Victoria Police Herald - Colour??

[Chris Longhurst]

Picture 1 shows a B&W picture of a Victoria (Australia!) Police Triumph Herald; I found a colour photo (2) of a Victoria Police Ford Anglia which shows a White car. Does anyone know if white was the 'standard' colour for Victoria Police cars in the 1960s (maybe Peter Truman) as I would like to make a model of the Herald.

I have a nice colour scan of the door crest to turn into a 'decal' (Picture 3)

Thanks  - Chris

[Peter Truman]

here's the TR3A VicPol car from 1960 it appears my other reply on my phone hasn't uploaded yet!! Still in the ether, it's acommin.. 

[Colin Lindsay]

I ran a quick Internet search and found both white and yellow:

[Peter Truman]

I did reply direct to Chris, I was brought up in Melbourne 49 to 62 then returned to the UK, finally returning to Melbourne in 73 forever!

In the 50's VicPol general division police cars were powder blue, obviously in the 60's they went white remaining that colour or yellow. Re the Herald I'd seen reference to their limited use by VicPol. Heralds were made from CKD kits here in Melbourne by Australian Motor Industries (AMI) from 59 to 66, Spitfires Mk's 1 to 3 from 62 to 68, & big saloons Mk1 & 2's from 64 to 77.

Chris referenced VicPol's use of Triumph bikes, in the 50's I know they used Ariel Square 4 motorbikes with sidecars as a youngster riding my bike on the footpath at the only speed I knew flatout I spread eagled an officer walking from a shop to his bike at our local shopping strip in Nth Balwyn, he wasn't amused and gave me a good dressing down!

Colin I had a few Falcons like that shown also yellow or white in colour and as at the time our Govt vehicles had Govt Reg plates & I had a roof bar with 2 flashing lights and 3 radio aerials, I was often mistaken as a police car it was handy at times, I could park anywhere and not get booked!!  I worked for Melb Water 30 years and had the same number of cars in that time, I then consulted back to them and the 3 Retailers a further 13 years!

With the demise of the Australian Car Industry around 2017 the VicPol vehicles are now generally white SUV's Toyota, Hyundai, no Chinese junk yet with the brightly adorned Highway Patrol cars BMW's.

My mate who was a senior police officer also a Triumph nut collected all Triumph models incl all the police variations, he also modified standard models into police format, he modified a Corgi big saloon into an Estate/Stn Wagon then fitted it out as a police car, so not sure if in fact VicPol commissioned one? or it was his dream!

I've seen a HALF scale sectionised drawing (BIG) of the Triumph 2000 Mk1 saloon done by General Motors Holden in the 60's, it's on GMH headed drawing paper.