Europlate blog

Bahamas and Out-Islands

July 23, 2015

The Bahama Islands have a great variety of numberplate types for different vehicle functions, and many of them are dedicated to the particular island on which they are licenced. Thus a black-on-yellow taxi plate can be seen on every inhabited island, but marked with the Island code:

NP 127 -- Nassau, capital of the Bahamas, uses the code of its island, New Providence, to code its taxi plates. Brumby archive 2015

NP 127 — Nassau, capital of the Bahamas, uses the code of its island, New Providence, to code its taxi plates. This 1997 series is still current. Brumby archive 2015

AB 64 — Abaco Island taxi. Brumby archive 2008

The Exuma Cays which have motors, use the code EX to show their origin.and use the standard black-on-yellow given to all public taxis in the archipelago.

EX 12 — The few Exuma Cays which have motors, use the code EX to show their origin. and use the standard black-on-yellow given to all public taxis in the Bahamian archipelago.

This obsolete Dealer plate from the 1976-97 colour series, was for sale in a fleamarket in Nassau. Brumby archive 2015

OT 5 — This Dealer plate from an unknown colour series, was for sale in a fleamarket in Nassau. Brumby archive 2015

The current white-on-orange Dealer (On Test) plate required a 5-km. pursuit round New Providence, to snap this shot. Bruby archive 2015

OT 313 — The current white-on-orange Dealer (On Test) plate required a 5-km. pursuit round New Providence, to snap this shot. Brumby archive 2015

An early Dealer/On Test plate seen in Nassau in 1986. Brumby archive 1986

OT 78 — A Dealer/On Test plate seen in Nassau in 1986. Brumby archive 1986

30 -- The white-on-black special issue plates are allocated to VIPs

30 — The white-on-black special issue plates are not presently understood. It MAY be that an owner can ask for the re-issue of a pre-independence, numbers-only registration, such as 61, below. Brumby archive 2015

from the 1930s tothe 1960s, Bahamas used a smple numeric registration, in the British style/size and if the cars left the islands, adhesive tags were often added to aid identification. Here, car 61 (a re-issue) on a Triumph 2000 estate car seen in England carries 'Nassau' and 'Bahamas' either side of the number.

Nassau 61 Bahamas — from the 1930s to the 1960s, Bahamas used a simple numeric registration, in the British style/size, and if the cars left the islands, adhesive tags were often added to aid identification. Here, car 61 (a re-issue even then) on a Triumph 2000 estate car seen in 1971 England, carries ‘Nassau’ and ‘Bahamas’ either side of the number. Brumby archive 1971

CD 39 — is from the long-running white-on-blue diplomatic series, made on plastic sheet, rather than the pressed-alloy material of most Bahamas plates. Brumby archive 2015

CD 304 — in Nassau, May 2015. Brumby archive 2015

CD 12 -- see in Ascot, GB, during 1970s. Brumby archive 1973

CD 12 / Bahamas — see in Ascot, GB, during 1970s. Morris Marina estate car. Brumby archive 1973

S 17 — A few horsedrawn carriages ply forhire near the cruise terminal in Hassau and some carry an old black-on-white plate type no longer in use. Brumby archive 2015

A much overpainted carriage plate S 17.

Limousines with uniformed drivers have long had their own 'Livery' plates in the Bahamas. Currently two types exist, both in yellow-on-black, the LI version seeming to be the most recent. Brumby archive 2015

LI 47 — Private-hire Limousines with uniformed drivers have long had their own ‘Livery’ plates in the Bahamas. Currently two types exist, both in yellow-on-black, the LI version seeming to be the most recent. Brumby archive 2015

The other livery format uses the island code on the yellow-on-black plate - though by no means do all the smaller Out Islands have a limousine series, as there is no need. Brumby archive 2015

Livery NP 239 — The other livery format uses the island code on the yellow-on-black plate – though by no means do all the smaller Out Islands have a limousine series, as there is no need. Brumby archive 2015

The former colours for Livery plates from the 1970s to 1995, were black-on-white. This Mercedeswas phot'd in Nassau in 1986. Brumby archive 1986

Livery N/P 213 — The former colours for Livery plates from the 1970s to 1995(?), were black-on-white. This Mercedes was photo’d in Nassau in 1986. Brumby archive 1986

The Livery plates from the 1970s to 1995, were also black-on-white, with variation. Brumby archive 1972

Livery NP 5 — Another version of the Livery plates for the 1970s-1995(?) was also black-on-white, with lettering variation. Brumby archive 1986

Yet another passenger hire usage is for the Tour Cars, in red-on-white, which have had the TC prefix recently supplemented by the island code, in this case, New providence - NP

NP 130 — Yet another passenger hire usage is for the Tour Cars, in red-on-white, which have had the TC prefix recently supplemented by the island code, in this case, New Providence – NP

TC 193 — The other Tour Car series. Brumby archive 2015

23 -- An earlier Tour Car series, thought to be from the 1970s. Brumby archive

23 –– An earlier Tour Car series, thought to be from the 1970s. The new plate is mounted over an NP private car plate. Brumby archive undated

Bahamas buses come in several plate types. Here is a Government bus, which might be seen on any island, without any differentiation. 683 is seen in Geat Exuma. Brumby archive 2015.

Bahamas buses come in several plate types. Here is a Government bus, which might be seen on any island, without any differentiation. Bus 683 is seen on Great Exuma, though there is no evidence of it! Brumby archive 2015.

Bus NP 4 — Black-on-emerald plates are for buses used for tourism purposes, (Tour Bus) and use the island codes prefixes. Brumby archive 2015

Town buses on regular routes in New Providence (Route Buses) use yellow-on-turquoise plates. Brumby archive 2015.

Bus NP 240 — Town buses on regular routes in New Providence and elsewhere (Route Buses) use yellow-on-turquoise plates. Brumby archive 2015.

