British Petrol Stations: design & branding history


Brands of petrol & diesel sold in Great Britain from 1953 to present

3D

Northern midlands & Humber area—ended up under Total's control in 1990s. Still some branded stations left.

AB — no information

Need image

   
ABA Need image
   
Abacus Need image

Abco

Late 1960s. Image of badge courtesy Ian Byrne. Any photos of stations would be much appreciated. Ended up under Total's control.

   

Ace

Image courtesy Paul Farrow. (I have recoloured it)

Acorn (i)

A high standard one-off, in Abington near Cambridge.

Acorn (ii) — Truro, Cornwall, one-off.

Action

South Wales, sold to Gulf, ended up under Shell's control. Believed none remaining.

   
AD — Brentwood, Essex, pump seen in background of TV report on Sep 2000 fuel protests. Logo drawn from memory - a photo would be appreciated.

Aero — became Abco (qv) => under Total's control. Image of badge courtesy Ian Byrne. Photos of stations, globes, etc. would be appreciated.

AF — Lake District, late 1980s, Fina distributor, part of larger farming services/country store group. Need image of AF-branded petrol station (this logo scanned from Yellow Pages & re-coloured).

AG East — no information

Need image

AGIP — British stations bought by Esso

Need colour photo of an AGIP station in UK

AGPA

Possibly an agricultural co-op. Pump in Stockbridge, Hants.

   
AH Fuels Need image
   
Alpa Need image

Amco — Puckeridge, Herts. One-off

   
AMH Need image

Amoco

Chain bought by Elf, so ultimately Total. First photo from Amoco/Murco Milford Haven Refinery brochure, mid-80s; second courtesy Ian Byrne.

Anglian

Two stations in March, Cambs.

Anglo

Complex history in recent times. Were any stations ever branded in the new, post-Repsol livery (third image, taken from Anglo Petroleum website?)

Apex (i) — bought by Burmah. First Image (Camberley Autopoint) from May 1992 issue of Burmah People magazine. Second image (Oxhey) courtesy Ian Byrne.

Apex (ii)

A one-off in Somerset, now gone.

   
Anglo-Scottish — Companion brand to Ascot (see below) Need image

Antur — Elf associate, west Wales. Now owned by Total

   
Arch Need image

Arco — A photo of an actual Arco station in the UK would be appreciated.

   
Argus— 1970s, Leeds. Thanks to Brian Whal for this information. Need image

Arndale — Originally a joint venture between Petrofina and Butler Chemicals. Did the name have any significance? Now owned by Total. Note the very slight difference in logos here - the left-hand one with the 'overhanging' red stripe would seem to be earlier.

   
Arrow Need image
   
Ascot Need image

ASDA

Atlantic — Image recoloured: an original colour photo of an Atlantic station in the UK would be appreciated.

   
Auto Fuel Need image
   
Avesco — Information from Brian Whaley - "Another local vehicle hire firm which did sell "proper" branded fuel from its Blackpool site but retailed under its own name in Fleetwood - tankers from British Fuel when it was owned by AAH group." Need image

Avia

Ballard's — One-off in Welshpool

Barbican— no information

Need image

Barmoor— no information

Need image

   
Barneys Need image

Bata

Bates & Hunt

Baxter Johnston

Bayford Thrust

BB Fuels Need image
   
BDW Image courtesy Ian Byrne.
 

Beca

Bell Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Benzol

BFC Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

BFL

Bio

   
Black CatImage courtesy Ian Byrne

Blue Chip

   
'Blue Spot'— An earlier incarnation of Choice (qv), this one-off on the Fosse Way simply had a blue spot as the logo. Image recreated from memory.
   
Blue StarTyre-fitting chain also sold petrol under its own brand. Photo of sign would be good. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information.

BP

Images coming soon.

   
Border Fuels Need image

Bowen

Need image

Bradshaws — One-off at Quatt, nr. Shrewsbury. Thanks to Phil White for photo.

