The Humer Unbeam Interesting Filling Stations Thread
Discussion
andyps said:
coppice said:
Benjo42 said:
Wow thanks for this link or I would have never known this Little chef icon from my childhood had once been a petrol station! I see it still now, but looking very sorry for itself after the chef has gone.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markham_Moor
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2568197,-0.92813...
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2567913,-0.92765...
A real memory of my childhood too - used to call in there en route Norfolk Broads with my dad in his Triumph Herald in the 60s. Later I was a regular visitor in my sexy Escort Van and MG Midget. But passed the site the other day and am pretty sure it wasn't there ? Must have been listed- classic 60s architecture with huge confidence ('screw the past - just cop for this baby ' ) - what a contrast to our current habit of making everything look so Farrow and Ball retro... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markham_Moor
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2568197,-0.92813...
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2567913,-0.92765...
Edited by Benjo42 on Friday 5th August 08:23
So this architects firm are renting out the downstairs to Ducati.
https://twitter.com/harrismccormack
and here is the one that was a petrol station in its day to keep everything in equilibrium.
Edited by Benjo42 on Monday 8th August 15:14
It's an ill wind and all that. I took the first turn I came to directing me to Salisbury from the A303. It was a bit early - about nine miles - but I did find this in Cholderton on the A338:
It ain't, y'know.
It made me quite sad. I know I've mentioned this before but it's a whole way of life that came and went remarkably quickly. During the 20th Century, for the first time, ordinary people had the means to travel when and where they wanted. And they did. Businesses sprang up to cater for them and prospered. Meanwhile the authorities realised existing roads were inadequate and built new, bigger roads and starved those very businesses. The number of garage owners willing or able to gamble on a move to newer and bigger premises on the bypasses and dual carriageways must have been few and so we now have service stations owned by big chains.
In France it was worse. When I first went to France in the Sixties, in the back of the family Victor 101, there were roadside cafés at regular intervals where you could buy really excellent food and coffee. As the norm, I mean. The French enjoyed their food and demanded that it was good. A few years ago we came off the AutoRoute and on to the old Route National to find a better place to eat than the services. They've all gone. Well, we did find one but it was dismal and the patron's wife kept bursting into tears. French motorway services, by and large, are as bad as they are here.
And to realise that by using Motorways and buying supermarket petrol I was part of the problem that drove small independent petrol retailers out of business doesn't help at all.
It ain't, y'know.
It made me quite sad. I know I've mentioned this before but it's a whole way of life that came and went remarkably quickly. During the 20th Century, for the first time, ordinary people had the means to travel when and where they wanted. And they did. Businesses sprang up to cater for them and prospered. Meanwhile the authorities realised existing roads were inadequate and built new, bigger roads and starved those very businesses. The number of garage owners willing or able to gamble on a move to newer and bigger premises on the bypasses and dual carriageways must have been few and so we now have service stations owned by big chains.
In France it was worse. When I first went to France in the Sixties, in the back of the family Victor 101, there were roadside cafés at regular intervals where you could buy really excellent food and coffee. As the norm, I mean. The French enjoyed their food and demanded that it was good. A few years ago we came off the AutoRoute and on to the old Route National to find a better place to eat than the services. They've all gone. Well, we did find one but it was dismal and the patron's wife kept bursting into tears. French motorway services, by and large, are as bad as they are here.
And to realise that by using Motorways and buying supermarket petrol I was part of the problem that drove small independent petrol retailers out of business doesn't help at all.
gwc1997 said:
Morland near Penrith, Cumbria. 100% favourite petrol station would love to one day buy it and restore it to its former glory
Bit of a coincidence; I passed this a few weeks ago (lovely village) and took a few pics of the pumps and the abandoned Morris Traveller next to them. Also liked the signs on the garage. 3-digit phone number 
DickyC said:
Had dinner with big bro last night in Whitchurch and was horrified to see that I had previously missed a bit:
For a village garage it must have been huge on its heyday.
Earlier this year I stayed at the White Hart opposite this place while on the way to commentate at Thruxton, and spent a while looking at this lovely old garage - everyone outside the pub probably thought I was a bit strange walking round looking at a random old building. But then again, I am strange...For a village garage it must have been huge on its heyday.
DickyC said:
It's an ill wind and all that. I took the first turn I came to directing me to Salisbury from the A303. It was a bit early - about nine miles - but I did find this in Cholderton on the A338:
It ain't, y'know.
It made me quite sad. I know I've mentioned this before but it's a whole way of life that came and went remarkably quickly. During the 20th Century, for the first time, ordinary people had the means to travel when and where they wanted. And they did. Businesses sprang up to cater for them and prospered. Meanwhile the authorities realised existing roads were inadequate and built new, bigger roads and starved those very businesses. The number of garage owners willing or able to gamble on a move to newer and bigger premises on the bypasses and dual carriageways must have been few and so we now have service stations owned by big chains.
In France it was worse. When I first went to France in the Sixties, in the back of the family Victor 101, there were roadside cafés at regular intervals where you could buy really excellent food and coffee. As the norm, I mean. The French enjoyed their food and demanded that it was good. A few years ago we came off the AutoRoute and on to the old Route National to find a better place to eat than the services. They've all gone. Well, we did find one but it was dismal and the patron's wife kept bursting into tears. French motorway services, by and large, are as bad as they are here.
And to realise that by using Motorways and buying supermarket petrol I was part of the problem that drove small independent petrol retailers out of business doesn't help at all.
Very good, if rather poignant, post, DickyC. Some call it progress, I think... but not me.It ain't, y'know.
