Number plates

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

I have few questions about numer plates in UK.

I know that there were old ones like ABC 1234, then there were A 123 BCD, now we have AB 12 CDE.

But I had seen some other ones like:
New ones, but white letters on black - are there some special ones, or they just made them to look old (and everyone can do it) or they were some illegal ones?

I’ve seen 6 digits ones like A12 BCD - are this private number plates, or not?

I’ve seen plenty of 123 A 456, mostly in London - are they some special ones, like diplomatic or whatever?

As for new ones: My new car will have reg SG 09 ■■■ - is that S for Scotland and G for Glasgow?

I have also three other questions I think I know the answers but just to be sure:
J 12345 and G 12345 are for Channel Islands?
ABC 1234 are for NI?
And are Isle of Man plates like Irish ones, or the numbers are random and dont stand for year of registration?

2

orys:
I have few questions about numer plates in UK.

I know that there were old ones like ABC 1234, then there were A 123 BCD, now we have AB 12 CDE.

But I had seen some other ones like:
New ones, but white letters on black - are there some special ones, or they just made them to look old (and everyone can do it) or they were some illegal ones?

Black with white or silver characters are only supposed to be used on older vehicles, pre 1973 I think it is so on newer vehicles they are illegal.

orys:
I’ve seen 6 digits ones like A12 BCD - are this private number plates, or not?

Just an older plate which if it is on a newer vehicle is being used as a private plate or for sentimental reasons. From the same time as A 123 BCD with just one less number.

orys:
I’ve seen plenty of 123 A 456, mostly in London - are they some special ones, like diplomatic or whatever?

Yes, diplomatic plates

orys:
As for new ones: My new car will have reg SG 09 ■■■ - is that S for Scotland and G for Glasgow?

The S is for Scotland and the G shows it is a Glasgow registration but Glasgow uses A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H or J after the S so the G doesn’t actually stand for Glasgow. Edinburgh uses S followed by K, L, M, N or O.

orys:
I have also three other questions I think I know the answers but just to be sure:
J 12345 and G 12345 are for Channel Islands?

Yes, although I don’t think Guernsey uses the G in the way Jersey uses the J.

orys:
ABC 1234 are for NI?

Yes.

orys:
And are Isle of Man plates like Irish ones, or the numbers are random and dont stand for year of registration?

No idea about IoM plates.

3

Coffeeholic:
Black with white or silver characters are only supposed to be used on older vehicles, pre 1973 I think it is so on newer vehicles they are illegal.

I know, we had them in Poland till about 2000 as well, but I see them a lot on newer vehicles (recently on Rover 75, and apart of colour they were normal numbers… Thats why I am asking

Thanks for all :slight_smile:

4

It seems that the IOM use MN in the letters and the plate has a red 3 legged GBM as the logo. I have just looked in a TT Book on my coffee table.

Something like GMN 143 or 143 FMN

I found Orys’s new car too :stuck_out_tongue:

5

Wheel Nut:
I found Orys’s new car too :stuck_out_tongue:

No no no! That was my first car (and by that I mean first car I was driving myself without supervision, as it was belonging to my brother) :wink: And it was a bit newer, a identical to this:

It was also a car in which I had my first accident! :blush: And it was the only car where I was using the brush’s stick to start the engine :smiley: And it was very quiet car, as I was covering my ears with my knees :smiley:

Btw: do you know why the Fiat 126p has the rear window heated? To keep your hands warm when you are pushing it in winter :wink:

6

Wheel Nut:
It seems that the IOM use MN in the letters…

That would explain why they don’t use MN for Manchester registered vehicles when they use M with all the other allowed letters, they must be keeping that for the IoM.

7

Coffeeholic:

Wheel Nut:
It seems that the IOM use MN in the letters…

That would explain why they don’t use MN for Manchester registered vehicles when they use M with all the other allowed letters, they must be keeping that for the IoM.

this is what the say about that

M Manchester & Merseyside Manchester A B C D E F G H J K L M O P R S T U V W X Y
Isle of Man N (reserved for future use)

8

delboytwo:

Coffeeholic:

Wheel Nut:
It seems that the IOM use MN in the letters…

That would explain why they don’t use MN for Manchester registered vehicles when they use M with all the other allowed letters, they must be keeping that for the IoM.

this is what the say about that

M Manchester & Merseyside Manchester A B C D E F G H J K L M O P R S T U V W X Y
Isle of Man N (reserved for future use)

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: , I guessed correctly!

