The Humer Unbeam Interesting Filling Stations Thread

The Humer Unbeam Interesting Filling Stations Thread

Author
Discussion

jamoor

14,506 posts

215 months

Sunday 6th September 2020
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DickyC said:
Yes, chemists and hardware stores.

In 1888, Bertha Benz, on the world's first long distance car journey, stopped at an apothecary's in Wiesloch to buy the solvent her husband, Karl, used to power his Patent Motorwagen. Not only was it the world's first long drive but it was also the world's fuel stop at the world's first petrol station.

She had tired of waiting for the car - launched two years previously - to repay their investment, and took it upon herself to road test it. The motorwagen didn't have a fuel tank but held 4.5 litres in the carburetor. She drove 61 miles with her sons without the knowledge of her husband or the approval of the authorities.

The Brits were fairly slow to adopt petrol stations because of the country's excellent railway system.
Interesting.

Petrol must have been expensive too I guess if they didnt' have the economies of scale that we have now? Maybe?

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,754 posts

198 months

Sunday 6th September 2020
quotequote all
jamoor said:
Interesting.

Petrol must have been expensive too I guess if they didnt' have the economies of scale that we have now? Maybe?
Like many new ideas motoring was initially the preserve of the wealthy. It may have been for the camera but did you see how little fuel the AA man put in the car in the clip? The longest journey for most cars was to the station.

The Rotrex Kid

30,308 posts

160 months

Sunday 6th September 2020
quotequote all
DickyC said:
jamoor said:
Interesting.

Petrol must have been expensive too I guess if they didnt' have the economies of scale that we have now? Maybe?
Like many new ideas motoring was initially the preserve of the wealthy. It may have been for the camera but did you see how little fuel the AA man put in the car in the clip? The longest journey for most cars was to the station.
There was a cut on the video between him putting the pipe in and then turning it off again. Would have been a gravity fed pump I think so wouldn’t have been very fast!

jamoor

14,506 posts

215 months

Sunday 6th September 2020
quotequote all
DickyC said:
Like many new ideas motoring was initially the preserve of the wealthy. It may have been for the camera but did you see how little fuel the AA man put in the car in the clip? The longest journey for most cars was to the station.
Yeah that's true.

Dermot O'Logical

2,579 posts

129 months

Monday 7th September 2020
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Car_Nut said:
DickyC said:
Car_Nut said:
To be fair, the Land Crab was not very highly thought of in period - I recall it being seen as a stretch of the Issigonis Mini concept too far. It’s market failure shows this.
386,000 sold.
Over 11 years, assembled in 4 plants around the World. Never achieved projected sales in any year.
Didn't the Land Crab have ridiculously high torsional rigidity? Some (one or two) were used in long-distance events such as the World Cup rallies with some success as a result, although they were, along with every other Austin/Morris/British Leyland product of the time, tragically hopeless at their primary function of being road-based everyday transport for the British motorist.

Mr.Jimbo

2,082 posts

183 months

Monday 7th September 2020
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Dermot O'Logical said:
Didn't the Land Crab have ridiculously high torsional rigidity? Some (one or two) were used in long-distance events such as the World Cup rallies with some success as a result, although they were, along with every other Austin/Morris/British Leyland product of the time, tragically hopeless at their primary function of being road-based everyday transport for the British motorist.
Gaydon motor museum has a London-Mexico (or maybe Australia?) land crab rally car, with a really plush single rear armchair for the 3rd team member to sleep in.

Looks just like something from your Gran's front room, quite out of place.

Rathcon

54 posts

51 months

Monday 7th September 2020
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This was my local shop and pub when I lived in Ireland around 15 years ago, it's still open and hasn't changed all that much!......was once a post office too but that was before I lived there.....

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,754 posts

198 months

Monday 7th September 2020
quotequote all
That's brilliant. But what does it look like when it's closed?

Rathcon

54 posts

51 months

Monday 7th September 2020
quotequote all
Funnily enough not a great deal different, the bit out the front would be full of cars on a Friday/Saturday night though...was a bit of a tarsus, through the doors was the shop part then a set of saloon type doors would take you into the bar area. Another door into a room with a full size snooker table then a smaller room off that with I think 2 pool tables. Great little pub, go out for a few pints of an evening and buy the makings for breakfast the next morning..

Rathcon

54 posts

51 months

Monday 7th September 2020
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https://youtu.be/jpzqEUkNwHI

Forgot about the music sessions there.....

Mark Benson

7,515 posts

269 months

Wednesday 9th September 2020
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Nice article about a several-times-posted-on-this-thread roadside garage local to me that's up for sale with planning permission for houses on the land sadly:

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18699477.at...

Bobberoo99

38,629 posts

98 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
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Been meaning to get my sorry arse down to Netley and enquire about the old garage that's there, still in use as a family run business today, the garage is not very wide but goes back a long way, a couple of pictures off the internet, first one i think just about shows a petrol pump on the pavement outside c1955, the other as it is now from the outside, i'll endeavour to get down there and get more pics and information.


The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

117 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
quotequote all
Bobberoo99 said:
Been meaning to get my sorry arse down to Netley and enquire about the old garage that's there, still in use as a family run business today, the garage is not very wide but goes back a long way, a couple of pictures off the internet, first one i think just about shows a petrol pump on the pavement outside c1955, the other as it is now from the outside, i'll endeavour to get down there and get more pics and information.

StreetView thing.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x487470fea...

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,754 posts

198 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
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Vent pipes? The tanks must still be there.

The Rotrex Kid

30,308 posts

160 months

Friday 11th September 2020
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Took the long way to work today, Going along the Falmouth-Redruth road (or the A393 to you and me!) and passed through Ponsanooth.

On the right hand side there has been an IMP petrol station forever. It normally has a few rusting old cars sitting around waiting to be scrapped and their fuel is never the cheapest, but you could buy............ Wait for it.................4 Star! Wow.

Anyway. It seems to be the end of the road.... The prices have gone. Replaced with a sombre date range...



It's a big old building, who knows what it will end up being used for!



See! 4 Star!




Chunkymonkey_71

13,015 posts

198 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
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A couple of Tighnabruaich shots for you, Dicky.

Getragdogleg

8,768 posts

183 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
quotequote all
The Rotrex Kid said:
Took the long way to work today, Going along the Falmouth-Redruth road (or the A393 to you and me!) and passed through Ponsanooth.

On the right hand side there has been an IMP petrol station forever. It normally has a few rusting old cars sitting around waiting to be scrapped and their fuel is never the cheapest, but you could buy............ Wait for it.................4 Star! Wow.

Anyway. It seems to be the end of the road.... The prices have gone. Replaced with a sombre date range...



It's a big old building, who knows what it will end up being used for!



See! 4 Star!

It's full of Cadillacs, I suspect the owner has died give those dates...

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,754 posts

198 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
quotequote all
Chunkymonkey_71 said:






A couple of Tighnabruaich shots for you, Dicky.
Lovely, Chunky, thanks.

Many of us would benefit from a phonetic rendering of the name.

Chunkymonkey_71

13,015 posts

198 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
quotequote all
Tin a broo acch

DickyC

Original Poster:

49,754 posts

198 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
quotequote all
Chunkymonkey_71 said:
Tin a broo acch
Thanks. I don't drink whisky so my Scottish pronunciation ability is woeful.