How many TAs are on the road in the UK?

I set out down this road back in the summer of 2021. At the time I was concerned about having enough copy for future issues of TTT 2 (I still am!). The last thing I wanted was to fill the pages of the magazine with ‘rubbish’, but thought that this would be a useful exercise to undertake and would also fill up a few pages. Little did I appreciate the magnitude of the task, which grew like Topsy from the time Roger Muir, editor of the MG Octagon Car Club Bulletin came on board. Let me explain………

Prior to Roger ‘joining the party’ my sole source of information was Stewart Penfound’s (Registrar of the ‘T’ Register of the MG Car Club for the TA/B/C models) database. This contains the world’s most complete record of all the beam axle T-Types. However, TA owner, Roger has been maintaining records of TAs for years and it transpired that he had details of quite a few TAs not known to Stewart and vice versa. We therefore were able to record details of a number of ‘new’ cars, not previously known to Stewart and therefore not previously included in my published lists. Inevitably, this slowed things up as I needed to check one list against the other and update my published lists.

Note: The origin of ‘to grow like Topsy’ comes from the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher-Stowe. In the book, Topsy just grew, or according to Topsy herself, she just “grow’d”.

As part of the ongoing process to refine/correct/add to the published information, I included in the December TTT 2 the following new information to that previously published in the October TTT 2 in respect of the chassis numbers 0251 to1000 for cars recorded as being in the UK and identifiable from the DVLA search facility:

Due to the additional TA having been notified and added to the list (TA0646 – ACX 350 – Untaxed) the number and the percentages have been revised. The number of TAs listed in ‘Part 1’ was 157. It is now 158, of which 87 are Taxed (stays the same), 58 are Untaxed or Not Taxed for road use (plus 1), and 13 are on SORN (stays the same). Percentage Taxed decreases slightly (was 55.4%, now 55.1%).

Since the December issue was published, another TA is now on the road. This is TA0732, registration number RD 9263. This car has been on the Isle of Man, but is now on the mainland and its original registration number (RD 9263) has been reclaimed. This registration number was being shown as ‘NOT known to DVLA’, but can now be deleted from this category. I also drew attention at the end of December’s issue to Roger’s lists of TAs but said that I had not had time to go through them.

Having found time to go through Roger’s lists in respect of the chassis numbers 0251 to1000 for cars recorded as being in the UK, the following changes have been made:

TA0264 (JK 6000) – this TA which was recorded as ‘Not known to DVLA’ has been deleted from this category as it has been confirmed that it is in The Netherlands.

TA0306 (SVS 438) – this car was not previously known to the T Register. It is shown as ‘Untaxed’ by DVLA and has been added to the ‘Untaxed’ total.

TA0358 (EPE 104) – previously shown as WXG 492 and included in the ‘NOT known to DVLA’ list and also as EPE 104 in the list of cars known to DVLA. The explanation for this is that the first mentioned registration number is the ‘age-related’ one, which was given by DVLA before it was known that it was possible to reclaim the original number. Now that it has its original number, WXG 492 has been deleted from the ‘NOT known to DVLA’ list.

TA0410 (JM 2786) – the T Register did not have the full registration number, so it was not possible to identify it from a DVLA search. Now that the full number is known it has been added as ‘Untaxed’ to the list of cars known to DVLA.

TA???? (NJ 9776) – this registration number is ‘claimed’ by two chassis numbers (which are not recorded, in view of the need to carry out an investigation to establish the rightful owner). NJ 9776 is shown as ‘Taxed’ and has been added to the list of cars known to DVLA, without the chassis number being shown for the time being.

TA0570 (DGY 127) – not previously known to the T Register or DVLA, so has been added to the list of ‘NOT known to DVLA’.

TA0597 (CPB 345) – not previously known to the T Register. It is on DVLA as ‘Not known’ and has been added to the list of ‘NOT known to DVLA’.

TA0745 (ABL 406) – only recently ‘discovered’. It is shown as ‘Not taxed for road use’ by DVLA and has been added to the ‘Not taxed for road use’ total.