Black-on-white plates are used for private buses, used by churches, schools, clubs etc. This one is seen in Abaco. Brumby archive 1986

Bus/AB 68/Bahamas — Black-on-white plates are used for privately-0wned buses, for example, used by companies, (some) schools, clubs etc. This one is seen in Abaco. Brumby archive 1986

white on turquoise bus plates are for school buses. AB codes Abaco island. Brumby archive 1986

Bus/AB 55/Bahamas — white on turquoise bus plates are for (public?) school buses. AB codes Abaco island. Brumby archive 1986

Black-on-white plates are used for private buses, used by churches, schools, clubs etc. This church-owned bus is seen in Great Exuma. Brumby archive 2015

Bus /EX 5 /Bahamas – Black-on-white plates are used for private buses, used by churches, schools, clubs etc. This church-owned bus is seen in Great Exuma. Brumby archive 2015

Exuma/10 .. rental motorcycle

Inagua/198 .. rental motorcycle

Abaco/SD 1148 — Abaco rental car Brumby archive 2008

Nassau/SD 2829 — New Providence (Nassau) rental car 2015

Abaco/415 — Abaco private motorcycle 2008

Exuma/372 — private motorcycle

846 — National issue Government motorcycle (seen on Abaco)

Normal Bahama Government plates have shown 'Government over the registration and Bahamas below.

Government /3165/Bahamas — Normal Bahamas Government plates have long shown ‘Government’ over the registration and ‘Bahamas’ below.

Nassau/3739/Government — 2015 sees the first of a variant on the Gvt. theme. Brumby archive 2015

The first Government plates were seen in 1960s London. The new Ford Zephyr Mk 3 was GB-registered 340 EGX under the Home-Delivery Export Scheme, which allowed for collection ex-factory, a period of use in Europe & Britain, then a shipment to the country of purchase. Brumby archive 1960s.

Bahamas/135/Government — The first Government plates seen were in 1960s London. The new Ford Zephyr Mk 3 was GB-registered 340 EGX under the Home-Delivery Export Scheme, which allowed for collection ex-factory, a period of use in Europe & Britain, then a shipment to the country of purchase. Brumby archive 1960s.

Another 1960s government plate, onn an Austin 1100. VB archive c1966

Bahamas 348 Government — Another 1960s government plate, on an Austin 1100. VB archive c1966

MP 30 — Specially-coloured plates for Govt. officers are black-on-mid-blue. MP codes a Member of Parliament. Brumby archive 2015.

CM 10 — CM codes a Cabinet Minister 2015

T 815 — Very few Out Island plates are to be seen
on New Providence. This Eleutheran Cargo (Truck) was one in May 2015, Front plate (rear plates carry adhesive tax renewal strips)

Another island plate seen was this Grand Bahama 55348.

Another Out Island plate seen was this Grand Bahama 55348.

Before each island issued its own plates, they used mainland numeric issues, often with 'OUT ISLANDS' on the home-made plate, and often on a green background with white lettering. This is a 1960s picture taken outside Harrods in London during the early 1960s. Brumby archive c.1962

OUT ISLANDS 8856 BAHAMAS — Before each island issued its own plates, they used mainland numeric issues, often with ‘OUT ISLANDS’ on the home-made plate, and often on a green background with white lettering. This is a picture taken outside Harrods in London during the early 1960s. Brumby archive c.1962

mORE TO FOLLOW………………….

2 Comments | Bahamas | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

Bechuanaland original series?

July 9, 2015

On the link below, is found a photo which might illustrate a previously-unknown system used in the Bechuanaland Protectorate from the 1920s, possibly to 1935. No previous reports/photos are known, but the single ‘B’ could well have coded the territory name for all the few registered vehicles.

Any ideas?

B 141 could be the previously-unknown plate type for the Bechuanaland Protectorate (Botswana from 1966).. 1920s Dodge car.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannes_steyn/2210292102/in/set-72157603611718163/

The above B series was replaced by the BPx type, possibly in 1935, when the country was allocated BP as its International Identification code.

A Vauxhall Cresta BPD 162, seen in GB during 1969, carries the BP-prefixed white-on-black plates which ran from (possibly)1937-1967, when black-on-yellow was introduced. This Hillman Avenger was phot'd in London in 1969. Brumby archive

A Vauxhall Cresta BPD 162, seen in GB during 1969, carries the BP-prefixed white-on-black plates which ran from (possibly) 1935-1966, when the ‘P’ was dropped from the registration. (e.g BPD became BD). Brumby archive

This Hillman Avenger was phot'd in London in 1976, using the new yellow plates, otherwise unchanged. Brumby archive

BD 2198 .. This Hillman Avenger was photo’d in London in 1976, using the new (from about 1974) yellow plates, otherwise system unchanged. D=Gaberones, the capital. (The oval changed from BP to RB (Republic of Botswana) in 1967, then to BW in 2003.) Brumby archive

RB -1967-2003

BW – 2003 >

*************************NAMIBIA

Whilst in Southern Africa, some January 2015 photos of the first-noted Namibian vanity plate, were taken at Eland’s Bay, Western Cape.

EXOTIC 1 NA, the first-noted Namibian vanity plate. Brumby archive

EXOTICA 1 NA from Namibia 2015 Brumby archive

Namibian flag on vanity plate

Thought to be used between 1915 - 1990, when Namibia became independent of South Africa.

Used from 1990, when Namibia became independent of South Africa.

The South-West Africa international oval which applied until independence from South Africa in 1990. NAM thereafter. Brumby archive

A period pic from Janko’s Plateworld, given as 1950, with K from Keetmkanshoop – car 7!

*************************SWAZILAND SNIPPETS

Another historic picture from the Southern African zone, is SD 6018 from the 1922-79 Swaziland series. This Mk1 Ford Cortina was photographed in Britain in the 1960s.
These plates were made for SD in ZA. Brumby archive

Seen in Cape Town in June 2015, a new series of Swaziland Government plates, emulating the South African red digits for state vehicles. Swazi plates have always been made for them by South African manufacturers. GSD is Swazi Govt. and PO is for the Police. Taken by Lester Day

Another Swazi Government issue, coded PR for the Prisons Dept. Lester Day photo 2015.

