Private plates on buses and coaches

[GusB]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Mayne's of Buckie - a fairly large coach operator in my part of the world. Many of the coaches have "GSM" in their number plates, which were the initials of the late Gordon Mayne. Quite a few have M***YNE, and there's one KGM, which I assume is the current boss's initials.

Historically they also used "BCK", which was the code used on Buckie-registered fishing boats.

Their fleetlist is here (dated 2019), for anyone who is interested:

Fleet List - Maynes Coaches

We are proud to share our fleet list with you here. Maynes regularly invests in securing the best vehicles on the market to ensure our clients comfort and safety. From 4 seater luxury cars to 74 seater purpose built high capacity coaches we have a suitable vehicle for every requirement.

www.maynes.co.uk

 

[DJames]

It's currently on the company staff health bus, a Mercedes-Benz O405N formerly T687 FOB.

Ah, I forgot about that, cheers.

Another one I've remembered, Preston Bus have T3 WSX, adorning ex-London LG02 FDV, as it was a Wessex vehicle before that operation closed.

 

[F262YTJ]

Cumfybus of Southport had spell with H-CFY & C-MFY plates. FY being accidentally appropriate because that and WM were Southport registration marks pre 1974.

Also Shearings used several such as YTP749, SPR124, XTW359 from memory. In 1989 they bought a batch of FDZ 3xxx marks that were current Northern Ireland issue at the time but none of these plates were transferred to other coaches. These were put on A and B reg Volvo B10M/Van Hools.

 

[awsnews]

One of my local operators has changed their normal practice of using registrations applicable to their name and has recently reregistered one of their fleet as 70 STR. It doesn't take too much thought to work out what the seating capacity of coach is...
You can just about make it out at the end of the row in this wintry view:

Wintry Woodlea

A line up at Woodlea Garage just abouth visible through a wintry snow shower sees Garelochhead Coaches Volvo B7L SE56 ZKG, Temsa MD9 E6 GHC, Leopard E10 GHC and Panther E9 GHC with Wilson's of Rhu Leopard 70 STR which has recently been re-registered from YX67 UOC.

flic.kr

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Ah, I forgot about that, cheers.

Another one I've remembered, Preston Bus have T3 WSX, adorning ex-London LG02 FDV, as it was a Wessex vehicle before that operation closed.

They have K3WSX and T3WSX which were LG02FDP/FDO and they were all ex Wessex. They also have a Scania Omnidekka that came from Wessex with a special plate BU52UWE which is supposed to read BUS 2 UWE, reflecting its work on Uni services there.

 

[SteveyBee131]

Perhaps a less known family run company, J E Holt who trade as Sweyne Coaches, of Swinefleet near Goole, has had some JEH, JJH and JJI plates over the years.

 

[01d-and]

Going back to Shelton Orsbourne incorporating their phone number 310 into vehicles registration plates , this also applies to Worths of Enstone with the numbers 322. Although using the letters WMS seems to be the trend nowadays.

 

[Tom Gallacher]

First Glasgow used to have M10ULF which IIRC they claimed was the first truly low floor vehicle (pictured below)

 

[TheSel]

They have K3WSX and T3WSX which were LG02FDP/FDO and they were all ex Wessex. They also have a Scania Omnidekka that came from Wessex with a special plate BU52UWE which is supposed to read BUS 2 UWE, reflecting its work on Uni services there.

... or in this case, on the 23 to/from Asda.

Image below shows Rotala Preston 40030 - BU52UWE - by the glazed Victorian shelter on Black Bull Lane, Preston.

 

[156443]

Go North East has had 3 buses now with the registration plate X21 GNE.

first was 6146

Go North East 6146 / X21 GNE by kieron mathews, on Flickr

then next was 6333

Go North East 6333 / X21 GNE by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Go North East 6333 / X21 GNE by kieron mathews, on Flickr

and now it’s on 6334

Go North East 6334 / X21 GNE by kieron mathews, on Flickr

 

[JohnnyLayton]

The head honchos at Stagecoach Perth have a few private plates on their cars.

Interesting comment! Can you give any examples, please?

 

[hst43102]

Interesting comment! Can you give any examples, please?

https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/Pictures%20for%20156/M%20Sacaloff/SCSGroup%202%20cars%20Perth%20140521%20M%20Sacaloff.jpg

Image shows two Stagecoach directors cars with SC**** registration plates outside Stagecoach HQ in Perth.

 

[GusB]

The ****SC plates have been doing the rounds for a while, having been carried on the original Stagecoach express fleet in the 80s. I wonder how many vehicles have carried them over the years.

 

[87007]

There are plenty out there with BUS registrations.

 

[156443]

There are plenty out there with BUS registrations.

Weardale Motor Services SB10 BUS by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Peter Hogg of Jedburgh AH06 BUS by kieron mathews, on Flickr

here’s a couple of examples

 

[JohnnyLayton]

https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/Pictures%20for%20156/M%20Sacaloff/SCSGroup%202%20cars%20Perth%20140521%20M%20Sacaloff.jpg

Image shows two Stagecoach directors cars with SC**** registration plates outside Stagecoach HQ in Perth.

Much appreciated Joel_F. The two **** SC plates featured were on Stagecoach and National Express commercial vehicles back in the day. The photo wasn’t what I was expecting as, for example, one of the Stagecoach regional MD’s has VLT93 on a 2020 Mercedes Benz C class. Personally, I like to see former Routemaster registrations (VLT/WLT/CLT) still being used although they are scarce.

 

[hst43102]

Much appreciated Joel_F. The two **** SC plates featured were on Stagecoach and National Express commercial vehicles back in the day. The photo wasn’t what I was expecting as, for example, one of the Stagecoach regional MD’s has VLT93 on a 2020 Mercedes Benz C class. Personally, I like to see former Routemaster registrations (VLT/WLT/CLT) still being used although they are scarce.

No problem at all. I saw that picture in last week's edition of the Oxford Chiltern Bus Page and it seemed relevant for here! I've seen one or two WLT registered cars around here - possibly the local MD

 

[GatwickDepress]

Empress Coaches use '1066' at the end of all their fleet's plates, barring their two classic coaches. As they're based in Hastings, I hopefully don't need to explain the significance behind it.