Orkney Image Library

My uncle Stanley Thomson from Longhope owned this number on a Honda 90 motor cycle. I think it was one of last numbers in this format before they changed to the year letter following the three digit number.

This Reg No BS7777 as i remember was first issued to a Honda Moped, owned by a Headmaster at South Walls School(Longhope)I think his name was Roddy MacLeod.
Stanley Thomson owned it after that.

I believe this was the last "BS" number registered in Orkney ( Dec 1964) before the introduction of the dreaded ABS *** C registration numbers started on 1st Jan 1965. I once owned a Hillman Imp !!! (traitor) BS7774 which was also registered in Dec 1964

First registered to a Honda 50 in 1964 in Longhope I think. On the subject of reg numbers, shortly to come under the umbrella of the MOT Test. So if your number is illegally spaced (as many are) your car FAILS the test!

My dad had BS6183, on a mini, about 15 year ago. Unfortunately sold the number to a guy south about 15 year ago though, so sadly another BS number outwith Orkney.Bit of a shame now really!

What's so bad about ABS *** C registration numbers? We've still got ABS 5C!

David - am I right in thinking my father had that Imp after you? Seem to remember that the Imp came after a Mini Van he had. The Mini had a factory fitted back seat, not a Countryman but a van with a fitted seat which I thought was unusual. Won't mention the Imp head gaskets! I wanted my father to keep that registration number, back then I wanted Dan to keep the Vauxhall Victor 101 estate he had with ABS 123C. Wonder what that would be worth now?

Raymond you are correct in your thinking, your Dad had the car before me. He traded it in to W R Tullock in 1968.I bought it and kept it until 1973.Many a trip that car made over the Fennick Moor when I lived in Ayrshire and worked in Glasgow. You are also correct when you mention the head gaskets (badly designed waterpumps)

I worked with Norrie Flett when he obtained this number from someone in Hoy. At the time, the vehicle from which the number came had to be MOT'd. As the vehicle involved was a motor cycle the work surrounding the transfer was done at Shearers garage. Another of Norrie's collegues, John Miller (young), was also involved as he was very keen on motor bikes.

When I was in my teens ( a long while ago) I used to dream of owning a car with a number like ABS*C. The one my brother wanted was OSH1T.

I really don't understand all these "BS58 CBS type number's you about the toon nowadays - in the new number plate system, BS is now Birmingham, so why would any self respecting Orcadian want a Birmingham registration on thier vehicle? I also think the DVLA made a mistake with changing the area index marks - the old marks would have worked perfectly with the new system & then those BS58 CBS type plates seen around Orkney would have more relivance! If you want a proper as issued BS number, why not chase up some old ones that are left before they vanish completely?

It's not that easy to get hold of the old BS plates as they are still registered to an individual car. I tried to get my old A70 PBS plate but the DVLA said I had to buy the vehicle from the current owner and then apply for a reg transfer. After the car went out to Westray, I doubt if the last owners ever bothered telling the DVLA when it got scrapped or whatever happened to it as the DVLA were adamant that it was still registered to a 1984 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6L.

To transfer a car number plate, the donor vehicle has to have current MOT & Tax - plus you have to be the owner of both vehicles - there is a transfer fee of £80 - also "new" plates cannot be put on old cars. If you have an intresting number, you can apply to have it on a "retention certificate" for a fee at the DVLA of course.

The vehicle details for A70 PBS are:

Date of Liability 01 03 1999
Date of First Registration 14 05 1984
Year of Manufacture 1984
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1598CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour RED


bean tins by now I'm afraid.

Was just watching a James May programme on tv and he was driving an old Stanley steam car with the number BS 9502. I assume it was a much later number than the car, anyone know how it got on such an old car so far south?

In the Doctor Who Episode "Human Nature" a BS registered car can be seen at the start of the episode - it is in fact a 1904 PEUGEOT 1500 C.C and the plate is BS 8173 which is way to early for 1904 !!

Must be a made up number as BS never got to BS8000

BS numbers are being allocated to "age related " vintage cars which have no recognised registration number. I am led to believe it is because there is a plentiful supply of BS numbers which were never issued.

DVLA seem to sell off numbers that were never issued. Seem to think this subject was covered in the blog with pic with the council's matador snow plough.
i saw some ????bs plates on dvla one time, and as far as I know we never had numbers then bs.
must be a government money making scheme. Note, I did not state which political party I thought would be benefiting from these sales. really makes some numbers worthless in my view. Number that were actually registered and handed down have character and worth something.

The old Caithness suffix SK was always allocated to imported American cars as well.

Wish i could get KBS 1T back on the original car, somebody took it off before I got it. The car still survives and isnt in too bad a nick, also had KBS 3T on a dark blue mk2 escort that is still on the go today. They will both be 30 in the coming months, scary!

KBS 1T was our very first car. Bought as an ex demonstrator from David Tullock, we had it for about three years I think. An excellent car. I was sad when we parted with it, but with the family expanding we needed a larger vehicle. It was still KBS 1T (or KB S1T as David called it) when I parted with it.

I'm sure I saw KBS 6T on a brand new car the other day - it was once on a dark blue MK2 Escort.

KBS 1T (originally on a Fiesta if I remember correctly) was swapped on to a Volvo 460 owned by Terry Stout. My brother bought the car and the number - the car turned out to be a right nail (horrible things with a 1.7 Renault engine) and he ended up selling the number which allowed him to recoup some of the cost of the car which he only got a few hundred for in the end. He's still got the old numberplate stuck up on the wall of his garage.

Yeah i have the fiesta that it came from, I would love the number back! davy tullock had it as a demonstrator i was told, its a rare one millionth special edition. any more history would be much appreciated, i bought it from john foulis about 9 years ago.hope to get it on the road again this year!

On doing an insurance check KBS 1T comes up as a "VAUXHALL VECTRA LS DI". Unfotunately no other details available but at least the Reg mark lives.

I did own KBS 3T for a few years,1997 to 2004 it was on a dark blue mk2 Escort which was in good condition until 2003 when the bonnet and 2 doors were damaged. It only had 40 odd thousand miles on the clock

KBS 3T now belongs to Stewart Garson orig from Sandwick but now Finstown, but is on his mum and dads Golf and they still live in Sandwick

Here's a photo of BS80 on a modern VW beetle which I took in Cheshire: http://nice-reg.co.uk/number-plates/BS80.html

There is a flickr group with photos of Orkney-registered vehicles:

www.flickr.com/groups/2102246@N23/