Police deliver a donor liver to a patient driving from Stansted Airport, Essex to Cromwell Hospital, Kensington, London on 8th May 1987. Check out the SD1's.
The reason this wasn't flown in by helicopter was that there was no air ambulance and there had been a police helo crash that had caused the fleet to be grounded. Hence they could only go by road.
I love the way the lead driver waved to fellow pedestrian officers as they raced to the destination, great camaraderie. British policing at its best. An amazing feat.
Those people who were involved in this, from pilots, policemen, doctors and scotland yard, did more in 35 minutes than all the politicians in 35 years, for much much much less money. World is cruel place to live.
I remember this being on the news, i used to drive a Rover 3500, they were quick and handled really well, you see the driver lean on the car at the end, he must have been mentally exhausted, great job
I was Driving a football coach from Peterborough to Birmingham a few years ago. After the match the police motorcycles escorted the coach convoy out of town to the M42 with the instruction "follow the bike", (ignore traffic lights, where the bike goes you go.. stay with him..!! ).. he wasn't hanging about either.. and the other bikes would shoot forward to stop traffic at junctions etc.. IT WAS BRiLLIANT..!!
The liver had came from Hull , was driven to Humberside Airport across the Humber Bridge, along the A15. This takes about 20mins normally so on blue lights probably 10-15mins. Then flown immediately to Stansted airport in which we now join the run. I regularly drive from Hull to London and at normal motorway speed it takes me 3hrs 15mins .
One of the best police videos I've ever seen! Amazing run, amazing sense of direction, great driver, car and organization... puts tear in my eye, really.
@@Avetho Me too, some slate the police but they are a VERY professional bunch who care. They ultimately risked their lives so some unknown female could survive. Thank God for British police.
Yup! Quite a few American muscle cars got bought over to the UK during the 70s and early 80s, with a lot of them sticking around for a good few years afterwards. Weird seeing a clean early Trans-Am, though...
I can barely believe that I didn't notice that whatsoever, that's crazy😂! I absolutely love the Firebird, I guess I was so focused on the SD1 that I became oblivious to the other cars. Thanks for pointing it out👍!
I am. I thought it was a police chase at first, but it was wholesome instead. Bless the Rover SD1. When all else was failing, like her liver, the helicopter fleet, that motorcycle engine, the Rover still pushed on. Sacrificing its brakes and rear shocks to make it in time.
I only remembered the Rover SD1 from Top Gear which made it special but now seeing this makes it even more special... I'm going to go watch that episode of Top Gear now.
I did my blue light training for police then ambulance etc and these guys did well or great ! try that in a 5 ton ambulance its scary I feel part of driving test or training for normal drivers should be tested for how to respond when blue lights are behind you
This is a police traffic officers wet dream! Well done The Met. Would've liked to have heard the ongoing radio commentary, he'd have been as exhausted as the driver after! Bet it took a while to come down after that. Nice to see the patient at the end, I hope she's still with us.
The Cromwell is a private hospital? I used to dispatch ride in the smoke back then, did 80 up the mall once, crazy days. The coppers were amazing drivers.
They did a cracking job, albeit with a lot of help from other officers, car and motorcycles closing junctions and clearing the way. They were doing what they were paid for out of taxpayers money and will have enjoyed a healthy final salary pension when they retired, 10 years earlier than most people do. Give them the respect they deserve but a promotion? Really?
The police officers involved make a very good point, you can plan what you think is the best possible route for the circumstances but you can't really legislate for any unforeseen events or accidents - life happens and they just have to try and deal with whatever arises given the time.
Lol what? Police were even more hated back then and had zero accountability, didn't even have bodycams so did what they liked. I always laugh when people romanticise the past like it was a utopia, nostalgia deludes.
Getting out of Hull would have also been a nightmare at peak traffic hours - if they were lucky, Clive Sullivan Way should have been mostly empty to the Bridge.
Police now wouldnt care less about giving public consideration. You see too many videos of them on a power trip "rag dolling" people to the ground, often un provoked. Well done to all the officers involved in saving that womans life. Much respect. 👍
Lol what? Police were even more hated back then and had zero accountability, didn't even have bodycams so did what they liked. I always laugh when people romanticise the past like it was a utopia, nostalgia deludes.
I’ve had to drive Police cars through London like this before & it’s very tiring. I can understand driver collapsing when they got to the hospital. Your brain is in overdrive.
The Essex car wouldnt have been fast enough, it looked like a Vauxhall Cavalier. The SD1 had a V8 under the bonnet which would have provided enough power and speed to do the job
@@jamesbarclay7951 It was a Ford Scorpio. And looking at the wheels, I think a 2.0, or a 2.3. - not the right car for this ride. The SD V8 was faster and had a much better acceleration.
7:30 I'm amazed that the police would consider risking the safety of the public to save a life in a hospital. I've done advanced driver training and the general attitude is: if there's not enough time to anticipate a risk, don't risk it.
@@skylined5534and as they say on the video, they mitigate that risk by the two types of sirens (plus the dozens of supporting officers along the route). Bravo to all involved, I was knackered by the end of the video and I was only watching it!
All met police helicopters were grounded because one of them a few days before this incident had an engine explode. No private ones could be sourced on time.
Pleased to say, the Assistant Chief Constable survived the transplant operation, lived for another 24 years, and didn’t touch a drop of whisky post-op: strictly beer and wine only.
Good luck watching "The World's Wildest Police Chases"... that had WAY MORE sound effect dubbing than this, after all, it was a Fox show from like, 1998.
Reality check mate buddy, the darn BMW were setting themselves alight especially during high speed runs, it got to the point where they were decommissioned and will not be getting them.
He said at the start of the video that it was foggy. Also, nowadays almost all hospitals have helipads its not clear if that hospital had one. This was over 30 years ago.
@@KristofferEk Not known for reliability by people who'd never even sat in one. They were as reliable if not more so than contemporary stuff. Don't peddle an Internet myth.
The liver must’ve been for someone important and rich. Can’t imagine they’d go to so much trouble and risk if it was an ordinary member of the public who needed a liver.
Great! Risk hundreds of lives for one. Not the best police move. Exactly the excuse they the law on us for not speeding. Should have used a helicopter.