It made me quite sad. I know I've mentioned this before but it's a whole way of life that came and went remarkably quickly. During the 20th Century, for the first time, ordinary people had the means to travel when and where they wanted. And they did. Businesses sprang up to cater for them and prospered. Meanwhile the authorities realised existing roads were inadequate and built new, bigger roads and starved those very businesses. The number of garage owners willing or able to gamble on a move to newer and bigger premises on the bypasses and dual carriageways must have been few and so we now have service stations owned by big chains.
In France it was worse. When I first went to France in the Sixties, in the back of the family Victor 101, there were roadside cafés at regular intervals where you could buy really excellent food and coffee. As the norm, I mean. The French enjoyed their food and demanded that it was good. A few years ago we came off the AutoRoute and on to the old Route National to find a better place to eat than the services. They've all gone. Well, we did find one but it was dismal and the patron's wife kept bursting into tears. French motorway services, by and large, are as bad as they are here.
And to realise that by using Motorways and buying supermarket petrol I was part of the problem that drove small independent petrol retailers out of business doesn't help at all.
Benjo42 said:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.5823499,-0.41333... I know I shouldn't as it's not a garage but here is a link to that one. It really was another cool looking building in it's day and it also meant nearly being home from holidays Cornwall with my grandparents and their bay window camper
So this architects firm are renting out the downstairs to Ducati.
https://twitter.com/harrismccormack
and here is the one that was a petrol station in its day to keep everything in equilibrium.
Beautiful building. Love the art-deco period, whether architecture, furniture or cars. A bit sad to see the state of it in that modern Google map link.So this architects firm are renting out the downstairs to Ducati.
https://twitter.com/harrismccormack
and here is the one that was a petrol station in its day to keep everything in equilibrium.
DickyC said:
It's an ill wind and all that. I took the first turn I came to directing me to Salisbury from the A303. It was a bit early - about nine miles - but I did find this in Cholderton on the A338:
It ain't, y'know.
It made me quite sad. I know I've mentioned this before but it's a whole way of life that came and went remarkably quickly. During the 20th Century, for the first time, ordinary people had the means to travel when and where they wanted. And they did. Businesses sprang up to cater for them and prospered. Meanwhile the authorities realised existing roads were inadequate and built new, bigger roads and starved those very businesses. The number of garage owners willing or able to gamble on a move to newer and bigger premises on the bypasses and dual carriageways must have been few and so we now have service stations owned by big chains.
In France it was worse. When I first went to France in the Sixties, in the back of the family Victor 101, there were roadside cafés at regular intervals where you could buy really excellent food and coffee. As the norm, I mean. The French enjoyed their food and demanded that it was good. A few years ago we came off the AutoRoute and on to the old Route National to find a better place to eat than the services. They've all gone. Well, we did find one but it was dismal and the patron's wife kept bursting into tears. French motorway services, by and large, are as bad as they are here.
And to realise that by using Motorways and buying supermarket petrol I was part of the problem that drove small independent petrol retailers out of business doesn't help at all.
My dad has been taking his cars there for MOTs for about 30 years. Although the petrol station and shop slowly withered, the redoubtable owner still does MOTs round the back. It seems he starts early in the morning and just works on through. As far as I know (I'll ask my dad when I see him at the weekend) he's still working there.It ain't, y'know.
It made me quite sad. I know I've mentioned this before but it's a whole way of life that came and went remarkably quickly. During the 20th Century, for the first time, ordinary people had the means to travel when and where they wanted. And they did. Businesses sprang up to cater for them and prospered. Meanwhile the authorities realised existing roads were inadequate and built new, bigger roads and starved those very businesses. The number of garage owners willing or able to gamble on a move to newer and bigger premises on the bypasses and dual carriageways must have been few and so we now have service stations owned by big chains.
In France it was worse. When I first went to France in the Sixties, in the back of the family Victor 101, there were roadside cafés at regular intervals where you could buy really excellent food and coffee. As the norm, I mean. The French enjoyed their food and demanded that it was good. A few years ago we came off the AutoRoute and on to the old Route National to find a better place to eat than the services. They've all gone. Well, we did find one but it was dismal and the patron's wife kept bursting into tears. French motorway services, by and large, are as bad as they are here.
And to realise that by using Motorways and buying supermarket petrol I was part of the problem that drove small independent petrol retailers out of business doesn't help at all.
These places really rock my boat. My family ran a small garage until 1982 and it had all the trappings from 1930's when it first opened. I know of some similar still running including one that looks like a scrap yard but hidden behind the scenes and among piles of car parts and apparent confusion is a full rolling road and major performance engineering setup with possibly the best balancing, porting and crank polishing business in the UK all run by a very clever if very old chap.
Thought I'd pop this link in here - http://www.danlockton.co.uk/petrol/petrol_list.htm... - how many have you seen?
I remember the I-Spy book series from when I was younger (can you still buy these?) and in the "On a Car Journey" ones there were lots of these signs, I never spotted many of them though.
I remember the I-Spy book series from when I was younger (can you still buy these?) and in the "On a Car Journey" ones there were lots of these signs, I never spotted many of them though.
Went passed this place (still used) the other day at Lake Vyrnwy, Wales.
Didn't take a pic so this is just taken off of Google streetmaps.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7606405,-3.43513...
Didn't take a pic so this is just taken off of Google streetmaps.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7606405,-3.43513...
gforceg said:
My dad has been taking his cars there for MOTs for about 30 years. Although the petrol station and shop slowly withered, the redoubtable owner still does MOTs round the back. It seems he starts early in the morning and just works on through. As far as I know (I'll ask my dad when I see him at the weekend) he's still working there.
That explains it. I spotted what I thought was a deserted garage on the way to drop off a car and stopped to take photos on the way back. But as I wandered round the back I realised I wasn't alone...They won't get much passing trade, that's certain.
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