TA0792 (YVL 342) – TA0792 was previously shown as ‘NOT known to DVLA’. However, it has been deleted from this list because a successful application has been made to recover its original number (ADC 374). This number is shown by DVLA as ‘Taxed’ and has been added to the ‘Taxed’ list.

TA0961 (BUP 411) – TA0961 (BUP 411) – shown previously as BP 411 by the T Register and included in the ‘NOT known to DVLA’ list. However, this registration number should be BUP 411 and is shown by DVLA as ‘Untaxed’. It has been added to this list and BP 411 has been deleted from the ‘NOT known to DVLA’ list. As a result of the foregoing changes, the number of TAs listed in Part 1 has increased from 158 to 165.

Of these additional seven, three are Taxed and four are either ‘Untaxed’ or ‘Not taxed for road use’. The numbers by category are:

‘Taxed’            90 (54.5%)     

‘Untaxed’ or ‘Not taxed for road use’ 62 (37.6%)

‘SORN’            13 (7.9%).

Moving on to the lists published in December’s TTT2 the following changes are necessary in respect of chassis numbers 1001 to 2000 for cars recorded as being in the UK and identifiable from the DVLA search facility. These changes are principally as a result of comparing Roger’s information with Stewart’s.

Chassis numbers TA1381 and TA1847 were shown as both carrying registration number APY 144. This number is recorded as ‘Not taxed for on road use’ with DVLA. Therefore, the total number of cars and the number in this category has been reduced by 1.

Similarly, chassis numbers TA1849 and TA1949 were shown as both carrying BWS 739. Therefore, the total number of cars has been further reduced and the number shown as on SORN has been reduced by 1. TA1849 is the correct car carrying BWS 739.

Note: Roger’s computer software spotted these duplications.

As mentioned in the penultimate paragraph of the article in December’s TTT 2, Roger Muir sent me a lengthy list of TA chassis numbers and their corresponding registration numbers. The list has been compared with existing information held and the results, which include 6 new cars shown as ‘Taxed’ on DVLA, are set out below:

TA1141 (YXG 351) is on SORN.

TA1218 (RC 5266) is on DVLA as ‘Not taxed for on road use’.

TA1267 (ATP 293) is similarly shown.

TA1311 (DRB 330) is on SORN.

TA1324 (EDH 458) is shown by DVLA as ‘Taxed’.

TA1386 (KXS 629) is on SORN.

TA1489 (9969 MG) is shown by DVLA as ‘Taxed’. It is thought that this car previously carried registration number DPO 612, which was shown as ‘NOT known to DVLA’ in the December TTT 2.

TA1496 (DYV 562) is shown by DVLA as ‘Taxed’.

TA1505 (BUY 172) is shown by DVLA as ‘Taxed’.

TA1509 (UVS 114) is on DVLA as ‘Not taxed for on road use’. This may be an age-related registration, replacing what is thought to have been the original number on the car (AMO 341) which was not possible to reclaim.

TA1543 (AWV 885) is on DVLA as ‘Not taxed for on road use’.

TA1619 (DVR 607) is shown by DVLA as ‘Taxed’(this was previously incorrectly shown as DVR 697 in the cars NOT known to DVLA.

TA1646 (CTC 679) and TA1686 (CVB 453) are both shown by DVLA as ‘Untaxed’.

TA1710 (EOM 989) is shown by DVLA as ‘Taxed’.

TA1722 (DUO 962) is on DVLA as ‘Not taxed for on road use’.

TA1810 (CNG 929) previously included in December’s TTT 2 as “Untaxed” is in France.

TA1814 (BSC 206) is on DVLA as ‘Not taxed for on road use’.

TA1901 (ERA 432) is on DVLA as ‘Not taxed for on road use’.

TA1911 (Registration number not known) is known to have been issued with an age-related number.

TA1972 (SM 8258) previously shown as ‘NOT known to DVLA’ should be SN 8258. It is on DVLA as ‘Not taxed for on road use’.

TA1976 (EXL 714) although previously shown as ‘NOT known to DVLA’, this car is known to be undergoing restoration.

TA1982 (ELY 563) not previously known, but is now recorded as ‘Untaxed’.

The analysis of ‘Part 2’ (chassis numbers recorded as UK cars in the range TA1001 to TA2000) published in December’s TTT 2 said the following:

Of the 164 TAs listed:

86 are Taxed (52.5% of the total)

55 are Untaxed or Not taxed for road use (33.5%)

23 are on SORN (14%).

As a result of the changes set out above, the revised figures are as follows:

92 are Taxed (50.3% of the revised total of 183)

65 are Untaxed or Not taxed for road use (35.5%)

26 are on SORN (14.2%).

These revised totals will be added to the new totals for ‘Part 1’ of the exercise and those obtained from ‘Part 3’ (chassis numbers recorded as UK cars and identifiable from the DVLA search facility in the range TA2001 to TA3253) to arrive at the grand total for TAs recorded as being in the UK and are identifiable from the DVLA search facility.

What follows are details in respect of chassis numbers and their corresponding registration numbers for TAs recorded as being in the UK and are identifiable from the DVLA search facility from where we finished up in the previous issue (TA2000) right up to the end of TA production.

ChassisRegistrationEngineOn the road?
2002FGO 7091132N/T for road
2016ENB 1241250N/T for road
2019BBL 801708Taxed
2020BBL 811708Untaxed
2026JMD 6971250Taxed
2031FEH 8661292Taxed
2041BWP 8951141Taxed
2044BBL 821141N/T for road
2055BJW 2061141Taxed
2057AHJ 3421250Untaxed
2059GRF 371296SORN
2071EUC 8801141Taxed
2073AUT 1881000Taxed
2076JL 52831250Taxed
2082APN 6171141Taxed
2083EKH 3111292Taxed
2086423 YUJ1250Untaxed
2090CNP 46410Taxed
2091CTF 9221292Untaxed
2093CTF 9201141N/T for road
2095XBV 4654000Taxed
2096ENC 861141Untaxed
2097SSV 3431250Taxed
2103GDD 5681250Taxed
2104BSF 7431141Taxed
2119VV 68401141Taxed
2120BWD 9191141N/T for road
2130JK 75241141N/T for road
2131CAC 4999Untaxed
2143FAU 2031250Taxed
2145BGG 6691298Taxed
2146DRU 9841250Taxed
2147LXS 2751292SORN
2149DPX 4691130SORN
2153ELR 7341275Untaxed
2161CS 76951141Taxed
2162CDE 9061292Untaxed
2163FHT 6961141Taxed
2165EEL 2471124N/T for road
21871519 JG1292N/T for road
2188EXH 9041292Taxed
2204BBL 4271292Untaxed
2211357 XUU1350Taxed
2215GRE 3181141Taxed
2220DHP 6241292Taxed
2228YXS 5981292Taxed
2233APN 8981292N/T for road
2236FVK 5901141Taxed
2240GEV 7351292Untaxed
2255EOB 9191141N/T for road
2259KSV 4461292Untaxed
2264ADN 9081124SORN
2268DFY 7161292Taxed
2271EKT 2741292Taxed
2272EAL 5451292Taxed
2278CNG 8451250Untaxed
2279JMP 251250Untaxed
2290SGO 271250Taxed
2302GPH 152998Taxed
2313MG 58851141Taxed
2328JMC 9961292Untaxed
2329JMH 89310Untaxed
2334DJU 2821141Taxed
2340SFF 5401298Untaxed
2350CNP 331141Untaxed
2358JC 55181398SORN
2361JMM 8391250N/T for road
2368DVB 5191292Taxed
2369JX 66721292Taxed
2372WSU 4921250Taxed
2381WAS 1291292Taxed 
2397MG 59151141N/T for road
2401VV 71311292SORN
2404FNU 901250Taxed
2413BWS 5491250Taxed
2414FKE 4231140Taxed
2421PSK 3311141Untaxed
2424882 XUX1250Untaxed
2427DRK 2521141Untaxed
2431EYM 8071141N/T for road
2433DHO 7561141N/T for road
2439BAY 9671292Taxed
2445DAD 3379999N/T for road
2446MG 59741292Taxed
2448925 UXN1141N/T for road
2449BNT 4711255Untaxed
2455EBP 2441141Taxed
2458DYD 3901292Taxed
2459EYM 1451141Taxed
2463DTC 971500Taxed
2464BJB 2601141N/T for road
2472ENN 2671124SORN
2482EOG 6711292Taxed
2483BYS 9011293Taxed
2489LSL 4651500Taxed
2494DTC 6541292Untaxed