A normal current Swazi plate type commencing 2010, in which Q 795 B is the registration, SD the country i/d and M codes Manzini district. Brumby archive 2015

A normal current Swazi plate type from the series commencing 2010, in which Q 795 B is the registration, SD the country i/d and M codes Manzini district. Expiry 2017 indicates that car tax covers more than a year,,,, Brumby archive 2015

The eccentric Swazi King Mswati runs a fleet of grand cars just as you would if you were left in charge of the nations’ wallet. Here is one of his vanity plates on his R-R Silver Spur. The central Lion sometimes faces left, sometimes right, possibly according to the political set of his ever-changing aid donors. anon

Windscreen-mounted tax discs are used in Swaziland by those who can afford them. Brumby archive

Windscreen-mounted tax discs are used in Swaziland by those who can afford them. The expression ‘Clearance Certificate’ is unusual. HSD 305 AM Brumby archive

Leave a Comment » | Bechuanaland, Botswana, Historic, Namibia, Southern Africa, Southwest Adfrica, Swaziland | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

Old plates from Yemen

June 22, 2015

ANTONIO BARRAGAN

I have the opportunity to access the photo archives of my close friend Bernt Larsson and I’m glad to share many of these valuable pictures with you all. Some of these are quite old and fortunately I’ve been able to scan the negatives and touch them up for cleaning (speck of dust, scratching, etc.). I hope you will enjoy them.

There will be more, and both Bernt and I are grateful to Vic Brumby for his initiative to start the Europlate blog.

The first batch of negatives illustrate The Aden Colony (1937-63) and Aden Protectorate (1937-62) (or Federation of South Arabia as from 4/4/62) plus a photo from the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen from the 1950s. On 18/1/1963, the two Adens merged to form The Federation of South Yemen.

Independence from Britain came on 30.7.1967, when the short-lived Federation of S.Y. was renamed the People’s Republic of South Yemen.

Description: Armed vehicles carrying machine guns manned by HM the Imam's bodyguard. Location: Yemen Date: 1950-1959 Our Catalogue Reference: Part of CO 1069/677 This image is part of the Colonial Office photographic collection held at The National Archives. Feel free to share it within the spirit of the Commons Please use the comments section below the pictures to share any information you have about the people, places or events shown. We have attempted to provide place information for the images automatically but our software may not have found the correct location. For high quality reproductions of any item from our collection please contact our image library

Fargo brand (US) army vehicles carrying machine guns manned by HM the Imam’s bodyguard.
Location: Yemen Date: 1950-1959. License Plate: ‘YMN 445‘

Now follow a series of South Yemení images taken by a friend of Bernt Larsson at the beginning of the sixties. Some vehicles have two plates for the free transit between the different states of the Federation – presumably.

Lahej 138 & FG 64 & L 8356-Mukayris 340 Abyan (ADN 60s_BL)

The Land Rover on the left has ‘Lahej 138‘ . The right one carries two plates – ‘L 8356‘ (ADN) and ‘Mukayris 340 Abyan‘ and the third has ‘FG 64‘ for the Federal National Guard .

Lodar 68-Dathinah 164 (ADN Audhali-Dathina 60s_BL)

‘Lodar 68‘ from Audhali Sultanate in the front and ‘Dathinah 164‘ painted on the bumper.

Two registration in one Land Rover plate: ‘Abyan 1122‘ and ‘Yafa Sahel 398‘. A Hillman Minx is driving by, L 234 from Aden Colony.

Yafa Sahel 139-Abyan 470 & L 6849 (ADN 60s_BL)

Two registrations in one plate: ‘Yafa Sahel 139‘ and ‘Abyan 470‘. On the right one can distinguish an Opel Rekord with the plate ‘L 6849‘ from Aden Colony and a circa 1958 Standard Vanguard Ensign L 4355.

Another double- registration. ‘PHS 26′ (unknown code) and ‘1 ADN 223‘ from the government (1) vehicle series.

Finally a jeep from the former Yemen Arab Republic with the license plate ‘ J‘A Al-Yemeniya 906 ‘

The Yemen Arab Republic, also known as North Yemen and as Yemen (San’aa) existed between 1962 and 1990 , when it united with PDRY (South Yemen) 22/5/90, forming Republic of Yemen.

********************

We cannot resist adding another of Bernt's Aden pictures, because it is carried by a most unlikely vehicle for the tough conditions in the Yemen area, This is a very rare Goggomobil TL van, more info on which is found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goggomobil

L 7728 from the 1960-63 Aden Colony series. We cannot resist adding another of Bernt’s Aden pictures, because it is carried by a most unlikely vehicle for the tough conditions in the Yemen area. This is a very rare, lightweight Goggomobil TL van, more info on which is found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goggomobil Bernt Larssen archive

1 Comment | Aden, Yemen | Tagged: Aden, historic, Middle East, Yemen | Permalink
Posted by barri56es

Faked vehicle registration

May 11, 2014

PLATEPETER writes from Austria:

I found this car last week and could recherche (I found) that an Austrian citizen used this Austrian unregistered car for the last five years with this historical British import-plate. He parked and drove in Vienna without a driving licence and also had some troubles with police in respect of alcohol, but the discrepancy of the faked British registration never came to light… QK is a circa 1964 issue!

In 1964, when QK was a current issue, this Mercedes was bought in England for subsequent export, and so was issued with a 'Q' plate for it's temporary stay in UK.

In 1964, when QK was a current issue, this new Mercedes was purchased in England for subsequent export, and so was issued with a ‘Q’ plate for it’s temporary stay in UK.

The ‘Q’ series had a long history in Britain, starting in 1921. Another use for them was to temporarily register a visiting car from a country which did not subscribe to the international conventions. Thus they were unable to circulate using their foreign registration plates. This vehicle entered GB for a rally in 1932, and the Automobile Association issued it this QE 475 tag for the duration. The AA and the RAC were authorised to allocate these plates on behalf of the State, to facilitate motor tourism, as all the complex services were offered by those two venerable Clubs.

The international settlement of Tangiers, the enclave in (former) Spanish Morocco, was among the territories which required local plates in many of the countries they might visit. Here is a Standard 14(?) just pre- or post-war, using QC 8825 for a visit to Britain in about 1948. Pemberton archive

DOUBLE-CLICK to enlarge any image

The Scottish RAC also had a batch of 'Q' plates to hand to visiting motorists, many of whom were US servicemen, at Scottish bases. QS 2801 is seen here on vacation in Paris, during the 1950s, the 'S' showing its Scottish RAC provenance.

