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The next three photos all show A-prefixed vehicles that are not as old as their numberplates suggest. From the early-1980s, many coach operators started applying 'date-less' registrations to some of their vehicles. These were mainly either pre-1964 plates (for example WSV541) or ones issued in Northern Ireland (e.g. HIL2361). Later, dated but personalised registrations were also used, sometimes with the 'correct' year (as in J111SAS) but more often not. For example, Excelsior Coaches of Bournemouth applied A--XEL and A--EXC plates to most of its large (and modern) coach fleet. In our area, Epsom Coaches got in on the act, acquiring several A--HRR plates. This is curious since few people would recognise that the HRR refers to the proprietor (and registered company name), H R Richmond. Initially used on coaches, three of the marks were later used on service vehicles, and in each case they were also later re-applied to different service vehicles. Tracing re-registrations is rather tricky since there is no official and freely available source of information that gives changes and dates. Looking at this photo has made me realise that the data currently on LTSV is not correct, or at least not complete. A6HRR was seen on a Ford Escort estate car in early 2005. A few months later it was reported to have been applied to a Volkswagen Transporter Caravelle minibus that had previously been N678JGP. This photo, taken at the Epsom garage in April 2005, does show a VW Transporter, but it is clearly a van rather than a windowed minibus. N678JGP is listed by DVLA as a Caravelle, so this is evidently not the former identity of the van. Perhaps A6HRR was carried by a VW van and then a minibus? What we do know is that, by 2009, the plate had been moved onto a VW Crafter van and in July 2016 to a Mercedes Vito minibus!
Photographer:		Photo ID:	7019
Photo date:	23/04/2005	Size:	Regular
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Date added:	11/12/2021