Bretts Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
Bristo’s Need image

British Benzol A brand with a very long & complex history. First image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Broadland Fuels

Brobot

Brogan Fuels— no information

Need image

Budget

Bulldog

Burmahfirst image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Butler

BWOC There are many interesting variations on the BWOC (Bob Wayne Oil Co) logo - it seems that almost every station has its signage individually designed, sometimes with its own name or logo incorporated. More images will follow. The original sign (left) was enormous by UK standards.

   
C21Image from http://www.c21forecourtservices.com - are there any C21 branded stations yet?

CallowNeed a better image of the early Callow logo (left) - this is a close-up of a pump in the background of another photo.

   
Calor Need image
   
Calor Autoblend Need image
   
Calor Autogas Need image
   
Cam Need image
   
CapitalImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Carberry Fuels— no information

Need image

CargoPumps at Troutbeck Bridge, Lake District in late 1980s - was this a one-off?

Need image

   

[?] Carless

Believed not to have have been any Carless-branded stations post-war

Carlisles— no information

Need image

   
CarltonImage from Carlton Fuels' website; better image of station would be appreciated.
   
[?] CarrefourFrench supermarket chain previously had some UK stores including at least one with a petrol station (the hypermarket at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol), but did it carry Carrefour's own branding?

Cash Cutz—one of the Fuelsearch (qv) stations, at Haldon Thatch near Exeter, used this branding on the sign.

   
Castle Need image
   
Cawoods A Redland subsidiary that became part of the BFC/BFL/CPL business; brand retained by distributor in NI until recently (due to MBO), now part of DCC Need image of Cawoods-branded station

CC FuelsOne-off at Chivenor Cross, North Devon.

   
Centra Need image

Central

   
Charter Need image

Chase

   
Cheeper [sic.] Petrol — using a picture of a chick as its logo. Thanks to a number of people for this. Need image

Chevron

   
Chichester Petroleum Need image

Chisletts

Choice

Citex

Need image of pre-Fina (1950s )Citex pump or station

[?] City — Shell subsidiary running Shell-branded stations across London in 60s/70s. Believed not have used its own logo on stations, but it was used in some literature (e.g. this is a scan from a trading stamp leaflet)

Cleveland

   
Clift Need image

Club

CMC

   
Comet Image courtesy Ian Byrne
   
ConcordeImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Conoco This image of Conoco's 'European' logo courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
Consort Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Co-Op

Cooke Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Corralls

Cosmo— no information

Need image

Costcutter

CP— no information

Need image

CPS

Cranston Fuels

Need image

   
CRM Image courtesy Ian Byrne.
   
Crown Need image

Crystal

Cullens

   
Cumbria— Became AF (qv) Need image

Curfew

Curran

   
Cut Price Petrol Company— Bristol city centre, early 1990s Need image

Cyma

   
Cyrmic Need image

D & P

Dales — A supermarket chain (with petrol stations) bought by Asda Need image
   
[?] DartEsso subsidiary used to acquire the Agip retail business in the UK, but was the Dart name ever used as a brand? Or were the stations immediately converted to Esso? Need image
 

Deans

   
Dev Oil Need image

Direct— no information

Need image

   
DMC Need image

Dominion

Dove

   
Draco Need image

Dragon

Durham Fuels

Need image

DVT

   
Eagle Need image

Ecco

ECF

   
Eco Need image
   
Economic Need image
   
EF (i)— Eastfield Petroleum Co, Ramsey, Cambs (part of a sketch courtesy Ian Byrne - does anyone have a photograph?)

EF (ii)— European Fuels (Brian Gubby), Camberley

Egam— no information

Need image

Elf

Eltra

   
Elwell & CompanyImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

EMC

Enercoimage courtesy Ian Byrne.

EP

Esso

Images coming soon.

   
Euro Oil Need image
   
Europa (i)Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Europa (ii)

Need image

   
EvansImage courtesy Ian Byrne.
   