The Scottish RAC also had a batch of ‘Q’ plates to hand for visiting motorists, many of whom were US servicemen, at Scottish bases. QS 2801 is (just) seen here on vacation in Paris, during the 1950s, the ‘S’ showing its Scottish RAC provenance. (anon)

9 Comments | Austria, Britain, Tangiers Free Zone, Temporary Importation | Permalink
Posted by platepeter

Malaysia 2014

May 1, 2014

May 1 MALAYSIA UPDATE and NOTES ON SUFFIXES

The use of a suffix serial letter has now been adopted by mainland Malaysia, though only in Kuala Lumpur Wilaya at present, to further extend the life of its longstanding LLL nnnn format, which has run there since 1971.

The expired three-letter, four-number series which, in the case of W code, ran from 1974-2013.

The expired three-letter, four-number series which, in the case of W code, ran from 1971-2013 using WAA-WYY 1-9999 (except I,O & Z).

And the new series, using a serial suffix letter, with 'A' starting it of in September 2013.

And the new series, using a serial suffix letter, with ‘A’ starting it off in September 2013. It will further develop via WA-WY 1-9999 A-Y and WAA-WYY 1-9999 A-Y

April 2014 saw the first of the W suffixes for the Wilaya of Kuala Lumpur.
Vic Brumby 2014 via Dominique

Malaysian suffixed serial letters were first noted on Langkawi Island, which had been allocated code KV from the Kedah State (K) registration dept. in ?1984?. When KV 9999 was reached, instead of issuing KVA 1-9999, the new idea of a suffix serial was added, starting KV 1 A, maybe about 1990..

KV 336 .. KV, Langkawi’s first dedicated code probably began about 1984. 2000 shot-V. Brumby

The late 1970s saw the introduction of a serial suffix, which at 2014, has reached N.

KV 6829 A .. The 1990s saw the introduction of a serial suffix to the KV code, seen there in 2000, and which at 2014, has reached N. (VB 2000)

Taxis on the island use the national series registrations, but with reversed colours.

KV – A & B .. .. Taxis on the island use the normal Langkawi registrations, but with reversed colours, just as in the rest of Malaysia’s taxis. There is no Distance-Taxi series on the island (which if there had been, would have read: HKV 2345). VB picture 2000.

Langkawi is guessed to be now at around suffix N. More registrations are used here than the island warrants, because it is a duty-free zone and mainland Malaysians like to buy expensive new cars there tax-free, to use elsewhere; this ‘off-shoring’ greatly inflates the KV figures. Perhaps this will be stopped one day, but meanwhile a rich man from Johore, for example, can save US$100,ooo on a new Lamborghini/Bentley, by avoiding the heavy luxury-car tax of the mainland.

This owner saved a bundle by registering in tax-free Langkawi.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarawak began to issue a Q suffix to its plates around 1991 (validation needed), to separate its regional codes from those of Peninsular Malaysia and from those of Sabah, which overlapped each other with district codes J, K, T, A, D, M and B. Between 1991 and 1993, owners had to have added a suffix ‘Q’ to their pre-1991 plates or stop using the vehicle.

The Q suffix attached to Sarawak plates from c.1991 on. In this case, that ‘Q’ would distinguish between this B for Sarawak’s 2nd Division (Sri Aman) and B for Malaya’s Selangor State. Brumby archive 2009

Since the unification of Peninsular Malaya and the two Borneo territories in 1963, forming Malaysia, K 2345 from Kuching (Sarawak) could park next to K 2345 from Kedah (Malaya) and K 2345 from Kudat (Sabah-former British North Borneo)! Officially, the international oval for them all became MAL.

At least, before those times, the Sarawak one would have carried an SK international oval and the Sabahan one, an SNB (1938-55) oval or a CNB oval (1955-63). Neither of these ovals has ever been photographed (unless YOU know different!)

Examples of the confused state of the combined Malaysia from 1963…..

K 4757, unfortunately without a FM or PTM oval, is from Kedah state in Peninsular Malaya, borne by a Morris Minor. VB archive

Malaya K 4757, pre-dating the MAL oval, but unfortunately without either a FM (1948-57) or PTM (1957-63) oval, is from Kedah state in Peninsular Malaya, borne by a 1950’s Morris Minor. Brumby archive

This Kuching-registered Simca 1000 was seen in Islamabad in 1965! Vic Brumby archive

Sarawak K 9033 .. This Kuching-registered Simca 1000 was seen in Islamabad (PAK) in 1965! Brumby archive

This was originally K 314 from Sabah, before the law required a suffix 'S' to be added to avoid confusion with Malaya and Sarawak K's.

CNB — This was originally K 314 from Kudat, Sabah/Colony of North Borneo, before the new law required a suffix ‘S’ to be added to avoid confusion with the Malayan and Sarawak K’s. VB archive

However, as so few vehicles moved between the territories in those times, it took the various authorities some long time to recognise the situation. About 1967, they added E as a prefix for new registrations in Sabah (for East Malaysia) (about 1967). and at unknown later date, added an S suffix to existing plates. This is a complicated time in Sabah plate history and remains to be correctly, precisely dated.

East Malaysia (Bornean Sabah - formerly British North Borneo) inserted a leading 'E' to distinguish a Jesselton registration from that of a Johore vehicle. From 1963.

East Malaysia (part of which is Sabah – formerly British North Borneo) inserted a leading ‘E’ to distinguish a Jesselton J registration from that of a mainland Johore J vehicle. EJ 2053 possibly from 1967. Brumby archive

Later in Sabah, the E prefix was dropped and an ‘S’ prefix was added to differentiate its regional codes J, K, T, A, D, M, and B from the identical Mainland/Sarawak/Singapore codes: (Jesselton/Johore(J), Kudat/Kedah/Kuching(K), Tawau/Trengganu(T), Kota Kinabulu/Perak(A), Tawau/Kelantan(D), Malacca /Miri(M), and Beaufort/Selangor(B).

Unlike the Langkawi series, the Q and S suffixes in the Bornean states were not serial letters, however, and are mentioned only because they were a stage in the change to serial suffixes now in use in both the Bornean ‘countries’, starting with the two capital towns, which register the most vehicles and so lead any system changes.