2509GKE 1161141Taxed
2511CVE 7001141Taxed
2513GPL 59010Taxed
2520HPD 3481250Taxed
2524BUH 9301141Untaxed
2526FKJ 8050Taxed
2529MG 61651287Untaxed
2544JMD 3781141Untaxed
2551BAP 9271296Taxed
2557AVY 6180Taxed
2558DAK 7961292Untaxed
2560EYY 8221141Untaxed
2571GUG 1991292Untaxed
2574GRA 3931141N/T for road
2577CBO 7671010Taxed
2588DRK 8181141Taxed
2590DBJ 8411292Taxed
2591WXG 9191292Taxed
2593ENH 4861141Taxed
2614CDV 2871292SORN
2615CS 84951141Taxed
2617HPU 461292Untaxed
2619BNV 1951292Untaxed
2621YXG 8111292Taxed
2625GMM 5151292Untaxed
2634CRY 1211141N/T for road
2637RC 67101292Untaxed
2638HSU 4011250Untaxed
2639879 XUX1250Taxed
2640EKD 6351292Taxed
2642FGF 4601350Taxed
2648GTW 6951290Taxed
2650MG 622710Taxed
2651GTW 2761292Taxed
2657MG 64011141SORN
2659FKL 7881250Taxed
2672KS 8199999Untaxed
2687ETF 6471141Taxed
2689BDR 1071293Untaxed
2694JSV 5981250Taxed
2725TSV 2391292N/T for road
2731FEL 1421124N/T for road
2733DVC 5001250Taxed
2748EPO 1811292Taxed
2749EON 9081292Taxed
2754ENK 2201250N/T for road
2760MG 6304 1708Taxed
2778ABX 9191292N/T for road
2784805 EUT1141SORN
2791FRA 5351588Untaxed
2792ENK 9921141Untaxed
27947775 MG1250Untaxed
2795ERL 3111292N/T for road
2797WVS 7301292Taxed
2802FLC 7981141N/T for road
2808DTF 351141Taxed
2811JHO 701292Untaxed 
2817MG 65201250SORN
2819GVW 6851292Taxed
2820WAS 4241250SORN
2821JMP 9781292Taxed
2836JRE 9321141Taxed
2837CGB 6551250Taxed
2864MG 63171141SORN
2870FLH 2221292Taxed
2878MG 64521141N/T for road
2879RC 73101087Taxed
2881MGX 8561292Taxed
2884HRE 171292N/T for road
2889FRA 7941292Taxed
2895FRA 7951292Taxed
2919GWE 1671292Untaxed
2927AAV 902999Taxed
2929KHX 551292Taxed
2931EBY 8711141SORN
2932OS 52371141N/T for road
2940JM 48351141N/T for road
2941GR 65001292Taxed
2945FLJ 7041000Taxed
2948EVO 2001292Untaxed
2951FKN 8491292Untaxed
2952EU 80441010Taxed
2957MG 63411141Untaxed
2965FOJ 8571292N/T for road
2966FNF 6661287Taxed
2977KMH 6421141SORN
2980DDF 3631292Taxed
2983DDK 5921250SORN
2994FXP 1901250Taxed
2997CCR 7261290Taxed
3001EYA 3331292Taxed
3009JPF 6731141Taxed
3010FGJ 631250Taxed
3021DTF 6511292Untaxed
3024BDR 8782561Taxed
3027AFV 7271250Taxed
3029FWJ 3621296Taxed
3033EGO 61292Taxed
3037DKV 231292Untaxed
3044FKO 7121250Taxed
3061HPH 1031292Taxed
3063DDF 9781150Taxed
3064BMO 3751141Taxed
3076DTF 6541250Untaxed
3084KXS 4601292Untaxed
3086383 XUP1250SORN
3089VAM 4601265Untaxed
3090CET 2671250N/T for road
3093KS 84201141Untaxed
3096CSD 1901250N/T for road
3101SL 26111141Taxed
3110HHK 6231250N/T for road
3116ERO 3681141Taxed
3120HPJ 541292Taxed
3126FEL 351132N/T for road
3130EOY 341292SORN
3131MG 46391250Untaxed
3135BNR 431250Taxed
3145KMG 5681292SORN
3146BVH 2771292Untaxed
3150ENU 1921250N/T for road
3152EFY 2671298N/T for road
3153GNU 6081292Taxed
3160KMH 20210Taxed
3162FLR 5271141SORN
3169HRF 6931200Taxed
3172BFR 1531292Taxed
3178WXG 7101292Taxed
3180JSV 6711250Taxed
3181DRT 5251141Untaxed
3184DOR 331141Taxed
3189802 YUT1250Taxed
3190BDB 601141Taxed
3201FKT 3431141N/T for road
3202FKP 3951292Taxed
3203FKT 34610Taxed
3206FKT 3541141Untaxed
3215FNF 1371292Taxed
3217KXS 6311292SORN
3220536 YUT1250Taxed
3234FXK 6511292Taxed
3235MG 65111250Taxed
3238BBU 9131292N/T for road
3239EUR 2431292Taxed
3242WXG 6311292Taxed
3243FKD 4081141N/T for road
3248FKT  3571141N/T for road
3253GKE 5681141N/T for road

