{"id":10899,"date":"2015-10-18T10:37:52","date_gmt":"2015-10-18T09:37:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/?p=10899"},"modified":"2015-10-18T10:38:38","modified_gmt":"2015-10-18T09:38:38","slug":"baby-i-got-your-erm-number","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/?p=10899","title":{"rendered":"Baby I got your, erm, number?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once upon a time car numberplates used to reflect the location\/area\/district where the car was first registered, as well as identifying the year that the car was first registered (ask your dads, kids).<\/p>\n

AAX 123X, for example, was originally registered in Monmouthshire in 1999.<\/p>\n

And then, apparently, we were in danger of running out of available car registrations.<\/p>\n

So the brains who run this kind of thing for the UK had to come up with a cunning plan.<\/p>\n

After what one imagines to be a particularly boozy long lunch in the pub, one Thursday afternoon, the brains came up with a genius masterstroke.<\/p>\n

The new registration numbers would look like this:<\/p>\n

WP03HMG<\/p>\n

Or like this:<\/p>\n

WP53HMG<\/p>\n

Brilliant!<\/p>\n

Now, without too much thinking, the year of first registration is immediately apparent!<\/p>\n

WP03HMG clearly signifies that the car was first registered in 2003.<\/p>\n

Excellent.<\/p>\n

And WP53HMG equally clearly signifies that the car was first registered in, erm, 2003!<\/p>\n

But the second half of 2003, not the first half.<\/p>\n

Yay!<\/p>\n

And WP14HMG identifies that the car was first registered in 2014.<\/p>\n

And WP64HMG very cleverly shows that the car was first registered, erm, in 2014 too.<\/p>\n

Umm.<\/p>\n

But the second half of 2014.<\/p>\n

Obv.<\/p>\n

Well this is all completely clear and transparent, yes?<\/p>\n

I said yes??<\/p>\n

Now, let’s look at the letters. HMG (in our guinea pig registration of WP14HMG) signifies nothing at all.<\/p>\n

Or signifies nothing helpful.<\/p>\n

It’s the two letters at the front that we’re interested in.<\/p>\n

WP means, erm, Bristol.<\/p>\n

Because W signifies ‘west of England’ and when suffixed with a ‘P’, that means Bristol.<\/p>\n

It just does.<\/p>\n

For the sake of transparency, obv.<\/p>\n

You might have thought that BS14HMG would be better (because ‘BS’ is the actual postcode for, erm, Bristol).<\/p>\n

Well yes, you might.<\/p>\n

In fact, the vast majority of places in the UK have a two letter postcode.<\/p>\n

Wouldn’t it have been fantastic to have that much transparency on a car registration?<\/p>\n

Just use the postcodes?<\/p>\n

But the brains who make these decisions shied away from this concept.<\/p>\n

For reasons best known to themselves.<\/p>\n

As is the frankly nonsensical method they came up with of denoting the year of registration.<\/p>\n

So here, for those who don’t have brains the size of a planet, and for whom the transparency of our vehicle (because this actually applies to all registered vehicles and yes I know I’ve used the word ‘car’, but that’s because it’s quicker to write ‘car’ than it is to write ‘vehicle’, OK?), is a list of location identifiers for car registrations in the UK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Car registration letters<\/th>(DVLA) region<\/th>DVLA office<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
AA, AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, AH, AJ, AK, AL, AM, AN<\/td>(east) Anglia<\/td>Peterborough<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AO, AP, AR, AS, AT, AU<\/td>(east) Anglia<\/td>Norwich<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AV, AW, AX, AY<\/td>(east) Anglia<\/td>Ipswich<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF, BG, BH, BJ, BK, BL, BM, BN, BO, BP, BR, BS, BT, BU, BV, BW, BX, BY<\/td>Birmingham<\/td>Birmingham<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CA, CB, CC, CD, CE, CF, CG, CH, CJ, CK, CL, CM, CN, CO<\/td>Cymru<\/td>Cardiff<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CP, CR, CS, CT, CU, CV<\/td>Cymru<\/td>Swansea<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CW, CX, CY<\/td>Cymru<\/td>Bangor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DF, DG, DH, DJ, DK<\/td>Deeside to Shrewsbury<\/td>Chester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DL, DM, DN, DO, DP, DR, DS, DT, DU, DV, DW, DX, DY<\/td>Deeside to Shrewsbury<\/td>Shrewsbury<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
EA, EB, EC, ED, EE, EF, EG, EH, EJ, EK, EL, EM, EN, EO, EP, ER, ES, ET, EU, EV, EW, EX, EY<\/td>Essex<\/td>Chelmsford<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
FA, FB, FC, FD, FE, FF, FG, FH, FJ, FK, FL, FM, FN, FP<\/td>Forest and Fens<\/td>Nottingham<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
FR, FS, FT, FV, FW, FX, FY<\/td>Forest and Fens<\/td>Lincoln<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GA, GB, GC, GD, GE, GF, GG, GH, GJ, GK, GL, GM, GN, GO<\/td>Garden of England<\/td>Maidstone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GP, GR, GS, GT, GU, GV, GX, GY<\/td>Garden of England<\/td>Brighton<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HA, HB, HC, HD, HE, HF, HG, HH, HJ<\/td>Hampshire and Dorset<\/td>Bournemouth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HK, HL, HM, HN, HO, HP, HR, HS, HT, HU, HV<\/td>Hampshire and Dorset<\/td>Portsmouth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HW<\/td>Hampshire and Dorset<\/td>Portsmouth (Used exclusively for the Isle of Wight)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HX, HY<\/td>Hampshire and Dorset<\/td>Portsmouth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
KA, KB, KC, KD, KE, KF, KG, KH, KJ, KK, KL<\/td>-<\/td>Luton<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
KM, KN, KO, KP, KR, KS, KT, KU, KV, KW, KX, KY<\/td>-<\/td>Northampton<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LA, LB, LC, LD, LE, LF, LG, LH, LJ<\/td>London<\/td>Wimbledon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LK, LL, LM, LN, LO, LP, LR, LS, LT<\/td>London<\/td>Stanmore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LU, LV, LW, LX, LY<\/td>London<\/td>Sidcup<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MA, MB, MC, MD, ME, MF, MG, MH, MJ, MK, ML, MM, MN, MO, MP, MR, MS, MT, MU, MV, MW, MX, MY<\/td>Manchester & Merseyside<\/td>Manchester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NA, NB, NC, ND, NE, NF, NG, NH, NJ, NK, NL, NM, NN, NO<\/td>North<\/td>Newcastle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NP, NR, NS, NT, NU, NV, NW, NX, NY<\/td>North<\/td>Stockton<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
OA, OB, OC, OD, OE, OF, OG, OH, OJ, OK, OL, OM, ON, OO, OP, OR, OS, OT, OU, OV, OW, OX, OY<\/td>Oxford<\/td>Oxford<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PA, PB, PC, PD, PE, PF, PG, PH, PJ, PK, PL, PM, PN, PO, PP, PR, PS, PT<\/td>Preston<\/td>Preston<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PU, PV, PW, PX, PY<\/td>Preston<\/td>Carlisle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RA, RB, RC, RD, RE, RF, RG, RH, RJ, RK, RL, RM, RN, RO, RP, RR, RS, RT, RU, RV, RW, RX, RY<\/td>Reading<\/td>Reading<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ<\/td>Scotland<\/td>Glasgow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SK, SL, SM, SN, SO<\/td>Scotland<\/td>Edinburgh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SP, SR, SS, ST<\/td>Scotland<\/td>Dundee<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SU, SV, SW<\/td>Scotland<\/td>Aberdeen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SX, SY<\/td>Scotland<\/td>Inverness<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
VA, VB, VC, VD, VE, VF, VG, VH, VJ, VK, VL, VM, VN, VO, VP, VR, VS, VT, VU, VV, VW, VX, VY<\/td>Severn Valley<\/td>Worcester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WA, WB, WC, WD, WE, WF, WG, WH, WJ<\/td>West of England<\/td>Exeter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WK, WL<\/td>West of England<\/td>Truro<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WM, WN, WO, WP, WR, WS, WT, WU, WV, WW, WX, WY<\/td>West of England<\/td>Bristol<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
YA, YB, YC, YD, YE, YF, YG, YH, YJ, YK<\/td>Yorkshire<\/td>Leeds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
YL, YM, YN, YO, YP, YR, YS, YT, YU<\/td>Yorkshire<\/td>Sheffield<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
YV, YW, YX, YY<\/td>Yorkshire<\/td>Beverley<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