Kuching-Sarawak now issue the format QAA 2345 A-B-C etc. and Kota Kinabulu-Sabah ‘SAA 2345 A-B-C etc. Kuala Lumpur Wilaya will follow suit with WA 2345 A-B-C etc. within a few weeks and WAA 2345 A-B-C in the distant future.

Sarawak’s current series uses the alphabetic serial suffix. Brumby archive

Sabah’s current series uses the alphabetic serial suffix. Brumby archive

*******

Now has come the turn of the first Malaysian mainland registration authority to exhaust its LLLnnnn series, and commence a serial suffix. Kuala Lumpur capital city (titled a ‘Wilaya’, or autonomous region) used up its codes WA-WY 1 – 9999 – then WAA -WYY 1-9999 – and commenced W 1-9999 A in September 2013. (W 1-9999 without suffix wasn’t employed, W having once been allocated to Province Wellesley, the mainland section of modern Penang, which only issued W from 1948-57.) Unbelievably, it is actually possible to obtain a W plate of that Wellesley series from the authorities, for lots of money, and thus sport a most unusual vanity plate! (From a territory of which most modern Malaysians would know ever existed.)

W 1111 — a former Province Wellesley mark from the 1950s, somehow re-born on a 2012 car…. VB archive

Remarkably, WA 1-9999 A is expected to start in May or June 2014, indicating the volume of new registrations of all vehicles at over 200,00o in 9 months. There are also local taxis which carry a different plate type, and so are not counted in that figure.

Current Local Taxi series has reached HW-E Brumby archive 2013

Kuala Lumpur alone has over 30,000 registered taxis. They use separate HWA-E (2014 currently E) 1-9999 plates, in black on white.

The majority of this run on new registrations is taken up by light motorcycles. In just one day recently, the Transport Dept. registered 1000 new numbers. Predictably, and despite an excellent urban highway system, the city often gridlocks.

‘Distance’ Taxis, licenced to drive out-of-state, use registrations from the normal series, but made in black on white. So far, not many seem to have been registered since Sept. 2013, as a serious hunt for some weeks, produced only one sighting, depicted here for the first time:

Issued from the normal series, taxis entitled to travel interstate use plates with reversed colours and are rarely seen in the Wilaya area. Vic Brumby archive 2014

W 4575 K .. Issued straight from the normal sequence, taxis entitled to travel interstate have their plates made up with reversed colours – and are rarely seen in the Wilaya area, for some reason. Vic Brumby archive 2014

Work in progress….

5 Comments | Borneo, Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

Caribbean Offers

April 8, 2014

The Masterpieces Sotheby’s couldn’t handle!

Quentin Henderson, long-term member, apiarist, plateman and oddfellow, cannot join us at Thierhaupten at Easter, because, naturally, he is walking across America.

But to ameliorate our dolour at his absence, he has very sportingly sent some rare plates for the auction, which we hold to swell Club funds and ensure a luxury retirement for those who have held the Europlate Presidential chain of office.

Here they are, as they have arrived by post; I have not cleaned them, but they are in good order, with just a whiff of rum detected when one holds them directly to the nose.

P 5924 — 1969-99 were the years of issue of the plain ‘P’ plates for Private vehicles on Kitts & Nevis. Prior, the Islands used ‘CN’ (Christopher and Nevis).

P 4829 — Private vehicle, Kitts & Nevis, plate via Quentin Henderson.

P 9999 was issued and PA was first issued in 1997

E – 487 — Of the Dutch Antilles, the most unusual are Saba and ‘Statia’. Quentin’s haul from Sint Eustatius was was taken on a day trip he took there some years ago. (He may have swum over to it from Nevis – the history of his acquisitions is given at the obverse of all his auction plates.) Formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles, Sint Eustatius became a special municipality within the Netherlands on 10 October 2010. The name means ‘a good place to settle’. And a good place to have a plate from!

CD 07 — Here is a true oddity. Saint Christopher and Nevis is a Commonwealth Realm, whose sovereign is that of the United KIngdom. I had not thought that such a status warranted diplomatic representation by foreign embassies and that The Federation of ‘Kitts & Nevis’ might not even need embassies in such a tiny place. However, Quentin produces this remarkable CD plate, showing salt-erosion evidence that it has been out and about there for quite a time. Yellow on blue is the idiosyncratic colour-set for the West Indies CDs (though nowhere else) -= so that’s OK, – but why a leading zero, for goodness’ sake???? Only St. Kitts applies leading zeroes…… There could be some hot bidding for this Extremely Rare Plate….. Thank you Quentin! JULY 2015 – The plate never made it to Thierhaupten as planned, and was therefore not auctioned. Held over until 2016……..

M 551 — A delight to see this characteristic font, which applies only to Montserrat, where still, many/most plates are painted on any old piece of steel/alloy sheet. This was captured on Nevis, from a car which changed islands.

…. as was this……

See some of you at Thierhaupten at Easter!

4 Comments | Diplomatic, Kitts & Nevis, Leeward Islands W. Indies, Montserrat, Sint Eustatius, West Indies | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

Malaysia Dealer change

March 21, 2014

When Kuala Lumpur exhausted its three-letter/four number series in September 2013, with WYY 9999, a new series began with W 9999 A, in which the suffix A would alphabetically proceed to B, C etc., as far as W 9999 Y. (Z will be excluded in case of confusion with the military, which always uses Z.) Other suffix exclusions are I, J and O – oddly, suffix Q is used even though it is associated as an identifier for Malaysian Sarawak. By mid March 2014, the letters in suffix are almost used up! T is the latest seen but we believe there are some U’s and V’s out there…. (now confirmed March 30, 2014). We know W suffix starts in May or June. Then X and Y will complete this cycle and the next batch will be WA 1234 A-Y, then WB etc.

W 3767 T is the latest seen, as at 21/3/2013. W codes Wilaya, the title of the autonomous zone of Kuala Lumpur within Selangor state. Brumby archive

this was the Wilaya dealer plate layout which was found to conflict with the new regular plates, so had to be redesigned.

This was the former Wilaya dealer plate layout which was found to conflict with the new regular plates, even though normals are black and the Dealer ones are dark blue, so the Dealer layout had to be redesigned…..

and this is the replacement Trade Plate for new issues, which will probably replace the former.

