German ovals.

March 29, 2017

 

(D)(exp 51-88)_818 Z-9349_cu_1960sVB

Before the ubiquitous Export Z-plates of the post-war years were seen all over Europe, as Germany stepped up her motor manufacturing with vehicles the whole world wanted to buy, another, simpler form of the unique oval licence plate had been born.

(D 07-50)(temp)_01515+Illinois1931_vbKS(D 07-50)(temp).Prussia_31205_UScar.vbKS(D 07-50)(temp).Bremerhaven_219_r_UScar.vbKS(D 07-50)(temp)_01962_Henschel lorry..vbKS(D 07-50)(temp).Hamburg_5579_ (CD sign-S)_Ford Eiffel.vbKS

Reader Hassan translates: “Second to last car from Berlin… Captain Sigvard Drake of the P-4 (armoured) regiment, Skövde, narrates an exciting trip home from Berlin in his Ford Eifel Cabriolet in the letter below. (letter absent -Ed)  The picture is taken outside of Hedberg’s (Ford Dealership) in Malmö”     Thank you Hassan.

 

Who would like to write a covering piece about this historic temporary series?

 

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1 Comment | Germany, Temporary Importation, Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

Old German district codes in use again

June 15, 2013

Since November 2012, we’ve seen new German number plates with long-forgotten district codes, not seen on the road for 20 years or more. These are codes which were abolished when local government was reorganised. West Germany merged many small districts in the 1970s; in former East Germany the same happened from 1993 onwards. The original number plates remained valid, but disappeared rapidly with the introduction in 1997 of tax-reduced “H” plates for historic vehicles, to the great sorrow of nostalgic plate-spotters like myself.

Under the 2012 law, each local government (Landkreis or district) can decide whether it wants to reintroduce the codes that were formerly issued on its territory.  The state (Bundesland) sends all requests from its districts to the federal government in Berlin. Once Berlin has approved the request, a revived old code becomes optional in the current district where the old district (or the major part thereof) was located. For example, a resident of Vogtlandkreis in Saxony can choose either the current code V or (for an extra fee) any of the old codes AE, OVL, PL and RC.  Of course the plates have to be in the current “FE” style of lettering. The classic 1956-2000 “DIN” style is not coming back.

The Europlate and AKS newsletters have covered the German reform in detail, so here I just list the old codes reissued so far, and when each code became available. I’ve grouped the codes by Bundesland to help plate-spotters watch out for interesting plates in the part of Germany they are touring. This also highlights the contrast between, on one hand, the states in eastern Germany that chose to reintroduce nearly everything, and on the other hand those where only a few districts have opted to allow the abolished codes, often after lengthy public debates.  Bavaria (Bayern) has yet to decide which, if any, old codes to revive.

state reissued old codes available from
Baden-Württemberg BCH, GD, HCH, LEO 25 February 2013
Bayern     to be announced           July 2013 ??        
Berlin     none  
Bremen     none  
Brandenburg CA, FRW, KY, NP, SEE, SFB, SRB, WK 18 March 2013
BER, EW, FOR, GUB, SPB 19 March 2013
FI 2 April 2013
Hamburg      none  
Hessen BID, BÜD, DI, GN, HOG, SLÜ, USI, WEL, WOH 2 January 2013
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern RÜG 2 February 2013
ANK, GW, PW, SBG, UEM,  WLG   14 March 2013
GMN, NVP, RDG 15 March 2013
AT, BÜZ, DBR, DM, GÜ, MC, MST, MÜR, NZ, RM, ROS, TET, WRN 18 March 2013
GDB, GVM, WIS 2 April 2013
Niedersachsen ALF, BRL, BRV, CLZ, DUD, EIN, GAN, HMÜ, NOR, RI 15 November 2012
Nordrhein-Westfalen BLB, CAS, GLA 13 November 2012
WAT, WIT 14 November 2012
JÜL 19 November 2012
LÜN 24 November 2012
DIN, LP, MO 3 December 2012
WAN 12 December 2012
AH, BOH 1 February 2013
SLE 20 February 2013
Rheinland-Pfalz PRÜ, ZEL 13 November 2012
BIN, GOA 14 November 2012
SAB 19 November 2012
BKS 26 November 2012
MY 6 May 2013
Saarland       none  
Sachsen AE, ANA, ASZ, AU, BED, BIW, BNA, DL, DW, DZ, EB, FLÖ, FTL, GC, GHA, GRH, GRM, HC, HOT, HY, KM, LÖB, MAB, MEK, MTL, MW, NOL, NY, OVL, OZ, PL, RC, RG, RIE, RL, SEB, STL, SZB, TG, TO, WDA, WSW, WUR, ZI, ZP   9 November 2012
Sachsen-Anhalt ASL, AZE, BBG, BÖ, BRG, BTF, EIL, GA, GHC, GNT, HBS, HDL, HET, HHM, HV, JE, KLZ, KÖT, MER, ML, MQ, NEB, NMB, OBG, OC, OK, QFT, QLB, RSL, SBK, SFT, SGH, WMS, WR, WSF, WZL, ZE, ZZ 27 November 2012
Schleswig-Holstein ECK 15 November 2012
Thüringen APD, ARN, ART, EIS, HIG, IL, LBS, LSZ, MGN, MHL, NH, PN, RU, SCZ, SDH, SLN, SLZ, SRO, WBS, ZR   29 November 2012

