British Petrol Stations: design & branding history


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

(This is the text-only list - to see the illustrated list of brands click here)

3D

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

AB — no information

 
ABA
 
Abacus

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

AGIP — British stations bought by Esso

AGPA

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

 
AH Fuels
 
Alpa

Amco — Puckeridge, Herts. One-off

 
AMH

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)

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

 
Arch

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

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

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
 
Ascot

ASDA

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

 
Auto Fuel
 
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."

Avia

Ballard's — One-off in Welshpool

Barbican— no information

Barmoor— no information

 
Barneys

Bata

Bates & Hunt

Baxter Johnston

Bayford Thrust

BB Fuels
 
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

 
Border Fuels

Bowen

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

Bretts Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

 
Bristo’s

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

Broadland Fuels

Brobot

Brogan Fuels— no information

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
 
Calor Autoblend
 
Calor Autogas
 
Cam
 
CapitalImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Carberry Fuels— no information

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

 

[?] Carless

Carlisles— no information

 
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
 
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

CC FuelsOne-off at Chivenor Cross, North Devon.

 
Centra

Central

 
Charter

Chase

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

Chevron

 
Chichester Petroleum

Chisletts

Choice

Citex

[?] 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

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

Costcutter

CP— no information

CPS

Cranston Fuels

 
CRM Image courtesy Ian Byrne.
 
Crown

Crystal

Cullens

 
Cumbria— Became AF (qv)

Curfew

Curran

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

Cyma

 
Cyrmic

D & P

Dales — A supermarket chain (with petrol stations) bought by Asda
 
[?] 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?

Deans

 
Dev Oil

Direct— no information

 
DMC

Dominion

Dove

 
Draco

Dragon

Durham Fuels

DVT

 
Eagle

Ecco

ECF

 
Eco
 
Economic
 
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

Elf

Eltra

 
Elwell & CompanyImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

EMC

Enercoimage courtesy Ian Byrne.

EP

Esso

 
Euro Oil
 
Europa (i)Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Europa (ii)

 
EvansImage courtesy Ian Byrne.
 
Evesons

Evoco

 
Express

Fairways Fuels— no information

Falcon— no information

 
Farmers Fuels

Farmore

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

Feltons— no information

Fina

Flare

 
Fleetline

Floyd

FLS— no information

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

 
Food Giant

Freedom

 
Fuelcard

Fuelsearch

 
Fulton
 
G

Gaelic

Gainsborough

Galia Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

 
Gardiner’s Image courtesy Ian Byrne.
 
Gat

Gateway

 
GB (i)

GB (ii)

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

Gillens— no information

Gleaner

 
Glendale

Globe

Glyde— no information

 
GMGohil Motors

Golden (i)

 
Golden (ii)

Golf

 
GP (i)

GP (ii)

 
Graham Goode
 
Granby

Green Star— no information

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

Grosvenor

GT (i)

 
GT (ii)image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Gulf

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

Hagan Oil— no information

 
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

Haven

Heltor

 
Hercock Simpson

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

Highland

Highway (i)

Highway (ii)

 
Hillside

HT

HTS

Hunter

Hunting

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

ICISign image courtesy Ian Byrne.

 
IDS

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

Indi

Ingfield

 
IP one-off, north Wales

IPS image courtesy Ian Byrne.

 
Javelin

JB Fuels— no information

JD— no information

Jet

 
JF John Flint, image courtesy Ian Byrne.

John Hudson —sign image courtesy Ian Byrne.

JP

 
J. Sainsbury

K9— no information

Kara— no information

 
KB

Keltic

Kent

 
Kent & Sussex Fuels

Kestrel— no information

Keyfuels

Keymarkets

Knightcott

KP (i)

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

Leech

Leo's

 
Liberty

Lincolnshire Fuels

 
LintonImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Lion

Little David

Lobitos

Local

 
Lo-Cost

Look

 
Lynx

Mace

Magnum

Major

Maljee

Margram

Mark Johns

MartindalesLogo from Martindales website.

MB

Metro

 
Metropolitan
 
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."

MFS

Michael Wicks

Milestone

 
Millburn

MillersImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Minster

 
Mitchell

Mitchell & Webber

 
M Motors

Mobil

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

Moorville

Morrisons

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

Mowbray

 
MP (i) Mansfield Petroluem
 
MP (ii)

MPG second image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Mr Useful

Murco —first & second images courtesy Ian Byrne.

Murphy

Nafta

National

National Benzole

 
Nearbuy

NEF

New Era

NFO

 
Nigel CollisonImage courtesy Ian Byrne.
 
NLFS

Noble

 
Noroil

Northern Energy

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

NWF

Oak

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

Ocean

 
Ocol

Octane

Olympic

One Green Route

Onlo

Orbit (i)

 

Orbit (ii)

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

Pace

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

Palm Fuels
 
Panther — bought by Ultramar
 

Paragon

Paramount

 
Parkside

Peak

 
Penny Petroleum

Petro Dollar

Pevaboth images courtesy Paul Farrow.

Phoenix second & third images courtesy Ian Byrne.

Pioneer

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

Plough

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

Prince — image courtesy Paul Farrow.

Pronto image courtesy Paul Farrow.

Proteus

 
Pure

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

Rapid Fuel

Rapier

Red Rose

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

Redwing

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

Regent

Repsol

 
Rico

Rix

RMC Petrol Direct

 
RMP
 
Roadhouse

Rocket

Rocky

 
Rogas
 
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

Sabre

Sadler

Safeway

Sainsbury's

Savacentre

Save

Sensible Motoring

Scot

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

Securicor Fuel

Select Fuels

Severn Fuels— Thanks to Phil White for the photo

SGLImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

Shawsign image courtesy Ian Byrne.

 
Shaws image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Sheaf

Shell

 
Shopping Giant

Silvey

 
Silverline

Sky (i)Bought by Elf in 1976

 
Sky (ii)One-off in Leicester
 
Snax 24
 
So-Lo (i) One-off in Stockport. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information.
 
[?] So-Lo (ii) Did the Somerfield-owned chain of discount supermarkets have any petrol stations under its brand?
 
Solway Around Solway Firth in 1980s. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information.

Somerfield

 
SOSSpeed Oil Services. Thanks to Brian Whaley for information.

Sotro

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

Southern Counties

 
SP

Space

Spar

Spartan

Speed

 
Speedex

Speedway

 
Spitfire

Splitt

Spot

Sprint

Spur (i)

Spur (ii)

SR Fuels

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

Summitimage courtesy Ian Byrne.

 
Supermart

Supreme

Swan

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

TAC

Tate

Taurus

Taylors

Teale's

Team Spirit

Telegraph

Tesco

Tesco Express

Tesco Extra

Texaco

TF— Newbury, believed to be Thompson Fuels

Thames

Thames Rico

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

Thrust

Tigon image courtesy Ian Byrne.

TK

TKS

Tops

Tor

Total

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

 

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

 
Trago

Trident

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

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

 
TT SpiritImage courtesy Ian Byrne.

UK

Ultramar

First image from 'A Golden Adventure'

UltraSpar Image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Unique

United

Universal

Valiant

 
Vale
 
Valu

Value

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

VIP

 
Virdi
 
Vix

Vulcan

W

 
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"

Waitrose

 
Waters image courtesy Ian Byrne.

Watson

Watters

WCF

Western Counties

 
White Elephantimage courtesy Ian Byrne.

White Rose

Windmill

Wings

 
Wm. Low

WSS

 
XLB

Xtra

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

 

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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