….and this is the replacement Trade/Deale pllate for new issues, which will progressively replace the former design, but for now, only in the W region of Malaysia. Still silver on blue, and retaining the 1950s British font. I wonder where they are made?

An interesting sighting related to the Motor Dealer category of the Malaysian system, has been this towing-plate, properly constructed and possibly an authorised type, though the first ever seen and photographed.

Photo missing)

Leave a Comment » | Dealer, Malaysia | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

Spanish Morocco (ME)

March 3, 2014

Editing some of John Pemberton’s 1960s sightings in London, I came across his ME 8243 reported on a motor-cycle in 1967. Too young to remember an ME series – and an ME international oval – I wrote to JP to challenge his script!

He soon confirmed that, in his day, he had seen SEVERAL (ME) plates and he referred me to an illustration in Mr. Parker’s worthy tome ‘RPW – The Mediaeval Years’. Well – there it was – and soon after, Plate-King Fox sent over the photos of TWO such plates in his collection, safely hidden away in Kentucky or some such reservation.

The reversed shades of this Spanish Morocco has Jim puzzled ; has anyone any ideas? Fox plate collection

ME 2910 shows the colour layout expected of the Spanish territories. Jim has had these plates for many years.

Our Spanish team leapt in to action and Bernt and Antonio fielded several very early photos which I hope they won’t mind the Blog sharing with the Blogmen. They are absolutely amazing – to think that images have survived from that distant period – in that little-known territory!

Many thanks for these, Antonio and Bernt………….

Presumably, when Morocco gained independence from Spain and France, in 1956, the commonly-used ME prefix for the Spanish whole was dropped and the individual enclaves which Spain retained, were allocated specific codes ML, CE, IF, SH and RM?

Historian Bernt??

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2 Comments | Africa, Spanish Morocco | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

OMAN and a little more of the Gulf

March 3, 2014

A great air-route to take between some European airports and Malaysia, is via OMAN, formerly known as the Sultanate of Oman and/or Muscat and Oman , until July 1970. It is a happy. prosperous and politically-settled arab country of 1.5m. population, which welcomes all visitors without concern for race or religion – a boon in these present times.

Oman Air is an example of the new Gulf airlines increasingly (and cheaply) serving the East-West-East routes via their extravagant airport hubs in the former dunes and inhospitable terrain of the desert, now built up and planted with parks, trees and fine turf. Muscat, Oman’s capital, is well worth a few days’ stop-over for the dedicated plate-o-phile, and visiting vehicles from the other Gulf states are often to be seen, as a spotter’s bonus.

The background colour is what differentiates the many types of Oman licence-plates, from yellow for private vehicles, red for commercially-used vehicles of all sorts, mid-blue for export plates, white for officials of all types save the dark blue for police, to turquoise for dealers and temporary plates. The military units, royal protection and palace household maintenance fleets each have their own series.

Private vehicles use black on yellow, a serial number and a one- or two-lettered serial, having no coding. Not all the letters of the alphabet are used.

D 31516 .. Bentleys are less seen in Oman than in the nearby UAE states. Brumby archive 2014.

HD 68 .. Low numbers can be bought for a premium if not previously allocated. then kept for transfer to new cars later. ( Not much later, in the oil-rich Gulf countries….) Brumby archive 2014

There are few motorcycles. Those seen all carried the letters LK, indicating a defining code. Brumby archive 2014

This seems to be a plate carried by learner-drivers on motorcycles, until they pass their test. Brumby archive 2014

L 1966 .. This seems to be a supplementary plate carried by learner-drivers of motorcycles, until they pass their test. Brumby archive 2014

Commercial plates are red:

The red plates distinguish vehicles used for hire and reward - a few are coded, including this K-prefixed for Taxi. K, KA/B/C etc. Brumby archive 2014

The red plates distinguish vehicles used for hire and reward – a few are coded, including this K-prefixed example for Taxis. K, KA/B/C etc. Brumby archive 2014

Hire cars use the 'T' prefix, starting with a single 'T', then A/B etc. Current issue is TB/ at Feb. 2014. Brumby archive 2014

Hire cars use the ‘T’ prefix, starting with a single ‘T’, to 9999, then TA/B etc. Current issue is TB/ at Feb. 2014. Brumby archive 2014

Minibuses with multiple seats, and which can take some cargo, use code KK and are little seen in the main town of Muscat. Brumby archive 2014

YB 9439 .. standard truck plate on a heavy 6-wheeler. Brumby archive 2014

Parked nearby, we see the current Bahrein plate, in dark blue on white, with striped figures. Brumby archive 2014

Parked nearby, we see the current Bahrain plate, in dark blue on white, with striped figures, 281422. (You can double-click on images, to enlarge them.) Brumby archive 2014

TRADE PLATES & TEMPORARY

21930 .. Turquoise dealer plates are a common sight in Mutrah and Muscat. The high number of this current, 2014 annual-issue seems odd. Brumby archive

21930 .. Turquoise dealer plates are a common sight in Mutrah and Muscat. The number of this 2014 current, annual-issue seems rather high. They are issued, re-dated, each year. Brumby archive

Trade plates with a month number preceding the year are issued as temporary registrations - or were - as only this one, from 2013, was seen. Perhaps the series is discontinued? Vic Brumby archive

February 2013 interim/temporary .. Trade plates with a month number preceding the year are issued as temporary registrations – or were – as only this one, 422 from 2013, was seen. Perhaps the series is discontinued? Vic Brumby archive

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

Goverment ministries have great fleets of vehicles of every type. From Ministry 31 comes reg.666. Brumby archive

Government ministries have great fleets of vehicles of every type. From Ministry 31 comes reg.666. Brumby archive

The Ministry Pulic Works registers some motorcycles for transport of gardeners to the far reaches of the towns, to the parks, highway verges and floral roundabouts. Here an inspector checks on a Tamil labourer near the airport. Brumby archive

The Ministry of Public Works (54) registers some motorcycles for transport of gardeners to the far reaches of the towns, to the parks, highway verges and floral roundabouts. Here an inspector checks on a Tamil labourer near the airport. Brumby archive

4-167 .. closer look at the Oman Ministry motorcycle variant.