So that’s the geographical bit.<\/p>\n

Do you want a handy decoder for the year of registration ‘clarity’ too?<\/p>\n

You do?<\/p>\n

Well try this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Year<\/th>1 Mar \u2013 31 Aug<\/th>1 Sep \u2013 28\/29 Feb<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
2001\/02<\/td>Y<\/td>51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2002\/03<\/td>02<\/td>52<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2003\/04<\/td>03<\/td>53<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2004\/05<\/td>04<\/td>54<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2005\/06<\/td>05<\/td>55<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2006\/07<\/td>06<\/td>56<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2007\/08<\/td>07<\/td>57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2008\/09<\/td>08<\/td>58<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2009\/10<\/td>09<\/td>59<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2010\/11<\/td>10<\/td>60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2011\/12<\/td>11<\/td>61<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2012\/13<\/td>12<\/td>62<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2013\/14<\/td>13<\/td>63<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2014\/15<\/td>14<\/td>64<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2015\/16<\/td>15<\/td>65<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2016\/17<\/td>16<\/td>66<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2017\/18<\/td>17<\/td>67<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2018\/19<\/td>18<\/td>68<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2019\/20<\/td>19<\/td>69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2020\/21<\/td>20<\/td>70<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2021\/22<\/td>21<\/td>71<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2022\/23<\/td>22<\/td>72<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2023\/24<\/td>23<\/td>73<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2024\/25<\/td>24<\/td>74<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2025\/26<\/td>25<\/td>75<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026\/27<\/td>26<\/td>76<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2027\/28<\/td>27<\/td>77<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2028\/29<\/td>28<\/td>78<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2029\/30<\/td>29<\/td>79<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2030\/31<\/td>30<\/td>80<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2031\/32<\/td>31<\/td>81<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2032\/33<\/td>32<\/td>82<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2033\/34<\/td>33<\/td>83<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2034\/35<\/td>34<\/td>84<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2035\/36<\/td>35<\/td>85<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2036\/37<\/td>36<\/td>86<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2037\/38<\/td>37<\/td>87<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2038\/39<\/td>38<\/td>88<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2039\/40<\/td>39<\/td>89<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2040\/41<\/td>40<\/td>90<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2041\/42<\/td>41<\/td>91<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2042\/43<\/td>42<\/td>92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2043\/44<\/td>43<\/td>93<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2044\/45<\/td>44<\/td>94<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2045\/46<\/td>45<\/td>95<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2046\/47<\/td>46<\/td>96<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2047\/48<\/td>47<\/td>97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2048\/49<\/td>48<\/td>98<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2049\/50<\/td>49<\/td>99<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2050\/51<\/td>50<\/td>00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Clear now?<\/p>\n

Of course it is.<\/p>\n

You’re welcome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once upon a time car numberplates used to reflect the location\/area\/district where the car was first registered, as well as identifying the year that the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-stuff","two-columns"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10899\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brennigjones.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}