Evesons Need image

Evoco

   
Express Need image

Fairways Fuels— no information

Need image

Falcon— no information

Need image

   
Farmers Fuels Need image

Farmore

   
FD Need image
   
FDH— One-off in Leyland. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image

Feltons— no information

Need image

Fina

Images coming soon.

Flare

   
Fleetline Need image

Floyd

FLS— no information

Need image

FMC — One-off in Kidderminster. Thanks to Phil White for photo.

   
Food Giant Need image

Freedom

   
Fuelcard Need image

Fuelsearch

   
Fulton Need image
   
G Need image

Gaelic Need image
 

Gainsborough

Galia Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
Gardiner’s Image courtesy Ian Byrne.
   
Gat Need image

Gateway

Need image

   
GB (i) Need image

GB (ii)

   
Gebrol Need image
   
Gembought by Burmah, 1960s/70s Need image
   
George’s Need image
   
GG Need image
   
GH Fuels Need image

Gillens— no information

Need image

Gleaner

   
Glendale Need image

Globe

Glyde— no information

Need image

   
GMGohil Motors Need image

Golden (i)

   
Golden (ii) Need image

Golf

   
GP (i) Need image

GP (ii)

   
Graham Goode Need image
   
Granby Need image

Green Star— no information

Need image

   
Griffiths—one-off, Leintwardine, Herefs, image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Grosvenor

GT (i)

   
GT (ii)image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Gulf

Images coming soon.

   
Gulf + Westernone-off near Preston - thanks to Brian Whaley for information Need image
   
Gunnimage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Hagan Oil— no information

Need image

   
Hammer —image courtesy Ian Byrne.

HantsOn a public road amongst the Army facilities at Aldershot (and with the forecourt crammed with Army Land-Rovers), this one-off appeared to be an ex-Gulf station with a simple logo, drawn here from memory as I was given a "move on, sir" look when I pulled up to take a photo. A real photo would be much appreciated if anyone has one.

Happy Shopper

   
Harbour Fuels Need image

Haven

Heltor

   
Hercock Simpson Need image

HeronThe first image here is from a 1970 trademark, now owned by Snax 24. Was the second logo shown here (adapted from that used in a trading stamp booklet) ever used on the early Heron stations?

Thanks to Paul Farrow for the fourth image of a late 1980s Heron station.

The final image is strictly a Snax 24 'Big H' station sign from 1995 (the Heron name was no longer used).

Hickey

   
Hidrive Autogas Need image

Highland

Highway (i)

Need image

 

Highway (ii)

Need image

   
Hillside Need image

HT

HTS

Hunter

Hunting

   
HydroInformation from Brian Whaley - "Manchester in 90s... no obvious connection with the Norwegian petrol / energy company." Need image

ICISign image courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
IDS Need image

Imperial first image courtesy Ian Byrne.The third sign here is a post-Burmah effort incorporating the Burmah stripes (retained on the canopy & pumps) very well into the Imperial style.

   
Independent Fuels Need image

Indi

Ingfield

   
IP one-off, north Wales Need image

IPS image courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
Javelin Need image

JB Fuels— no information

Need image

JD— no information

Need image

Jet

   
JF John Flint, image courtesy Ian Byrne.

John Hudson —sign image courtesy Ian Byrne.

JP

   
J. Sainsbury Need image

K9— no information

Need image

Kara— no information

Need image

   
KB Need image

Keltic

Kent

   
Kent & Sussex Fuels Need image

Kestrel— no information

Need image

Keyfuels

Keymarkets

Need image

Knightcott

KP (i)

   
KP (ii) Need image
   
Kwik ServeInformation from Brian Whaley - station in Blackpool Need image
   
Lawlors Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Leech

Leo's

Need image

   
Liberty Need image

Lincolnshire Fuels

   
LintonImage courtesy Ian Byrne.
 

Lion

Little David

Lobitos

Local

   
Lo-Cost Need image

Look

Need image

   
Lynx Need image

Mace

Need image

Magnum

Need image

Major

Maljee

Need image

Margram

Mark Johns

Image coming soon.

MartindalesLogo from Martindales website.

