Vintage Garage Forecourts. Share what you have,

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From Top Gear, Philippines.

Standard Vacuum Oil Company of New York (Socony) was the pioneer petroleum firm in our country; in 1892, it started shipping in kerosene, which replaced whale oil to make lamp light. The product was sold under the name ‘Petroleo Marca Gallo’ (Cock Petroleum). In 1897, the firm established a permanent trading center and office in Anloague, Manila. Socony later became Mobil, then Esso, then Petron (1974).

By the 1900s, traders were selling electric, steam or internal combustion engine (ICE) automobiles to the public. The electric and steam cars were initially more popular because their early ICE counterparts were problematic. Fuels (naphtha, alcohol, stove gas) were difficult to buy, and a running ICE car was constantly noisy, dirty and smelly. But everything changed with the discovery of cheap oil in Texas in 1901. The price of crude oil fell below P0.10 a barrel. Gasoline, which carried the stylized name of Pratt’s Motor Spirit, finally arrived in 1908.

Originally available in wooden cases of two five gallons tins to a case, it was sold in 10-gallon drums from 1910. Distributed by Socony, it became available at garages and small repair shops. Socony had a monopoly until Shell came in 1914 and Texaco (Caltex) arrived in 1921. Due to World War I, domestic gasoline was rationed for years. With the lifting of rationing in early 1919, the demand for gasoline became immense. In order to solve the dilemma, Socony initiated the installation of a Gilbert-Barker curbside gasoline pump in Intramuros.



The arrival of gasoline tankers in 1920 made possible the delivery of gasoline to far-flung areas. Socony imported 15 prefabricated steel service-station buildings in 1925. Twelve buildings were constructed in Manila, while three were erected in Cebu. In time, more stations were established along the north and south roads of Luzon. Construction in the Visayas and in Mindanao were minimal due to the few good roads there.

Thanks to improved thoroughfares, stations and rest areas, tourism started to grow in the 1930s. However, many stations closed during World War II; the few that operated near sugar mills sold only alcogas. Commerce was revived immediately after the war. Instantaneously, competing companies started building stations with additional new services everywhere. Lubritoriums (service bays) appeared in the ’50s, while bigger and more convenient restrooms came in the ’60s.









All stations are still full service here as well.

Nothing as opulent as the USA ones. This is (was) my wifes dad's place. It was in Easington County Durham on the old A19. That is wifey's dad in the picture. Taken about 1969

Although the photo is a little dark this servo was around the corner from us when I was a little kid living in Holland.
When I found myself old enough to ride a "brommer"/moped I would "borrow" a gilder/gulden from mum and fill up my moped at the Frisol


Right next to the shop was a car was. You could was your car for 1 gilder. I found out that if you tap the slot a stuck gilder would sometimes fall out. So, before I would fill up I would always "tap" the machine at the car was. One day I hit the jackpot as about 15 gilders rolled out!! That was 2 gilders for petrol, fl2.50 for a pack of Camel and a Mars bar for on the road with spare cash in my pocket!

Here are some photos of the garage forecourt where our workshop is. Changed a bit over the years.

another incredible deco/streamline building is one built on the site of Len mill in maidstone by william rootes (yes that rootes!!) which was originally intended for servicing aero engines, but for several decades became a garage and service centre for rootes group vehicles, Humber, Hillman, Commer, sunbeam, talbot and so on, up until a coupple of years ago it was still a peugot dealership with robin and day.

A bit hard to see but it's the best photo I can find. There's a little petrol station tucked in there that was, usually, the cheapest in town for 4 Star. Not lived around there for a long time now but the Tricorn is long gone, as are most (if not all) of the small petrol stations in the city.

There's a walk around video on YouTube of this site since it was abandoned 👍

one of my own photos which is a mere pup at "only" 27 years ago. 58.5p/ litre, yikes! this would have been expensive too as it was a small village garage.




took my land rover up there (now derelict) in 2006 for a faux vintage photo