Juddian:
We used to have regional offices for HGV licencing, and yes much better it was too, you could visit and be served in a reasonable time frame just as you could the various local vehicle licencing offices that i believe every county had.
All had to go, much too efficient.
When I bought a vehicle in 2002 I went to the LVLO in Norwich and everything was done with no delays, however once the paperwork arrived at Swansea there was problem after problem and it took about eight weeks to get the V5.
Fast forward 8 1/2 years to April 2011 and I get a letter from DVLA informing me that there was a query with the engine cc.