MB

Metro

   
Metropolitan Need image
   
MexInformation from Brian Whaley - "I think this was used at the same site as Pol [qv]. Different logo from / no connection with the major Irish brand." Need image

MFS

Need image

Michael Wicks

Milestone

   
Millburn Need image

MillersImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Minster

   
Mitchell Need image

Mitchell & Webber

   
M Motors Need image

Mobil

Images coming soon.

MOCO First image courtesy Ian Byrne; second image courtesy Paul Farrow

MogasFirst image: globe formerly in Ramsgate Motor Museum; Second image courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
Mogul Need image

Moorville

Morrisons

 

Moto (a one-off, not the motorway service chain)

Image coming soon.

Mowbray

   
MP (i) Mansfield Petroluem Need image
   
MP (ii) Need image

MPG second image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Mr Useful

Murco —first & second images courtesy Ian Byrne.

Murphy

Nafta

National

Images coming soon.

National Benzole

Images coming soon.

   
Nearbuy Need image

NEF

New Era

Image coming soon.

NFO

   
Nigel CollisonImage courtesy Ian Byrne.
   
NLFS Need image

Noble

   
Noroil Need image

Northern Energy

   
North Western—was this a brand in its own right, or is this simply earlier NWF (see below)? Need image

NWF

Oak

   
Oasis (i)Image courtesy Ian Byrne.
   
Oasis (ii) Need image

Ocean

   
Ocol Need image

Octane

Need image

Olympic

Need image

One Green Route
 

Onlo

Need image

Orbit (i)

Need image

   

Orbit (ii)

Need image

   
Overdrive — One-off in 1970s Leeds - thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image
   

Pace

   
Pacer — one-off in central Manchester - thanks to Brian Whaley for information Need image

Palm Fuels Need image
   
Panther — bought by Ultramar Need image
   

Paragon

Paramount

   
Parkside Need image

Peak

   
Penny Petroleum Need image

Petro Dollar

Need image

Pevaboth images courtesy Paul Farrow.

Phoenix second & third images courtesy Ian Byrne.

Pioneer

   
Pitman Fuels Need image
   
Planet Need image
   
PlatoThanks to both Ian Byrne and Paul Farrow for Plato images.

Plough

Need image

   
PMG image courtesy Ian Byrne.
   
PMH Need image
   
PolBlackpool, 1980s. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image
   
Polar image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Port both images courtesy Paul Farrow.

Power

   
PPimage courtesy Ian Byrne. The P here is Phillip Plato, of Plato (qv) and currently running Plato Enterprises.
   
Premier Need image
   
Prima Need image

Prince — image courtesy Paul Farrow.

Pronto image courtesy Paul Farrow.

Proteus

   
Pure Need image

Q8

Quest (i) — Along with Enerco (qv), absorbed by Carless/Anglo. Image courtesy Ian Byrne.
 

Quest (ii) — One-off at Brighton Cross in Cornwall - had Anglo sticker on one pump, but is this just a coincidence?

R — One-off at Rowstock Corner, near Didcot. Now redeveloped as Spar.

   
Rangehill Need image

Rapid Fuel

Need image

Rapier

Red Rose

Need image

   
Redex — Information from Brian Whaley - "One-off in seventies Chiswick, West London. No obvious connection with the popular petrol additive of the time." Need image

Redwing

   
Regal — Early 1970s Sheffield. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image

Regent

Images coming soon.

Repsol

   
Rico Need image

Rix

RMC Petrol Direct

   
RMP Need image
   
Roadhouse Need image

Rocket

Image coming soon.

Rocky

   
Rogas Need image
   
Ropet image courtesy Paul Farrow.

Rowilco based on image provided by Paul Farrow.

Royoil—Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

RP

   
Rutland OilImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Rydal

Need image

Sabre

Sadler

Safeway

Image coming soon.

Sainsbury's

Images coming soon.

Savacentre

Image coming soon.

Save

Sensible Motoring

Image coming soon.