9

Not knocking it but this was my 1st car in blue Fiat 850 vrooooom vrooooom
Ferking good little car too went like sh17 off a shovel.
was even easier to lift it into a parking space with 2 of you if it was a bit tight :laughing: :laughing:


Down side was when it rained it was like a fishpond till you shoved the screw driver through the floor to drain the water out :laughing: :laughing:

10

there an other number plate and that Q and is was for kitcars

11

orysI’ve seen plenty of 123 A 456, mostly in London - are they some special ones, like diplomatic or whatever?

Yes, diplomatic plates

And tend to be driven by complete and utter dicks - like the one in a BMW X5 that cut me up on the M4 the other day :smiling_imp:

12

why not tell us a little bit about polish plates, orys?

also I think you should slap up a picture of your ugly mug for all to see. I live in Glasgow so I may spot you :stuck_out_tongue:

13

This might help you with all your questions Orys :slight_smile:
olavsplates.com/country_index.html

14

What I can’t stand is these idiots with UK spec German cars who have their UK reg number put onto a German style plate. It’s just wrong, whenever I see a car with them on, I think “■■■■■■”

15

orys:
And it was very quiet car, as I was covering my ears with my knees :smiley:

PMSL. :stuck_out_tongue: The image is brilliant

16

Steve-o:
why not tell us a little bit about polish plates, orys?

also I think you should slap up a picture of your ugly mug for all to see. I live in Glasgow so I may spot you :stuck_out_tongue:

There is a good website provide by Lycantrophe:
olavsplates.com/poland2.html#Former
olavsplates.com/poland.html#Current

Except that here is plenty of non-polish plates for some reason: olavsplates.com/poland_duplicates.html

Apart of the regional plates there are some special series for:
Goverment vehicles (starts with H):

and military vehicles:

In the old times, when Poland was under communist regime there were special plates for “Foreigners, who live in Poland, but are not diplomatic or consular staff” - it was white letters on green plate, with normal letter layout. Also, there was special plates for prototypes - cars without homologation etc (for instance rally cars from class B) - it was white letters on red plate and it started with letter X.

Here you can see plate from 60s:

and here is a plate for vintage vehicles

This is old military plate:

and in old times military vehicles don’t needed a plate at all - they had their numbers simply painted on the doors and on the back:

Sorry, I have no UGLY mugshot :stuck_out_tongue:

17

Isle of Man :- MN and MAN.There is no year displayed like the UK, and you don’t have to have the reflective type either,you can have the old style if you wish.You can pay £60 I think,and have a "cherished "plate.Not all IOM plates have the three legs displayed.

18

i’ve seen loads of trucks from poland with WND as number plate its that company with all black dafs and mans with plain black trailers no writing on them at all■■?

19

welshboyinspain:
i’ve seen loads of trucks from poland with WND as number plate its that company with all black dafs and mans with plain black trailers no writing on them at all■■?

This is from Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, I can’t tell you what company runs them…

But: altough Polish plates shows you place of registration of the vehicle (and it’s not only place of first registration, if you move or sell your vehicle to someone in other district, you have to change number plates) it’s often not shows real place of vehicle “home” as when vehicle is leased, the plates will show adress of it’s owner (so bank, or leasing specialists) - therefore there is a big overrepresentation of WrocÅ‚aw, PoznaÅ„ and Warszawa plates, as big leasing companies are located in this cities.

20

Coffeeholic:

orys:
I have also three other questions I think I know the answers but just to be sure:
J 12345 and G 12345 are for Channel Islands?

Yes, although I don’t think Guernsey uses the G in the way Jersey uses the J.

you might find the G is fromn Gibraltar.

when i was out there they were still issuing the old numbers with a mixture of new numbers Ie G1234 or G1234A or G1234B the way they give you your registration number is amazing, it is done by a superdooper computer programme that does something with your name and date of birth and picks the numbers and letters, in fact wait a minute thats wrong, they throw you an A4 book of numbers written in it and tell you to pick one, if someone has exported a car it is just tippexed out and away you go with thier number, but watch this as you could be liable for all thier parking fines and any outstanding road tax.

its not like the uk for road tax either, everyone knows what happens if you dont pay your tax here, your car can be crushed, in gib if you dont pay it for say 18 months, when it comes to MOT time (every 2 years because theres too many cars for the 3 testing bays to do every year) they just back date it and make you pay that.

my vectra failed its mot twice when i took it there, on the emmisions, to get it below the emmisions i just had to put a crate of san miguel on the back seat (apparently that lowers the emmisions of all uk imported (to gib) cars). it must work cos the crate wasnt there when i come back from paying for the tax but a certificate with a big fat pass was!!! :open_mouth: