Private plates on buses and coaches

[MikeA]

John Leask and Son in Lerwick have a number of JLS registrations. They're ceasing operating at the end of the month because the owners are retiring.

 

[ChilternTurbo]

I remember the batch of Northern Counties Volvo B10Bs single deckers that London General used for a time on the 88 all had low number K**KLL registrations. I initially assumed that they were just London area 'LL' registrations but apparently they matched the initials of the then MD of London General. I see to remember reading that said MD got into some hot water over this! Interestingly they were all re-registered with Oxford area registrations K***BUD when they were transferred their in the late 90's.

 

[JamesC357]

Borderbus, who operate services around the Norfolk/Suffolk border, have a number of BBxx BUS registrations
They’ve also just taken delivery of a 70 plate E200MMC, so I wonder if that will become BB70 BUS?

 

[awsnews]

Borderbus, who operate services around the Norfolk/Suffolk border, have a number of BBxx BUS registrations
They’ve also just taken delivery of a 70 plate E200MMC, so I wonder if that will become BB70 BUS?

BB70 BUS is on an Evora of Pulhams Coaches

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Yorkshire Coastliner had YCL plates on their Leyland Olympians and the first two Volvo Olympians. K2-7 & L8/9 YCL.

One of those K plates found itself with Centrebus Holdings/Huddersfield Bus Company for a while, prior to them rebranding as Yorkshire Tiger.

 

[ACBest]

One of those K plates found itself with Centrebus Holdings/Huddersfield Bus Company for a while, prior to them rebranding as Yorkshire Tiger.

And a number can now be found at Centrebus Luton depot, generally on busway vehicles.

 

[Eyersey468]

A10 EYC, 794 EYD and 897 EYX were EYMS plates

 

[156443]

A10 EYC, 794 EYD and 897 EYX were EYMS plates

They kept their private plates after transferring from EYMS with the exception of A10 EYC which was transferred to one of GNE’s existing coaches (7108) from the original one (7144) that had it after 7144 was sold a few months ag.

Go North East 7144 / A10 EYC by kieron mathews, on Flickr

 

[ta-toget]

Red Rose have several (not sure if it's all) buses with numberplates E## RRT, where # is a digit or nothing.

 

[156443]

Weardale Motor Services give most of their buses private plates with most of them having the letters WMS in them. Here are some examples.

Weardale Motor Services Y6 WMS by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Weardale Motor Services GO05 WMS by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Weardale Motor Services P6 WMS by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Weardale Motor Services GO59 WMS by kieron mathews, on Flickr

 

[n90gk06s]

The erstwhile operator Shelton Orsborn of Wollaston had the number 310 in all new vehicle registrations from the 60s onwards.

I’ve no idea why 310 was used, does anyone know?

The company was subsequently acquired by Midland Fox. (90s if I recall correctly)

I used to live in Wollaston and 310 was their 'phone number

 

[mainframe444]

Ah!
Thanks for that.

 

[Snow1964]

Faresaver Buses of Chippenham have a few including :
FA54VER (FAreSAVER)
X31BUS (X31 is Chippenham-Bath route)
BU51TOY
YE52BUS
YE54BUS
AMO5BUS

also some old registrations including
KBK750
RRU345
NUH527
LVR164

 

[MotCO]

Parks of Hamilton seem to have a whole range of HSKxxx, KSKxxx and LSKxxx plates.
In total, there are 13 plates in the range HSK 642-HSK 660, 13 plates in the range KSK 948-KSK 986 and 41 plates in the range LSK 444-LSK 879.

How did they acquire so many?

 

[43055]

Notts and Derby coaches have some:
P57 ETO, P58 ETO, YRC 180, YRC 181 and YRC 182. I think one of the YRC plates has been on a number of trentbarton/N&D coaches over the years.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Notts and Derby coaches have some:
P57 ETO, P58 ETO, YRC 180, YRC 181 and YRC 182. I think one of the YRC plates has been on a number of trentbarton/N&D coaches over the years.