Scot

Need image

   
Seaview— a one-off in North Wales, late 80s Need image

Securicor Fuel

Need image

Select Fuels

Need image

Severn Fuels— Thanks to Phil White for the photo

SGLImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Shawsign image courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
Shaws image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Sheaf

Need image

Shell

Images coming soon.

   
Shopping Giant Need image

Silvey

Image coming soon.

   
Silverline Need image

Sky (i)Bought by Elf in 1976

Need image

   
Sky (ii)One-off in Leicester Need image
   
Snax 24 Need image of whole station actually branded as Snax 24 - is this covered by the ex-Heron 'Big H' brand?
   
So-Lo (i) One-off in Stockport. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image
   
[?] So-Lo (ii) Did the Somerfield-owned chain of discount supermarkets have any petrol stations under its brand? Need image
   
Solway Around Solway Firth in 1980s. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image

Somerfield

   
SOSSpeed Oil Services. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image

Sotro

   
Southend Need image
   
Southern (i) Need image
   
Southern (ii)Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Southern Counties

   
SP Need image

Space

Image coming soon.

Spar

Spartan

Need image

Speed

Image coming soon.

   
Speedex Need image

Speedway

   
Spitfire Need image

Splitt

Need image

Spot

Sprint

Spur (i)

Need image

Spur (ii)

SR Fuels

Need image

   
SS Information from Brian Whaley: "Scrapyard/ filling station with hand cranked pumps in seventies Gloucestershire - obviously using old esso pumps" Need image
   
SSL Need image
   
ST Need image
   
Stage One Need image
   
Star Need image
   
Sternimage courtesy Ian Byrne.
   
STS Need image
   
Stutchbury Need image

Summitimage courtesy Ian Byrne.

   
Supermart Need image

Supreme

Need image

Swan

Swifta one-off in Country Durham. Illustration based on image provided by Paul Farrow.

TAC

Tate

Need image

Taurus

Need image

Taylors

Image coming soon.

Teale's

Image coming soon.

Team Spirit

Telegraph

Tesco

Images coming soon.

Tesco Express

Images coming soon.

Tesco Extra

Images coming soon.

Texaco

TF— Newbury, believed to be Thompson Fuels

Thames

Thames Rico

Image coming soon.

   
The Independent Spirit Need image
   
Thor— Lancashire area until about 1990. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image

Thrust

Tigon image courtesy Ian Byrne.

TK

TKS

Tops

Tor

Total

Town & Country (i)—small distributor near Chirk, different to TAC (qv)

Image coming soon.

   

Town & Country (ii)—one-off in Lynton, Devon, again different to TAC (qv)

Need image

   
Trago Image coming soon.

Trident

   
Tristar—in Walsall. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information. Need image
   
Trolene Need image

TT near Mold, N. Wales, may be same as TT Spirit (below)

Need image

   
TT SpiritImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

UK

Ultramar

First image from 'A Golden Adventure'

UltraSpar Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Unique

Need image

United

Universal

Valiant

   
Vale Need image
   
Valu Need image

Value

Need image

Van Molen— First image, somewhat inaccurate, drawn from memory (seen near Malvern, 1987); second image (Netherfield, Kent), courtesy Ian Byrne.

VIP

   
Virdi Need image
   
Vix Need image

Vulcan

Need image

W

Need image

   
WA— Information from Brian Whaley - "Grindleford, Derbyshire in 1980's - same or similar logo to Wallace Arnold Tours but described as an independent fuel distributor" Need image

Waitrose

   
Waters image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Watson

Watters

Need image

WCF

Western Counties

   
White Elephantimage courtesy Ian Byrne.

White Rose

Need image
 

Windmill

Wings

   
Wm. Low Need image

WSS

   
XLB Need image

Xtra

Need image

   
ZipScotland, 1970s, different to pre-war ROP brand Need image

 

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British Petrol Stations

Introduction

Illustrated list of brands
(Image-intensive, opens in a new window)

Text-only list of brands

How you can help

Links