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OLD BIRMINGHAM PHOTOS FROM STEVEBHx

Something like this: -

ritholtz.com

1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT - The Big Picture

The Understated and elegant Ferrari Dino: Once considered a “lesser” Ferrari due to its mere 6 cylinder engine, the lovely shape and flowing lines of this beauty seems to get better with age. The Dino’s beautiful body was designed by Pininfarina and produced by Scaglietti. Designed as a...
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Note the cars both have “JOF” plates with desirable numbers. Same owner?
 
SteveBhx said:
98 Walford Road - 1974, like the KLG plugs clock, and the sash windows and brickwork round the windows and eaves. Now the two cars first I believe is a Lancia, and the second I am open to suggestions. Between the lampost and the window is a sign - any offers, to the left of the hydrant mark.


View attachment 154029
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This photo 98 Walford Road posted by Phil to the forum on 10th May 2017

ALSO
Cycle Speedway
One of the first, if not the first teams, was the Birmingham Tigers who raced at their bomb peck in Sparkhill from 1946. Amongst their riders was Basil Wainwright, whose father, Albert, was the owner of Wainwright’s Auto Electrical Engineers in Walford Road, Sparkbrook. He gave the Tigers a lot of support with lights for night racing and the luxury of an electric starting gate.

Sparkbrook Walford Rd - meddlicot Rd Wainwrights-Phil.JPG
 
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SteveBhx said:
91 Ninevah Road in 1975, travel services on the corner, Fish and Chip shop sign down the road and the newsagent with newspapers outside, Walls ice cream litter bin and one of those bubble gum machines. Funny to think that the child would be around 50 - doesn't time fly.
View attachment 154027
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Could have been me lol. I don't remember the travel agent, but I certainly used the newsagents in the shot and the chip shop a bit further on.
 
#577 A Wolseley 1500 Mk3 or maybe a Riley 1.5, and a Humber Pullman from the 1950s.
SteveBhx said:
"OF" Birmingham registered ? or was it O and any letter?
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Not quite any.
OD was Devon,
OI was Belfast,
OO was Essex,
OR was Southampton,
OS was Wigtown,
OT OU OW So’ton,
OY Croydon,
OZ Belfast.

Otherwise O anything else was Brum, as also was O alone, and VP.
OQ was not used.

A History of Motor Vehicle Registration in the United Kingdom by L.H. Newall, John Harrison | Waterstones

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SteveBhx said:
98 Walford Road - 1974, like the KLG plugs clock, and the sash windows and brickwork round the windows and eaves. Now the two cars first I believe is a Lancia, and the second I am open to suggestions. Between the lampost and the window is a sign - any offers, to the left of the hydrant mark.


View attachment 154029
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Wainwright's, auto electricians. The sign on the wall is for 'Oldham' batteries
 
SteveBhx said:
137 New Street in 1976, a mixture of fashion outlets- Hepworths and Milletts, and above Raymond with his school of beauty, and a fine selection of fashion on the pavement.View attachment 154009
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I assume that the Tennesse Pancake House has been replaced by Pizza Hut. The stonework on the right is the entrance to King Edward House.
 

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SteveBhx said:
47 Wattville Road in 1974 - love the layout I presume the house next door forms part of the site - couple of newspaper advert boards and a ghost sign for Star cigarettes View attachment 154026
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Shuttered for a long time on Streetview no idea what it is today but in 2012 it seems to have been a ladies hairdressers.
 

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SteveBhx said:
98 Walford Road - 1974, like the KLG plugs clock, and the sash windows and brickwork round the windows and eaves. Now the two cars first I believe is a Lancia, and the second I am open to suggestions. Between the lampost and the window is a sign - any offers, to the left of the hydrant mark.


View attachment 154029
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The last corner of this crossroads - we already have the other 3 corners. This one is no longer a shop.
 

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SteveBhx said:
Another location which may bring back memories for some, Gate of India in Bristol Street from 1975. Note the Music studios above the Fish shop, like the brickwork of the building and the weather vane on the building next to it. View attachment 154032
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Not quite next to it, but the weather vane is still there, or at least was there last october
goo.gl

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
goo.gl goo.gl
 
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Birmingham car registration letters.
(Admins, you might want to move this elsewhere, please feel free so to do.)

The first letter is just an index. OF 1 to OF 9999 was followed by AOF 1 to AOF 999, then BOF 1 etc.

The Birmingham identifiers were: - O, OA, OB, OC, OE, OF, OG, OH, OJ, OK, OL, OM, ON, OP, OV, OX and VP.
So any car with those letters in a 2 letter plus up to 4 numbers group, or in the second and third positions of a 3 plus 3 group is from Birmingham area. (Plus of course O 1 to O 9999, but that was it for O on its own.) JOJ 1 to JOJ 999 were reserved for the bus fleet.

I, Q and Z are not used in English plates. Certain combinations were not issued I.e. BOG, COK, HOG, POX.

When the letters first series ran out, I.e. YVP 999 they turned the order round, I.e 1 AOA, etc. VP was an anomaly, the only two letter Brum series to be reversed, I.e. 1234 VP.

A seventh digit was added at the end, I.e. AOA 123B in 1964; BON 123C in 1965. This system commenced in Brum on 4/8/64. Not all of its reversed combinations had been used.

When they got to Y, they turned it round, I.e. A123 AOA.

As a result of this, if you know the registration number, you can date the car. (BTW, I Have ignored the 1974 local government reorganisation and also the latest system with AA NN AAA format.)

Please note: this is very much compressed. A full explanation can be found on pages 171, 171a and 171b of Mr. Newall’s book.

I hope this helps.
 
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Johnfromstaffs said:
Quite likely money changed hands, stranger things have happened.
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There was a very expensive car (can't remember what make) parked in the road where I used to work some years ago with the number 007.
Our milkman and I were looking at it and he said that number would have probably cost him more than the car!
 
Bob Johnson said:
COM 1C was originally on an Austin 1800 that was sold by Moss garages. Moss garages were on the junction of Chester and Tyburn roads. I think the sale of the car/number plate was well documented in the Birmingham Mail of the time.
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Bob....I don't think Moss Garage was on the junction of Tyburn Road and the Chester Road, There was a Austin dealership on the junction of Kingsbury Road and the Chester Road facing the Tyburn house pub, named Tyburn Garage, my mate worked there and I work opposite at a auto electrician's called Gaedor.... this was back in the early 1970's ....
 
Some of these number plates must be purchased by wannabees. Some years ago there was a car (cannot remember what it was ), that continually managed to park in a no parking street (outside an estate agent) in Reading with the plate M16, presumably belonged to the estate agent who wanted to impress
 
when i was married many moons ago my initials were LKW quite by chance we had a 53 lagonda reg was LKW 2... :D up until a few years ago i believe the car was still up and running..sorry for going a tad off topic :rolleyes:

lyn
 
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