The Humer Unbeam Interesting Filling Stations Thread

The Humer Unbeam Interesting Filling Stations Thread

Author
Discussion

lowdrag

12,869 posts

212 months

Friday 20th April 2018
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Well, lovely to see the old photos, but sometimes memories are faulty. I remember Dicky, as well as a lot of other staff at the time. I went to Lysses school on High Street at the other end of town, and the second photo shows the bakery (white building) at the end towards Portsmouth opposite (well almost) one of the local pubs. On the left there is Stead and Simpson where mother bought my Clarks shoes, and I well remember putting my feet in the machine and seeing the x-rays to prove the size and width I needed! At the end of the street was Keasts toy shop, where we spent many a happy hour after school gazing in the window. They moved to that site from virtually opposite I recall. Dicky is wrong in saying that the garage closed in 1954. I was still at Lysses and walked it there and back every day, and the garage closed in 1959 when my father took on the Station Hotel at Droxford. He was and always had been a very heavy drinker and the employees robbed him blind; Esso offered him a new filling station but he decided to buy the lease on the hotel which became the Meon Valley Hotel and is now The Hurdles restaurant.

The second photo is taken, still facing east, from the other end of Fareham, your back towards the station and the bridge. Using Google Earth, if you look at Trinity Church the garage was on the left. It is now a 99p shop I see. Around us we had a cobbler, Dorothy Boale florist, and a few others where memory fails.

I thank you for taking the time and trouble, and should somehow you find a photo I shall be more than grateful.

Bobberoo99

38,367 posts

97 months

Saturday 21st April 2018
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Right ho then, so far failing to find pictures of the garage in question, but I have found some more pictures to stoke the old memories!! Also found out there's a museum in Fareham called The Westbury museum who are part of Hampshire Cultural Trust who have a fairly comprehensive history of Fareham and the businesses there, planning on going to the museum at some point, I'm working all day Saturday at the moment so it might be a while before I get in there, but I will continue to pursue this for you lowdrag!!!
West street c1952

West street c1955


DickyC

Original Poster:

49,547 posts

197 months

Saturday 21st April 2018
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The 2018 Humeritarian Award for Research goes to Bobberoo99.

Top man, Bobbers.

lowdrag

12,869 posts

212 months

Saturday 21st April 2018
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Ah, the dear old Embassy cinema, and further on you can see the Savoy which was opposite the bus station. I first saw High noon at the Embassy! The last photo evokes great memories of wonderful afternoon teas with my uncle, a certain Captain Barker-Wildish. at Forte's. He took more interest in me than my father, although he was just a family friend. Tall, ramrod straight, he always walked next to the kerb and doffed his hat to the ladies. That photo is at the east end of Fareham looking towards Southampton and you can again see the white cinema just to the right of the clock. The photographer of the first photo was about 400 yds from the garage which would have been on the right but behind him. Thanks for looking, and I have to suddenly go to Hampshire and other parts next week so I will try and look up this museum.

Bobberoo99

38,367 posts

97 months

Saturday 21st April 2018
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It's directly opposite McDonalds and Stones café, West street now turns into Hartlands road on a bend, it does in fact continue as West street for a short stint before becoming a pedestrianized area, if you're facing towards Southampton/the train station it is on your left. smile

Bobberoo99

38,367 posts

97 months

Sunday 22nd April 2018
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Went for a bit of a drive in the new forest today, coming through Brambridge going to Romsey from the M27 Cadman junction we came across this wee place, been there since 1939 apparently, sold the old pumps about 5 years ago!!!!


V8Sully

37 posts

112 months

Monday 7th May 2018
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I've had a quick skim through and couldn't see this. Its in Upton on Severn and has some pretty awesome recovery trucks languishing outside. Sorry about the pic, there was a coach parked right in front



Cheers
Dave

penrhos

8 posts

74 months

Saturday 19th May 2018
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In the countryside between Bridgnorth and somewhereorother, this lonely pump-and-lampost combination was exactly the same as the Streetview shot when I drove past a couple of days back. The site's up for a luxury homes development sadly.

The widescreen view heightens the 'Ozymandias' feel of the place IMO

The Don of Croy

5,976 posts

158 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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Spent last week getting sunburned walking up large hills in Scotland, but - joy! - found this place near Morvich (east end of Loch Duich);

https://goo.gl/maps/R9UFnwk69mt

Like West Wales there are many filling stations up north on these old tourist roads. If only one had more time...

cjs racing.

2,463 posts

128 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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Whaley, Derbyshire.

Proper old school place, in the front garden of his house.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2400331,-1.23212...