The total number of cars identified in ‘Part 3’ of the exercise (TA 2001 to TA3253) is 243, of which:

129 are Taxed
93 are Untaxed or Not taxed for road use
21 are on SORN

It is now necessary to add in the totals from Part 1 (TA0251 to TA1000) and Part 2 (TA1001 to TA2000) to arrive at the total of Parts 1 to 3, which is as follows:

Total number 591, of which:

311 are Taxed
220 are Untaxed or Not taxed for road use
60 are on SORN

This number can be increased by 6 to arrive at a new total of 597 due to:

CJW 443, PAS 311, NV 7193, LSL 604, ACJ 103, (chassis numbers not currently known, but the first three are taxed, LSL 604 is untaxed and ACJ 103 is on SORN).

Also, MG 5175 (taxed) whose chassis number was not known, is now known to be TA0991.

Therefore, new total can be broken down as follows:

Taxed 315                                              (52.8%)
Untaxed or Not taxed for road use 221 (37.0%)
SORN 61                                               (10.2%)

A degree of caution is advised when considering these numbers. The ‘Taxed’ total of 315 is factually correct, as one would not be able to tax a car that doesn’t exist! It is possibly short of a few, but only a few, because it is likely that there are still some cars that we don’t know about – but I suggest that these are by now few and far between.

The ‘SORN’ total is reasonably accurate as one would be unlikely to declare a ‘ghost’ car.

The questionable category is the ‘Untaxed’ or ‘Not taxed for road use’ as the records for many of these, date a long way back and there must be serious doubts about the existence of some.

This picture of two good looking TAs was sent to me by Keith Griffin (Keith’s car is the one on the right). MG 5175 is mentioned in the text above. Its chassis number is TA0991.

7 thoughts on “How many TAs are on the road in the UK?

  1. Michael Hennessy says:

    DRK889 chassis 2668 not listed but according to DVLA registered until August 2022, although not sure why engine capacity listed as 1041cc/

  2. ian thomson says:

    I have photo somewhere of my car, aTC MG7211 taken in around 1966 lined up beside two other cars, a TC and TA if i remember rightly. The two cars have the reg. nos. AHJ943 and KHA 242. I don’t know which is which and suspect that neither is still with us as I believe the TA was scrapped soon afterwards. If only we had known then what we know now.

  3. Peter WAtson says:

    MY TA , 0736. EP 6633 Bought for £75 in 1964, Sold for £200 in 1969. Spent 42 yrs in America,
    Found and bought back home by me in 2011 regained original reg no.. Restored In 9weeks, Driven every week since.

  4. Tim Parrott says:

    A 20% survival rate for a pre war car is very good, especially as the engine has a poor reputation!

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