 an ambulance with police escort left to take him to the West London Hospital, Intensive Care baby Unit. They arrived at 09:10.

[@brynevans7134]

mistofeles...... another instant armchair expert.....

[@mollyfilms]

Really don’t understand how all this film was set up. For what?

[@Private-gy8nk]

It was set up so that people could watch it via KZbin 40 years later...

[@RSCOZZY]

I agree. Terrible acting, and atrociously bad dubbing - even for back then!

[@hullian1113]

Classy NF graffiti at 11:19...

[@diegestive4167]

I’m Glad speeding fines never took on ....

[@mistofoles]

How does he know the RTA was fatal, without even checking the casualty??

[@gosportjamie]

+mistofoles They probably did check the casualty, but that wouldn't have been recorded or would have been edited out as being unsuitable for general viewing, after going under the front wheel of an armoured security lorry the victim would not have been a pretty sight...

[@itsweb1584]

he ran back into the car to make the radio call, so my guess was that he'd already checked.

[@p165711]

It's called editing out the gory bits.

[@51WCDodge]

Your not dead till a Doctor says so, officially you act as if thier still alive.

[@andrews0208]

Because he conveniently happened to be fully covered in ambulance blanket before the ambulance even arrived

[@bentuber1]

No traffic. No congestion and still he DID the driver for a couple of miles over the limit. What a pox

[@Bill-cv1xu]

Dink

[@e17simon]

Since When has 15 over the limit become a couple over the limit

[@jackshit3355]

The Canning Town flyover has got a blockage cause a copper on the bike f****** it all up

[@DessieTots]

And not a single fat or blue haired person anywhere to be seen.

[@mikewatt8706]

Back when real cops were catching speeders. Now it's all about cash.

[@peterpedant]

Ahh the days before peak multiculturalism when there was no need for the old bill to wear stab vests.

[@veyron2848]

Found me an ignorant speng who dedicates his life towards hating.

[@mikeallen693]

Sorry. But as an oldie TRAFPOL. OK I follow many police based You tube vids. Where do these vids come from. Please don't say. A camera crew just happened to be onboard.

[@jpht1964]

When England stiil had an identity…