Think P57/58ETO are their actual plates (have worn some of the YRC in the meantime) from 1997, rather than private plates.

The YRC plates have been on a number of vehicles in the last 40 years but (courtesy of Dave Flett) were new to Trent on these https://www.flickr.com/photos/90039...t-mU5AYF-VcnQaj-26miJe6-e3Gyk9-284vfY1-ckvsQG

and later

National between two Tiger Cubs

Midland General 449 PRR449R a 1976 Leyland National Mk1 B44D, on layover on E3 Alfreton via Wessington, at Matlock Bus Station on 2 September 1977. Trent 181 and 180 YRC181/180 1962 Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/1 Alexander DP41F are in dual purpose NBC livery being used on local services.

www.flickr.com

 

[awsnews]

Parks of Hamilton seem to have a whole range of HSKxxx, KSKxxx and LSKxxx plates.
In total, there are 13 plates in the range HSK 642-HSK 660, 13 plates in the range KSK 948-KSK 986 and 41 plates in the range LSK 444-LSK 879.

How did they acquire so many?

These series were released by the DVLA around the early nineties and acquired by Parks at that time. This was the first time they had been issued as they weren't used by the time the registration number format changed in

 

[37114]

Faresaver Buses of Chippenham have a few including :
FA54VER (FAreSAVER)
X31BUS (X31 is Chippenham-Bath route)
BU51TOY
YE52BUS
YE54BUS
AMO5BUS

also some old registrations including
KBK750
RRU345
NUH527
LVR164

Faresaver change their fleet reasonably regularly, buying stuff 8 to 10 years old and then keeping it for 2 to 5 years, consequently the plates have been on a fair few vehicles, I think AM05BUS has been on 2 MANs, a solo and is now fitted to an Enviro 200. They used to have EUT193 but I am pretty sure that died with the bus it was fitted too ( an ex Brighton N reg Dennis Dart)

 

[Bald Rick]

Fairly sure that one fo the Luton Airport shuttle bendy buses still has T1 FCC on it.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

I would say the majority of Docherty's Midland Coaches vehicles all have private plates ending 'JDS' apart from the Volvo MCV B8s.

 

[TR673]

BU54 ALL (bus-4-all) is a pretty good one, as seen on this Solo:

Stantons of Stoke BU54 ALL

Probably the best use of a private registration plate ever (unless it is by sheer coincidence - but I doubt it), BU54 ALL translates as 'BUS FOR ALL' - the main idea behind many community transport projects. (although this looks to be no council bus!) I think this is the only classic Solo I...

www.flickr.com

as the comment in the photo says, it was originally destined to to be BU54 YOU, but personally I think BU54 ALL works better.

 

[bussnapperwm]

S1TWM (Travel West Midlands) has been on 3 different vehicles owned by the NX Group in their West Midlands division (A Merc O405GN, A O530GN and now a B7RLE).

C8NEX (Connex) was allocated to a ALX200 dart which found itself being brought as part of the Connex London purchase by the National Express Group and is now allocated to a Merc O405N.

Then you have former National Express Group's R1NEG and R2NEG Optare Spectra vehicles which are no longer with the group

 

[galwhv69]

Quite a few buses in London have personalised plates
Arriva
T82 - WLT982
ENS27 - WLT807
HV64 - WLT664
HV376 - WLT676
Edit (Forgot about the ***CLT ones) :
T5 - 205CLT
T30 - 330CLT (This one may be a Driver Trainer now though?)
T70 - 70CLT
T85 - 185CLT
T93 - 593CLT
DW261 - 361CLT

