Ok so we have a new to us trailer , it came from abroad some where anyway on the rear doors it has a foldaway plate like a orange ADR would be except it folds out to reveal a large letter A . As an aside it had the winding handle for the legs on the 'wrong side 'as well .
So any ideas ?
Cheers MIke
I think it’s to allow you to run on a Sunday in Germany or (maybe Italy but I think that’s the letter D on a green background)
Austria
mattecube:
Austria
I was close, only a border out. 
muckles:
I think it’s to allow you to run on a Sunday in Germany or (maybe Italy but I think that’s the letter D on a green background)
Large White square (foot by foot about) with black “A” on Fridge would be Italy
Mikey D:
Ok so we have a new to us trailer , it came from abroad some where anyway on the rear doors it has a foldaway plate like a orange ADR would be except it folds out to reveal a large letter A . As an aside it had the winding handle for the legs on the 'wrong side 'as well .
So any ideas ?
Cheers MIke
Hi Mikey D,
The letter “A” on a folding plate is shown on the front and rear of a vehicle used for the national transport of waste within Germany.
The letter “A” stands for Abfall, which is the German word for “waste.”
The plate is 40cm X 30cm (same size as an ADR plate) but the Abfall plate has the letter “A” in black on a white background.
^^^^ This.
dieseldave:
Mikey D:
Ok so we have a new to us trailer , it came from abroad some where anyway on the rear doors it has a foldaway plate like a orange ADR would be except it folds out to reveal a large letter A . As an aside it had the winding handle for the legs on the 'wrong side 'as well .
So any ideas ?
Cheers MIkeHi Mikey D,
The letter “A” on a folding plate is shown on the front and rear of a vehicle used for the national transport of waste within Germany.
The letter “A” stands for Abfall, which is the German word for “waste.”
The plate is 40cm X 30cm (same size as an ADR plate) but the Abfall plate has the letter “A” in black on a white background.
Not only Germany, but Holland and Belgium also.
A = Abfall / Afval = waste.
When transporting waste they need to carry a A on front and back of vehicle.
That’s why I like this forum, an answer to a pretty unusual question within 15 mins !
Makes sense as it is a walking floor trailer …
Cheers gents and esp DD
Mike
I remembered a question along these lines from about 8 years ago and this was a post I put on that thread. It covers a lot of stickers and plates you see on foreign trailers/ vehicles.
Italian
d on a green background = ‘domenica’ - vehicle exempt from Sunday driving ban.
a on a green background = ‘alimentari’, vehicle carrying foodstuffs.
Austrian
Black E on yellow = the vehicles have been certified to carry a lower gross weight and are only allowed to carry this lower weight.
Black H on yellow = the vehicles have been certified to carry a lower gross weight but can also carry the weight they were originally certified for.
White S on green = low emission vehicle.
White L on green = low noise and means the vehicle is exempt from the Austrian night driving ban.
White U on green = low noise and low emission vehicle.
German
Black A on white = waste transport.
Black K on white = ‘Kombi-Verkehr’ (Combined transport). Trucks with this sign are exempt from the German Sunday and holiday driving bans, limited to 150 kilometre travelling distance.
As for the winding handle its because they drive on the wrong side of the road so you would be winding on the pavement side that’s no real problem to change it over but as you prob drop in depots / yards and not on the highway I wouldn’t worry
caledoniandream:
dieseldave:
Mikey D:
Ok so we have a new to us trailer , it came from abroad some where anyway on the rear doors it has a foldaway plate like a orange ADR would be except it folds out to reveal a large letter A . As an aside it had the winding handle for the legs on the 'wrong side 'as well .
So any ideas ?
Cheers MIkeHi Mikey D,
The letter “A” on a folding plate is shown on the front and rear of a vehicle used for the national transport of waste within Germany.
The letter “A” stands for Abfall, which is the German word for “waste.”
The plate is 40cm X 30cm (same size as an ADR plate) but the Abfall plate has the letter “A” in black on a white background.
Not only Germany, but Holland and Belgium also.
A = Abfall / Afval = waste.
When transporting waste they need to carry a A on front and back of vehicle.
Thanks for that Frans, I didn’t realise that Belgium and The Netherlands have the same system as Germany for marking vehicles that are carrying waste. 
Mikey D:
That’s why I like this forum, an answer to a pretty unusual question within 15 mins !
… same here Mike, there’s a huge wealth of knowledge and experience on TN and the forum is open on Bank Holidays too. 
They’re nothing new. I had an A plate on the trucks I drove since at least 2006 as we used to carry empty or partially empty IBC’s to the former East Germany for washing out in a waste recycling facility. If you’re on A plates you have to have huge amounts of paperwork detailing exact routes you can take. In our case we could not get permission to transit Belgium or Holland as there was a direct sea route to Germany from Immingham to Cuxhaven, so that’s the way we had to go.
Below is a photo of my truck in Bittferfeld parked for the night waiting to tip the said waste.
On the ferry from Immingham to Cuxhaven, often a grim 24 hour crossing.
Mikey D:
That’s why I like this forum, an answer to a pretty unusual question within 15 mins !
Makes sense as it is a walking floor trailer …
Cheers gents and esp DD
Mike
Here-here! 
Robert