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Archishite - garages and filling stations


forddeliveryboy

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There's a lovely art deco garage in Selsdon near Croydon. Can't find a good picture of it but from the road it looks like an old cinema building. It has been boarded up like this for as long as I can remember:

 

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Got some information from here: http://www.francisfrith.com/selsdon/selsdon-garage_memory-416931

 

In 1964 I started work as an apprentice mechanic at Selsdon garage, which can just be seen at the start on the right of this photo. The main range of vehicles repaired was mostly BMC though we would work on all makes of cars, from Fords to Jaguar. There was about 6 mechanics, 1 forman and 2 apprentices.The garage was owned by a Mr Bailey and his two sons Jeff and Tony ran it. It was a very happy time and we all got on well together. As apprentices we would have to go and get the cakes for tea breaks and I can remember going to Montys bakers about 3 shops up, they used to do lovely jam donuts - they were quite dark and greasey and full of jam about a thosand calories a bite!
There used to be a ballroom above the garage and on the top floor at the back was some kind of homework unit that used to give buttons out to be painted at home.
I am sad that I never took a photo of the garage, the last time I saw it it was in disrepair and covered in graffiti. It should of been a listed building, I was sorry to see somewhere with such good memories looking so bad.
Im now retired in Broadstairs working as a mechanic for most of my life for Royal Mail in Margate, and purchased this photo to remember all my old friends at Selsdon garage!

A memory shared by Barry Wade , on Aug 1st, 2013.

 

 

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Ex-VW dealership, Ipswich.

 

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That used to part of the McNamara Vauxhall, the main part of which was further along the street.  I always remember that particular building housing Budget rent a car in the 1980s and their new Vauxhalls.

 

This building is now a repair garage H&F Autos.

 

The VW garage (Mann Egerton) was in Princes street opposite what was John Grose the Ford dealer.

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Ah, the old filling station in Wenvoe, I think it is either just about to be knocked down, or already has been to go with the land behind as building plots.

 

I got a less worse clutch pedal and driver's door mirror for my old Espace off them , from one that had been abandoned on their forecourt

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Another Sam Scorer design that started life as a car dealership:

 

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It did indeed.

 

It was known as Lincolnshire Motors back in the day and was a Ford dealership. Back in 1969 I remember walking into that place with my dad with a Ford Transit caravanette he'd hired.

 

It then became a library before becoming an Italian eatery

 

The Little Chef on the A1 at Markham Moor is a listed building but is currently all boarded up.

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

There's a lovely art deco garage in Selsdon near Croydon. 

 

 

That's just down the road from me. I'll get a photo next time I go past. There's a big Audi supermarket (see what I did there?) opened next door, and it's surrounded by boarding so it looks like it's days might be numbered. If not listed it will no doubt end up being bulldozed for crap flats exclusive lifestyle apartments crafted from the finest weetabix. 

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Grade II listed Eliot Noyes designed station in Birstall:

 

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It's the last of its kind in the entire Yookay.

 

No it isn't.  When Practical Classics printed that (along with all the other press quoting the press release) I sent them a photo of the one that is only a couple of miles from me. Smaller but from the same series.  Can't find the photo at the moment but if I do I'll post it.

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Here you are.  Was always a Mobil in my memory. Might have got petrol there once or twice before it shut as a filling station.

 

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This one's about a mile from my home in Barnet!!

 

Something I read somewhere makes me think this forecourt has had a preservation order placed on it, so it can't be pulled down. I MIGHT be wrong, but I'm certain these forecourts have a certain architectural quality.

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