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[Peter Holden]

Not a theory.  As VRO I am sure of my comment.

Peter

[Porkscratching]

Presumably as mentioned earlier, he could for instance, buy a 3-3 plate and transfer that to the vehicle if he really wanted?
The A plate surely isn't forever bonded to the exclusion of anything else ? Or is it.?

[Peter Holden]

Pork scratchings, as stated before a lot of A suffixes are age related registrations provided by DVLA and some of not all are non transferable.  My understanding is that it cannot be taken off the vehicle and therefore cannot be replaced with a "personal" registration which may be a 3 + 3.

I know several club members who have had discussions with DVLA  about their A suffix registrations and they have not been able to make any progress in changing them to something more suitable.

Peter

[Porkscratching]

I see..so non transferable works both ways, you can't  put the re issued number on another vehicle, that much i knew..., but also you can't then put any other number on that vehicle, ie one you've acquired from a dealer in number plates etc etc..interesting, I didn't realise that..

[Peter Holden]

You certainly ly cannot change it for a 3 +3 age related plate and I am waiting for someone to test changing to a personalised reg but I suspect  from the reports of discussions with DVLA a non transferrable  means tha it stays with the vehicle.

However things may change as DVLA apply their own res in different ways.

Peter

[oddjob]

Yes first thing I did when I found out was check on the DVLA.    I'm not one for 'vanity' plates, but I'd quite like the idea of my scruffy diesel P4 wearing a plate whose value was far far greater than the car would ever be worth, even in A1 condition.

I’ve got one just like that. I see people looking at my scruffy Land Rover thinking why doesn’t he sell that plate and get a decent car!

[martinthefirst]

I had a BSA most of my life. When I was a feckless youth I sold the original reg to raise some funds, that was: JJJ 590. The new number issued was: ALA 118A. Some years later the DVLA allowed these A reg numbers to be changed to an age related number, and the bike was issued with: YSJ 193. Sadly now sold, but with the money raised I bought my series 2.

[Porkscratching]

What a great bike and chair outfit !..... I remember when you could drive those on L plates !
It was the way round having a big bike,  ie over 250cc with only a provisional licence..

[Peter Holden]

As you said, it was some years ago.

Many things tha DVLA used to allow in the past they don't allow now.

Peter

[Porkscratching]

Indeed, I'm thinking of back in the 70s when I had bikes..

[Peter Holden]

DVLA were much easier to deal with en, they had local offices and people you could talk to.

Peter

[w3526602]

I remember when you could drive those on L plates

Hi PS,

My memory suggests that law didn't actually say that you couldn't ride them on L-plates carrying unqualified passengers.

If it didn't say you couldn't ... logic implied that you could.

According to the insurers, "chairs" had the best safety record.

Mike Worthington Williams' first motor vehicle was a V-twin motor cycle, with a side car, registered as a taxi, somewhere in West Wales.

I started driving very soon after the Suez Crisis (sp?) when learners still did not need to be accompanied. This concession lasted several months after rationing ceased. So I just took my L-plates off, and carried on driving, passed my test 10th March 1958. I passed it again in 1959, driving a Bedford RL in Blackpool, mixing it with the trams and holiday makers. (Ministry approved, civilian examiner)

602

[88inchthing]

I shouldn't get too bothered by the car being issued an A plate. These are now considered age related but were originally issued over a period a just the new plates, there isn't a date where offices stopped 3+3 and used As, it kind of merged. A is very much a special case in this way.
-Duncan

[Calum]

I had a BSA most of my life. When I was a feckless youth I sold the original reg to raise some funds, that was: JJJ 590. The new number issued was: ALA 118A. Some years later the DVLA allowed these A reg numbers to be changed to an age related number, and the bike was issued with: YSJ 193. Sadly now sold, but with the money raised I bought my series 2.

M33 by the looks? Very nice!

[Ian59]

The DVLA did indeed issue A suffix plates to any vehicle registered prior to 1963 when the original number was sold off in a cherished retention or sale. they did this right through the 80's and well into the 90's from memory.

I bought my 1959 S2 with just such an 'A' suffix plate on it back in 2006 and at that time I was able to write to the DVLA and get it transferred for a 'dateless' 3+3 registration. Interestingly, the new 3+3 plate was not issued under a 'non-transfer' basis so I was free to change it again.

Having found out the original number that was issued in 1959 as part of a V888 request (they gave you much more info then than they will now) I set about trying to track down who owned the original number. For me it was surprisingly easy, as the V888 request included the name of the woman who bought the number off the S2 back in 1991. It also included her address at the time.

Now banking on the idea that most people, may generally move house but many stay in the same area, I searched the phone directories for the area in which she lived at the time and started to systematically ring up the list of people in the area with her initial and surname.

I was pleasantly surprised that on my fifth or sixth attempt, I managed to find her and she still had the number on retention!

After a bit of explanation as to why I wanted the number she agreed to sell it to me at a reasonable sum.

So I now have the original number to put back on the S2 in about 15 years time when I've retired and have the time to restore it!

By then the DVLA will probably have banned the ability to do so, but if you are determined, it is not that difficult to find exactly who owns a number.

Any private detective would be able to do that for you in a very short time, for a fee of course.