54-1678 .. A closer look at the Oman Ministry of Public Works (54) motorcycle variant dimensions.

This Ministry plate could be the chief of department 366. The script read OMAN.

This Ministry plate could be the Minister/Chief of department no. 366. The script reads MUSCAT. All such are seen on mighty, new cars; the lucky fellows riding in the back must all be very good at their jobs……. Brumby archive

THE ROYAL HOUSE

The Top Banana has a number of specially-plated grand cars, one of which we find parked, open to photography. Brumby archive

The Very Top Banana has a number of specially-plated Very Grand Cars, one of which we find parked near the palace, un-manned, so open to photography. Among the World’s most handsome plates?? Brumby archive

The Sultan has two sorts of mates, to whom he hands slightly different plate designs, which seem to have replaced the former types shown in RPWO. Brumby archive

VIP 900 .. The Sultan seems to have two sorts of mates, to whom he hands slightly different VIP plate designs, which seem to have replaced the former types shown in RPWO. Brumby archive

Another sort of close friend or relative? Brumby archive 2014

THE HIRED HANDS

The staff of the palace and grounds are plated separately, too so that when the butler has to dash to the soukh to fetch tomato ketchup, he can park with impunity. Brumby archive 2014.

The staff of the palace and grounds’ vehicles are plated separately, so that when the butler has to dash to the soukh to fetch more tomato ketchup, he can park with impunity. Brumby archive 2014.

1028 .. Royal Household staff.

UNKNOWN TYPE

and another variant yet unidentified - and the only one seen. Brumby archive 2014

8209 .. another variant yet unidentified – and the only one seen. Taken by subterfuge, under the gaze of officialdom. Brumby archive 2014

The Palace Guard has a few light vehicles around the Big House, closely watched by soldiers, albeit cheerful, but zealous in their guardianship. You have to join the army to get a decent picture. These chaps have a system other than the regular army, using up to 3 numbers, a shield and a symbol, in cream on a mid-brown field. Brumby archive 2014

POLICE (Handsome plates)

The well-made insignia of the Omani police plates. Brumby archive

The stencilled insignia of the Omani army plates. Brumby archive 2014

4999 .. Army Land-Rover. Brumby archive 2014

The Oman navy insignia………

…..carried on light bus 437. Brumby archive 2014

THE DIPLOMATS

Dip. plates have optional US or Euro dimensions, the differences seen here: 1 indicates an ambassador.

1/16 .. Oman Dip. plates have optional US or Euro dimensions, the differences seen here and below: 1 indicates an unknown embassy, favouring the 12×6-inch (?) yanqui measurements . Brumby archive 2014

Embassy 16 seems to be ROK Korea, as it was parked outside their tent. Brumby archive 2014

Several 8-coded cars were parked outside the Saudi-Arabian embassy.

A United Nations car was seen, bearing identical black/white plates, but with U.N. in place of C.D. In the ensuing chase, I neither got the picture nor noted the registration…….. But I did back in to a bollard during the turn-round, which lost me a few seconds, and quite a few rials when Europcar received it later for exchange. Well – all hobbies cost something, don’t they?

ODD BODS

A roving Kuwaiti on Muscat. The series number 6 is part of the batch 1-49 allocated to private vehicles and are always black on white. Brumby archive 2014 Oman

A roving Kuwaiti in Muscat. The series number 6 is part of the batch 1-49 allocated to private vehicles and which are always black on white. Brumby archive 2014 Oman

Export plates are normally seen OUTSIDE their country of issue, but this was a lucky find at the main port Al-Qaboos.

HISTORIC OMAN.

From inception (year unknown) Muscat and Oman, as it then, had owner-supplied plates, usually painted, with an arabic serial number over the arabic 'Oman'. ThIs Land Rover travelled out-of-state to be photographed in London during 1964. There were few roads and very few vehicles. It's British re-registration has YU for London and a number between 10 and 99 usually indicated a used-import re-registration. Brumby archive 1964

From inception in Trucial Oman (year unknown) Muscat and Oman, as it became, had owner-supplied plates, usually painted, with an arabic serial number over the arabic ‘Oman’. This lwb Land Rover travelled out-of-state to be photographed in London during 1964, and had to mount a white translation plate for that purpose. The low number 667 illustrates the absence of proper roads and the very few vehicles. It’s 1960s (C) British re-registration is coded YU for London and a number between 10 and 99 usually indicated a used-import re-registration. Brumby archive 1964

464 .. A similar M&O plate from the Bernt Larsson archive 1960s

The only sand-cast Omani plate recorded is part of the World Collection of Mister Music, Jim Fox. Also from the 50s-72 original series.

336 .. The only sand-cast Omani plate recorded is part of the World Collection of Mister Music, Jim Fox. This is also from the 1950s-circa 1972 original series.

From the 1970s until 1986, the few vehicles in Oman carried black on yellow plates for private and white on black for commercial usage. Brumby plate 1973

From the 1970s until 1986, the few vehicles in Oman carried officially- pressed black on yellow plates for private – and white on black for commercial usage. And not very well painted………. Brumby plate 1973

12814 .. Seen in Britain in the 1970s is an on-car shot of the circa 1970 private series, from the Terry Gray archive

12814 .. Seen in Britain in the late 1970s is an on-car shot of the circa-1972-1986 private series, from the Terry Gray archive

1970s-86 commercial vehicle, using white on black pressed, thin alloy plates. Brumby plate c1980.

MORE ODDMENTS:

BLD 3252 .. The odd Saudi is seen in Oman, via a magnificent cross-desert motorway to the border………… Brumby archive 2014

……..and mixed UAE plates, including exports. Brumby archive 2014.

Finally, Dubai sent over a couple of plates, to improve the set Brumby archive 2014

Finally, Dubai sent over a couple of plates, to improve the set. The dating seems to give expiry at March 2nd. – but which year, Cedric?? Brumby archive 2014

N 27443 .. The current Dubai 2004 series is not very thrilling, in my view, partly due to the dreary font they chose – a bit like the font which Sweden introduced, then withdrew, through lack of interest! Brumby archive 2014

SO – Oman’s worth a visit…………………..