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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Sadly, the pump went about eight years ago....This was near Keld in the remote Yorkshire Dales.

Escort3500

11,829 posts

144 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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The Don of Croy said:
Spent last week getting sunburned walking up large hills in Scotland, but - joy! - found this place near Morvich (east end of Loch Duich);

https://goo.gl/maps/R9UFnwk69mt

Like West Wales there are many filling stations up north on these old tourist roads. If only one had more time...
Noticed that one when we were on the way to the campsite a couple of weeks ago. Great spot smile

delta037

416 posts

172 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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Just happened upon this thread and on the previous page noted A E Wilcox & Sons in Wickwar, Gloucestershire. 'Any Make of Car Supplied' was always included in their local advertising. Austin (BMC) was their 'bread and butter' brand. A40 Farina, A55, A99 Westminster were 'in'. MIni, 1100, 1300, Maxi, 1800 would follow.

Cars for service and repair were driven in off the street and work done on them over a pit. Eric or Tom, two of the mechanics, would break from what they were working on to serve petrol. Brown overalls and black army style beret was their uniform. They were always happy to answer the questions of this young inquisitive car enthusiast when I visited there with my dad. Four of our cars - all secondhand - came from there between 1958 to 1963.

Further into the main street facing building was room for two more cars nose to tail then an exit to a yard at the back. The showroom was to the right of the workshop. Room for 3 or four New cars and brochure displays. Behind that was a larger showroom which accommodated about a dozen used cars. I remember sitting in a Healey Sprite and thinking how cramped it was for me even as a teenager.

A separate lock up a few hundred yards away housed 'overflow' sometimes obscure vehicles destined forgoing out to trade or auction.

Later expansion saw a second showroom site created at the other end of the High Street to house 'Rover'.

After the fall of Rover, Citroen and Daihatsu were added to the revived Chinese MG line which is where they are today. Brand loyalty is great within rural community. Everyone from farmers to minor aristocracy bought their cars there.

It is gratifying to see that a small family run business is still surviving in the same location sixty years on from my first visit in 1958.

Great memories!

I note too on one of the first pages of this thread the two petrol pumps now adorning a front garden at Uley, near Dursley. I saw that site for the first time a couple of years ago. Very quaint.

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,547 posts

197 months

Friday 25th May 2018
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In the back streets of Mansfield.













The workshop part of the business still trades. A client had me going to and fro Mansfield to a nearby dealer to collect cars for sale and led me to believe it would be a regular event. My plan was to go in and chat to the owner who was on holiday when I took these. Then suddenly I wasn't going any more. Strike while the iron is hot.

I'll write and ask if they have any photos of the garage from years ago.

Running Man 11

32 posts

85 months

Friday 25th May 2018
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cjs racing. said:
Whaley, Derbyshire.

Proper old school place, in the front garden of his house.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2400331,-1.23212...
Recognise that place, it's about 4 miles into the route of the Clowne Half Marathon!

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,547 posts

197 months

Thursday 31st May 2018
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The A505 north of Royston. I reckon it was the location that led to its ruin. You come across it suddenly and then it's too late to turn in. I pulled in on my third pass even though I knew it was there and wanted to turn in. The other problem is pulling out again into the traffic; chaps coming at you over the rise at a rate of knots.









There are vehicles mouldering in the back lot as well. Who could have done such a thing?



yikes

penrhos

8 posts

74 months

Saturday 2nd June 2018
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Huskissons in Lavister, on the Welsh border, is near perfect. Last open in the late 1990s if I remember right, a few years after a bypass took away a lot of the traffic.

https://goo.gl/maps/Qm4Q7RCsSjq



Edited by penrhos on Saturday 2nd June 20:20


Edited by penrhos on Saturday 2nd June 20:42

8bit

4,846 posts

154 months

Monday 4th June 2018
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Drove past this yesterday, on the road between Perth and Crieff. It looked a lot prettier in real life.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@56.3998381,-3.66996...

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

116 months

Monday 4th June 2018
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8bit said:
Drove past this yesterday, on the road between Perth and Crieff. It looked a lot prettier in real life.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@56.3998381,-3.66996...
Fuel is a good price!

daveenty

2,357 posts

209 months

Tuesday 5th June 2018
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penrhos said:
Huskissons in Lavister, on the Welsh border, is near perfect. Last open in the late 1990s if I remember right, a few years after a bypass took away a lot of the traffic.
Is that still there?

I go through Lavister regularly as I have friends in Rossett, though will admit to never noticing it. Opposite the Nags I take it?