The Humer Unbeam Interesting Filling Stations Thread

The Humer Unbeam Interesting Filling Stations Thread

Author
Discussion

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,540 posts

197 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Humer Unbeam Sleuth Corner

On the A4 Bath Road, on the Reading Side of Woolhampton, is a modern BP station:




I reckon there was a garage there years ago that continued to function while the new one was built. Then, when the new one opened, the old one became a separate business.


andyps

7,817 posts

281 months

Sunday 29th May 2016
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Spotted this one today - it was functioning as a garage only a few months ago.

Lucas CAV

3,021 posts

218 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Any clues as to its whereabouts?!

andyps

7,817 posts

281 months

Tuesday 31st May 2016
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Lucas CAV said:
Any clues as to its whereabouts?!
Sorry, it was a quick post as I'm in rural France with a limited and very slow internet connection. It is is Glomel, Cotes d'Amor, Brittany.

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Tuesday 31st May 2016
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SonicShadow said:
Have we had this one near Bicknacre, Essex?

I think I may have posted this a whole back - no matter though it is a good one (though IIRC the petrol is fking expensive!)

r129sl

9,518 posts

202 months

Thursday 2nd June 2016
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I forgot all about this one, not ten miles from my home. It is in West Thirston, just off the A1 in Northumberland. I think it is still trading.


The Don of Croy

5,975 posts

158 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
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There was a report on the radio a few weeks' back stating that UK filling stations had declined by 2/3 in just 25 years iirc. Once upon a time I worked for Conder Group *, then the largest UK supplier of forecourt canopies (and a very nice company to work for before it all went tits-up).

Some close to me, starting with currently trading at Bidborough, Kent



A more rural affair in Bayham, near Lamberhurst, no pumps but still active (see the similarity with the Penshurst garage posted already - the horse shoe design);



This one is a fine example of 'garage vernacular' (it's all gone a bit Johnathan Glancey) from Hartfield, replete with headless sign;



And this is a sad former garage close to Bodiam in Sussex;



  • Conder Canopies - although I missed the heady days of the post-self-service boom, most of the staff were still there including a sales manager whose early career was spent on the A1 - calling at every northbound filling station one week, turn around at Edinburgh, then all the southbound stations next week. Then A4, A2, A3 etc etc for 15 years.

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,540 posts

197 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Took a customer's Range Rover to local experts Moss in Easton, half way between Newbury and Lambourn (that's the M4 you can see in the background). They diagnosed the problem in about five minutes, just long enough for me to have a mooch about. Among every age and variety of Land Rover, Range Rover and Discovery I found this:







And I also spotted this being restored; a very rare Land Rover Perpendicular where the cab is at right angles to the chassis. Must be worth a mint.


williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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what was the Audi sport team veloqx thing in the background??? maybe there's an R8 in the undergrowth somewhere

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,540 posts

197 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Bizarrely, I didn't see that until I saw the picture. I'll go back and have a chat as, amongst other things, I forgot to ask if it had been the village garage with pumps in the old days. Like a numpty I suspected it had but didn't ask.

hidetheelephants

23,739 posts

192 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Gasboy sounds like a rubbish Marvel character, in french France he would be Le Pétomane. hehe Remarkable how so much metering equipment was of US origin back then even when the UK was ostensibly regarded as the workshop of the world.

Telecaster_

66 posts

93 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Pass this one a lot near me, not much to look at but the price suggest he still sells fuel

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.0912113,-1.31654...

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,540 posts

197 months

Monday 6th June 2016
quotequote all
hidetheelephants said:
Gasboy sounds like a rubbish Marvel character, in french France he would be Le Pétomane. hehe Remarkable how so much metering equipment was of US origin back then even when the UK was ostensibly regarded as the workshop of the world.
We could make stuff, we just couldn't measure anything. It was why British goods were thought of as flamboyant elsewhere in the world.


Telecaster_

66 posts

93 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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These two are long gone, interesting that they're both quite close together and are both now some sort of mini garden centre. On your way to Matlock from Alfreton.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.1244348,-1.46002...

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.1317864,-1.52079...

Telecaster_

66 posts

93 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Again, on your way to Matlock from the Whatstandwell side. Back when they phased out 4 star for LRP I can remember coming here to fill up my V6 Sierra with Leaded at an extortionate rate, I found it on a list in a classic car magazine that listed all the stations still stocking full fat leaded 4 star.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.0926768,-1.51142...

Telecaster_

66 posts

93 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Almost forgot this one near Darley Dale, Diesel only, cash only(!)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.173998,-1.606472...

Lucas CAV

3,021 posts

218 months

Tuesday 7th June 2016
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Telecaster_ said:
Almost forgot this one near Darley Dale, Diesel only, cash only(!)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.173998,-1.606472...
It's the quarry trucks keeping him in business

Telecaster_

66 posts

93 months

Tuesday 7th June 2016
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Lucas CAV said:
It's the quarry trucks keeping him in business
It's bang opposite where I used to work for a while, I think the wagons from there might have used it as well, but cash only bemused me in this age, how many wagon drivers carry enough cash to fill a tank on one of them, what is it about £300-400??

Lucas CAV

3,021 posts

218 months

Tuesday 7th June 2016
quotequote all
Telecaster_ said:
Lucas CAV said:
It's the quarry trucks keeping him in business
It's bang opposite where I used to work for a while, I think the wagons from there might have used it as well, but cash only bemused me in this age, how many wagon drivers carry enough cash to fill a tank on one of them, what is it about £300-400??
There's a Keyfuels sign there so they will use cards.

lowdrag

12,868 posts

212 months

Wednesday 8th June 2016
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This is a garage that if you have bee to Le Mans you might pass but not recognise. it is the filling station at Arnage and was the Bristol team garage in 1955.