[condor]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

A question - I know for a fact that MYO series is for private vehicles. Did Karnataka too have the system where private and public (taxi) vehicles could use the same number, just change the colours? Kerala had that system. I haven't noticed that being the case for Karnataka. If so, then this could well be a civilian black Amby with a yellow roof added to dress up the car, for the enjoyment and fancy of the new foreigner owner.

Yes, isnt that the way registration numbers went till the current system came into force in about 1990/91 ? Pvt vehicles had black plates with white letters, and commercial vehicles had white plates with black numbers.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by condor

Yes, isnt that the way registration numbers went till the current system came into force in about 1990/91 ? Pvt vehicles had black plates with white letters, and commercial vehicles had white plates with black numbers.

But they never shared series (e.g BMY, BMX were for private vehicles in Bombay, while BMR, BMT were taxi plates) as far as I know - subject to correction.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by condor

Yes, isnt that the way registration numbers went till the current system came into force in about 1990/91 ? Pvt vehicles had black plates with white letters, and commercial vehicles had white plates with black numbers.

1990-91?? Surely not that early, it was well after 2000 only. 2002 or thereabouts.

[condor]

@Karlos, I think it was shared. AFAIR, Only KSRTC & Govt vehicles had their own series.

@Stanher : 1990/91 or there abouts. My first bike (got in 1991) had the new (current) numbering scheme, and not the old 3-Alpha 4-Numeric scheme.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by condor

@Stanher : 1990/91 or there abouts. My first bike (got in 1991) had the new (current) numbering scheme, and not the old 3-Alpha 4-Numeric scheme.

Oh sorry, I took it that you were referring to the colour scheme of the old numberplates, ie. white letters on black for private and the opposite for commercial vehicles.

[d_himan]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Ok, thanks for the gyaan, pw! Some pics. can be so misleading! The front grille of the bus seems to be a "home-made" one though?

Don't think the grille is 'home-made'. The Ashok Leyland Cheetah Chennai local city buses in the '80s had a similar oval grille.

[d_himan]

3 yrs + in T-BHP and I stumbled upon this beautiful thread only today! You live..you learn!

In mid-80s, Pallavan Transport Corp (PTC) - Madras, ordered some Ford City buses (Chassis + Engine). Those buses had a small Ford logo in a big front grille. They were much more noisier than Leylands and maybe a bit slower. Lots of them were plying on the Parrys side of town.

I remember the driver telling me (I was around 7-8 yrs old then) that there were SIX forward gears and that there was no need to depress the clutch pedal. I was terribly impressed!

Any clue anyone?

[AyAn!]

Those Amby pics are in all probability shot in Bhutan or Nepal,as pointed out by AmitV8.

[ajay99]

the new numbering system came in force in JUNE 1989 .
the yellow number plates for taxis (in kerala) continued till 2000 as far as my knowledge goes

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by ajay99

the new numbering system came in force in JUNE 1989 .
the yellow number plates for taxis (in kerala) continued till 2000 as far as my knowledge goes

Kerala had Yellow plates for taxis before 2000 itself?! I thought they were white in ALL states??

[Stanher]

'have often seen this old Leyland lorry (truck ) that seems to be a govt. owned milk tanker.

This morning I happened to see it on the highway near to our place and I actually overtook the guy in my SS80, stopped way ahead of him so I had enough time to take out my camera and click when he passed by!

I remember this model was called the Taurus or something? Introduced around late 70s? I do recall seeing pics. of it (and the Tusker) in a Readers Digest mag dated Sept. '79.

[fx45]

oh. these are obsolete in Mumbai
nice pic

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by Stanher

'have often seen this old Leyland lorry (truck ) that seems to be a govt. owned milk tanker.

Yes!! it was actually a JV with a European company (British Leyland???). It came with a factory built tilt cab which was un heard of at the time. (the one in your pic is a juggad built cab).

Unfortunately it flopped because it was considered too fragile for overloading on our pockmarked roads.

[darklord]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Kerala had Yellow plates for taxis before 2000 itself?! I thought they were white in ALL states??

Nope. Like you said, white letters on black board for private vehicles and black letters on white board for public vehicles (as was the case in the other parts of India??). The yellow board came only with the pan-India change in number plate scheme.

In Kerala, only the KSRTC has a different registration series. KL-15 currently. Earlier in the old scheme, it used to be KLX. Other government vehicles does not have a separate series and makes do with the regular registration numbers.

[SuperSelect]

Originally Posted by Stanher

'have often seen this old Leyland lorry (truck ) that seems to be a govt. owned milk tanker.

I also remember the "Ashok Leyland Comet" trucks and school buses in Mumbai, in the seventies / eighties..
Though this is a British pic, the Indian variants were very similar. MRL 25 was a St. Mary's school bus which used to pass my house every day.