My sources are Wikipedia,  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_aller_Kfz-Kennzeichen_der_Bundesrepublik_Deutschland    and Reiko Pflug’s excellent web site   http://www.kennzeichen-guide.de/

As an example here’s a new PRÜ plate, snapped last week in Prüm, a town that lost its status as a district capital already in 1969.

DSC_7342

For comparison, a “real” PRÜ plate from 1969 or older, on an old tractor that I saw six years ago in the village of Feuerscheid.

D_07_Feuerscheid1 D_07_Feuerscheid2

Alexander Kavka

Eu.575

2 Comments | Europe, Germany | Permalink
Posted by eu575

Hisrtoric duty-free export issues from Europe

March 20, 2013

Most European countries have a special plate system for vehicles bought within their jurisdiction, but which are intended for permanent export.     These are bought free of local taxes, which are charged when they reach their destination country.    Germany and France were the first to formalise such systems and here are some examples from the 1960s and on from round Europe.

FRANCE. TT=Titulaire Temporaire or Transit Temporaire?? 73 is from Savoie, seen in Ste. Maxime circa 2005, and seems oddly old for that time, as this series ran 1955-84. False plate? Brumby archive

FRANCE. Export.    TT=Titulaire Temporaire or Transit Temporaire??     73 is from Savoie, seen in Ste. Maxime (83-Var) circa 2005, and seems oddly old for that time, as this series ran 1955-84.  A false plate?               Brumby archive

GERMANY - Export Customs (Zoll) oval plate . This once-common Z-plate series was issued between 1951 & 1988 as tend of thousands of German cars were collected for export. 818 Z-9348 was seen in London in 1960. Brumby archive

GERMANY – Export Customs (Zoll) oval plate . This once-common Z-plate series was issued between 1951 & 1988 as tens of thousands of German cars were collected for export.     818 Z-9348 was seen in London in 1960 prior to its ultimate export to Argentina (RA).               Brumby archive

On its way to the Central African Republic, 9 TT 10 first enjoys a drive along the Promenade des Anglais in 1964 Nice. Brumby archive

FRANCE   TT.   On its way to the Central African Republic, Pontiac Bonneville    9 TT 10 first enjoys a drive along the Promenade des Anglais in 1964 Nice.    10= département of Aube, which seemed not to register many of this category!   Brumby archive

QL 1052 - Peugeot 404L bought in London 1969, for export to Canada. (Brumby archive/car)

GB    Foreign brand Export.   QL 1052 – Peugeot 404L bought in London 1969, for export to Canada.    (In fact this car never left, and was re-registered with a normal mark, GGN 157 J.)        (Brumby archive/car)

Italian 1964 Export 'EE' Brumby archive

ITALY   1964 Export ‘EE‘                                                                         Brumby archive

A Danish export Volvo 245 destined for Canada, seen in London 1964. Brumby archive

DENMARK.   An export Volvo destined for Canada, seen in London 1964.   The red Copenhagen  ‘K‘ with the white lining indicates temporary validity.              Brumby archive

Swedish export Volvo from Gothenburg (O) valid during 1964, seen in London. Brumby archive

SWEDEN – export Volvo from Gothenburg (O) valid during 1964, seen in London.                  Brumby archive