Now on to Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia)

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5 Comments | Bahrein, Kuwait, Military, New Find, Oman, Qatar, rental, Royal House, Saudi Arabia, UAE | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby

Angola

December 10, 2013

Angolan Developments,

pre-and post-Portugal.

updated 29/12/2013

1920s-1955

When the Portuguese took the first motor vehicles to their massive West African colony of Angola is not recorded, but we might expect it to have been in the 1910s or 1920s. They established their capital on the Atlantic coast at Luanda and for the first many years, the few vehicles there were, were registered there, using an L prefix, followed by up to five numerals. Oddly, for a Portuguese territory, those numerals were not split in to pairs by the characteristic dash – though evidence shows that the Luanda letter L was so separated from the serial number (below). Mozambique, Madeira and the Azores also dodged the numbers’ dash separator in those early years, finally adopting it . One of only two pictures Europlate has of that Luanda series is supplied by John Pemberton, who saw this Nash in London in the 1940s. (and RPWO shows late issue L-11006)

L-7234 shot by EU83 in the 1940s, when the international oval for Portuguese West Africa (Angola) was PAN, but the oval was never seen and cars bore the P oval when abroad. This owner had a separate alloy nameplate cast - great! The image was almost illegible, but the clever manipulation of Antonio in Barcelona recovered this good picture.

L-7234 shot by EU83 in the 1940s, when the international oval for Portuguese West Africa (Angola) was PAN – but that oval was never seen and cars bore the P oval when abroad. This American Nash owner had a separate alloy nameplate cast – great! This photo was originally almost illegible, but the clever manipulation of Antonio Barragan Lopez in Barcelona recovered this good picture.

1955?-1996?

In about 1955 the system changed to AAA 12-34. A letter from the motoring association there in 1960 advised us that there were no regional codes – everything was licenced from the capital.

This correspondence with deceased member Roger Anderson advises ‘no regional codes – just alpha sequence. Note the reference to the ‘new’ series – we believe it had commenced 5 years before, in 1955!

And so, between 1958 and 1978, we saw AAD (1976), AAK (’90), AAV (’64), ABA (’78), ACR (’64), ALA (’69), ALV (’58), ATE (’58), ANR (’64), AVM (’69).

From 1961, Angolan rebels fought the Portuguese colonial military for independence, until, in 1974, a military coup détat in Portugal itself resulted shortly after (1975) in that former dictatorship surrendering all their African ‘overseas provinces’ to home rule. The end of that war after the Carnation Revolution military coup of April 1974 in Lisbon resulted in the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Portuguese citizens – plus military personnel of European, African and mixed ethnicity from the former Portuguese territories and other newly independent African nations. From May 1974 to the end of the 1970s, over 1 million citizens left these former colonies, and would restart their lives predominantly in Portugal, South Africa, North America, the rest of Western Europe and Brazil (Wikipedia)

It is no surprise, then, that plate spotters of the 60’s and 70’s were able to see a few Angolan plates circulating in other countries, as many people who were able, left that unhappy land – probably with their cars laden with whatever possessions they could pack, and escaping by crossing land borders between Angola and Zaire, Zambia, and (now) Namibia. Doubtless a windfall for customs and immigration opportunists at those border ‘offices’……

Angola’s second series,which commenced in 1955, is exemplified by AAD/70–12, seen in Paris in 1976 on a Mazda. The roofrack would have been useful for the evacuation! Brumby archive

ATE 01-69 on a Borgward Isabella estate car in 1968 London. The question arises: How come, in only the 3 years from the 1955 series start, Angola issued alphabetically as far as ‘T’ – IF indeed, their plates were issued in serial order – AAA, AAB, AAC etc? Was the ATCA auto-club letter wrong? Or was it only referring to Luanda-registered vehicles? Brumby archive.

AVM and ATE: There are no city or county names in Angola which begin with T or V – so what might they be?

ACR could possibly be from Cabinda, the Angolan exclave within DRCongo and bordered by Republic of Congo-Brazzaville. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinda_Province

ATE – Cabinda has the local name of Tchiowa. Unlikely the Portuguese would have referred to that in a code.

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In the Johannesburg military museum is an army lorry captured in one of the many 60s-70s scraps in Angola, still with the military plate, though illegible. Brumby archive

?3-12-81 .. In the Johannesburg military museum is an army lorry captured in one of the many 60s-90s scraps in Angola, still with its Portuguese-looking military plate, though frustratingly, partly illegible. Brumby archive

1996-2004

Eventually, peace reigned and motor registrations resumed, but now, the three-letter prefix was altered to use the two first letters to code new regional licencing offices, and one serial letter to follow. Many specialist vehicles were brought in from overseas to rebuild the ruined infrastructure, including the mine-clearance trucks built in South Africa, pictured below. The green background shows that the lorry has been imported free of import duties, and if it is not re-exported, but sold locally when withdrawn from service, it would have to re-register with normal white on black plates.

LD is for Luanda in the 1996-2004 series, in green to indicate its duty-free import status. LDI-42-55. Brumby archive

(AN 96-04)(0tax)KK.Menongue-Longa road_resize

LB is for the independently-registered city of Lobito – 1996-2004. A tax-free import Land Rover LBA-33-88 engaged in mine-clearing, with The Halo Trust. (Looks like a Czech Tatra or a Russian truck in the ditch…..) Brumby archive via Peter Renwick

All in a days' work for some brave volunteers.

LBA-45-51 .. All in a days’ work for some brave international volunteers.

2002 sighting in Namibia was this possible Luanda reg.

LDN/62-97 – 2002 sighting in Namibia was this Luanda-registered Isuzu tourist. Brumby archive

and another Namibian-based sighting. Cabinda can also be spelled with a K - is this from the exclave?

and another Namibian-based sighting. KE=Cunene province.

2004 ~

sees the current series introduced, using the new two-letter area codes from the 1996 series – and now with a two-letter series suffix. Here a duty-free and a duty-paid examples, both from the capital.

So little is known about this benighted country and so few records are likely to have survived the decades of war that any slight information or images which readers might be able to add, would be a most valuable contribution.

END OF ANGOLA – FOR NOW.

3 Comments | Angola | Permalink
Posted by Victor Brumby