Can anybody tell me where my plates have gone.

I thought I purchased them, but they are now withdrawn.

If I buy a book I do not return it after the year end, so why should my online purchase be withdrawn.

If I buy new ones, or indeed Pooleys, can I download them so That I may keep them next time.

The purchase page for the AFE 2012 plates clearly stated that they would only be available until sometime around March 2012, after which time they would be withdrawn and you would no longer have access to them. When you buy plates in SkyDemon you are buying access to them for a specific time period, it is not the same as buying a book.

The AFE 2012 plates have been replaced by the AFE subscription, in which the plates will be updated from time to time throughout the year. It carries an annual cost.