FINLAND Export Brumby archive

FINLAND  1994 Export duty-free.      The letter is serial, not a regional code.                             Brumby archive

Switzerland. 1975 Export Brumby archive

SWITZERLAND. 1975 Export Vaud 6018 Z.   Z=tax unpaid.       Brumby archive

Luxembourg 1978 Export 616. Brumby archive

LUXEMBOURG – 1978 Export 616.                    Brumby archive

Spain - Export 2004 T 4361 BBC Brumby archive

SPAIN – Export 2004 T 4361 BBC , expiring October 2004.                         Brumby archive

Belgium - some early export plates and others. Brumby archive

BELGIUM – some early Export plates and others.   Note colour changes.   Brumby archive

Monaco - 1979 Export in red on white - TT 51. Brumby archive

MONACO – 1979 Export in red on white – TT 51.      Brumby archive

Here is a strange sighting, 27 years later, in Monte Carlo…

Monaco TT 51 Export again, in the later style reflective etc. Brumby archive

MONACO TT 51 Export again, in the later style reflective etc.    Front plate at upper right, carries no legend.            Brumby archive

Lichtenstein - Export 1963 - FL 9043 Z. Brumby archive

Liechtenstein – Export 1963 – FL 9043 Z in London.   Z means tax unpaid.     Brumby archive

San Marino - Export 1992. Thornley album

SAN MARINO – Export 1992.              Thornley album

Any more, readers????

1 Comment | Denmark, Europe, Export plates, Finland, France, Germany, Historic, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

2012 – German Car rental in Paris

March 13, 2013

I hope this is of some kind of interest for this Blog –  last year from January to November 2012, I noted the registration of the many German rental cars that visit the streets of Paris.

Here is an overview of the regions and sequences used by the main German rental-car companies:

Hansestadt Hamburg


This Lander uses particular sequences in the following order

1- HH-Bx-8xxx

Overall sequence from HH-BJ 8532 to HH-CI 8795 (not observed from BA to BI then CC to CF and CH)
(Numerical sequence observed from 8033 to 8999)
1 – HH-Ox-7xxx

HH-OA 7172 to HH-OT-7726 (not observed OC to OF OH to OJ, OK, ON, OQ and OR) (Numerical sequence observed from 7019 to 7726).

Observation from HH-OA-7172, HH-OB 7019 then HH-OG 7xxx, HH-OI 7620 to HH-OL 7xxx, HH-OM 7421 then HH-OO 7xxx, OP 7xxxx & HH-OS 7xxx, OT 7726

3 – HH-Px-7xxx (May be the next sequence)

One observation HH-PE-7093

Düren

Düren uses two sequences in this order

1- DN-Hx-xxxx

Overall sequence from DN HO 3746 to DN-HZ 8852 (all series DN-HO to HZ-observed) (numerical sequence observed from 10xx to 9xxx)

2- DN-AA-xxxx (Must be the next sequence) One observation DN-AA 7032

Wiesbaden

Only one sequence observed for Wiesbaden

Overall sequence from WI-AG 8889 to WI-AK 8068 (all series observed from WI-AG to AK) (numerical sequence observed from 1791 to 9694)

München

München’s area seems to have several sequences at the same time, no specific order

M-OA to M-OJ (all series M-OA to OJ observed) (numerical sequence observed in 10xx 9xxx)

M-GA 5042 to M-GD 6556 (all series observed from M-GA to M-GD) (numerical sequence observed from 50xx to 6xxx)

M-AB to M-AG 2912 (not observed AD and AE) (numerical sequence observed from 4226 to 6556)

Neuss

Only one sequence observed  from NE-RQ 4573 to 5365

Bonn

Only one sequence observed from BN-P 744 to BN-P 3168

All photos come from Bruno Vernhes’ collection

Europcar

Hansestadt Hamburg Europcar HH-Ox-7xxx sequence

Hansestadt Hamburg Europcar HH-Bx-8xxx sequence

Hansestadt Hamburg Europcar HH-Cx-8xxx sequence

D-DN-HZ3309-P

Düren DN-Hx-xxxx sequence

Mûnchen M-Gx-xxxx sequence

Bonn BN-P-xxx and xxxx sequence

Neuss NE-RQ-xxxx sequence

3 Comments | Europe, Germany, Rental/Hire | Permalink
Posted by brvernhes