Stagecoach
12307 - WLT307
10301 (MacMillan Livery Bus) - WLT546

CT Plus
1278 - E8NJB
2548 - E17HCT
2549 - E20HCT

Uno
605 - C17UNO

Sullivans Buses
AE11 - CJ61SUL
AE12 - DS61SUL
AE13 - KR61SUL
AE14 - KS61SUL
AE15 - TW61SUL
AE16 - SB61SUL
AE20 - DS66SUL
AE21 - SB66SUL
AE22 - WB66SUL
AE23 - LS66SUL
AE24 - FS66SUL
AE25 - BL66SUL
AE26 - WW66SUL
AE27 - DB66SUL
E70 - AD17SUL
E71 - AW17SUL
E72 - BW17SUL
E73 - JC17SUL
E74 - JS17SUL
E75 - PB17SUL
E76 - RC17SUL
E77 - RM17SUL
E78 - RS17SUL
E79 - RT17SUL
E80 - SG17SUL
E81 - WG17SUL
SL90 - CP67SUL
SL91 - JF67SUL
SL92 - JJ67SUL
SL93 - KT67SUL
SL94 - LW67SUL
SL95 - MH67SUL
SL96 - PJ67SUL
SL97 - SL67SUL

 

[sonic2009]

MP Travel who run the B52 works service around Warrington & currently the X1 Halton Hospital - Liverpool on behalf of Arriva have private plates on most of their fleet : https://www.mptravel.co.uk/FleetList

 

[Jordan Adam]

MP Travel who run the B52 works service around Warrington & currently the X1 Halton Hospital - Liverpool on behalf of Arriva have private plates on most of their fleet : https://www.mptravel.co.uk/FleetList

The fleet list seems a tad outdated as they've also acquired a E200MMC, Ex-Stagecoach Wright Commuter 21201 and a few B7RLEs from Lothian.

I'm surprised the name on ME69MPT was actually approved, i don't really think here is the place to explain why given it's alternative meanings but it's quite an inappropriate name!..

 

[awsnews]

Given the widespread use of cherished plates across the industry these days I suspect it is harder to find an operator who doesn't have any at all.

 

[GusB]

The fleet list seems a tad outdated as they've also acquired a E200MMC, Ex-Stagecoach Wright Commuter 21201 and a few B7RLEs from Lothian.

I'm surprised the name on ME69MPT was actually approved, i don't really think here is the place to explain why given it's alternative meanings but it's quite an inappropriate name!..

I very much doubt that most people would give it a second thought, to be honest. If you find yourself tittering in the corner, it probably says more about where you mind is located...

 

[CBlue]

The fleet list seems a tad outdated as they've also acquired a E200MMC, Ex-Stagecoach Wright Commuter 21201 and a few B7RLEs from Lothian.

I'm surprised the name on ME69MPT was actually approved, i don't really think here is the place to explain why given it's alternative meanings but it's quite an inappropriate name!..

Having known the owner of MP Travel several years ago, it fits quite well with what i remember his sense of humour being like!

It's a completely harmless joke and if you find that inappropriate then you may be shocked to discover adverts exist for far more overt topics placed in much more than visible locations.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Having known the owner of MP Travel several years ago, it fits quite well with what i remember his sense of humour being like!

It's a completely harmless joke and if you find that inappropriate then you may be shocked to discover adverts exist for far more overt topics placed in much more than visible locations.

Oh no, don't get me wrong i have no issue with it at all. I just found it ammusing that it was actually approved. To be fair "most" people probably aren't aware of the meaning of that word when spelt with a B... Anyway!

I very much doubt that most people would give it a second thought, to be honest. If you find yourself tittering in the corner, it probably says more about where you mind is located...

From what others have said elsewhere it was a bit of a inside joke, so that makes me no worse than them!...

 

[Flange Squeal]

Having known the owner of MP Travel several years ago, it fits quite well with what i remember his sense of humour being like!

It's a completely harmless joke and if you find that inappropriate then you may be shocked to discover adverts exist for far more overt topics placed in much more than visible locations.

With it also being on an age appropriate 69-plate vehicle that is also in Megabus livery, I'd expect most people that notice it's a personalised plate are more likely to think 'ME69' refers to 'MEGA' anyway.