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Frequently Asked Questions
This page sets out to answer some of the more common questions that are asked about various aspects of the Vintage Garage. If you have a question that is not covered here then please contact us and we will try to help.
| Who invented the motor car and when? |
| Karl Friedrich Benz (1844-1929) is credited with having invented in 1885/86 the first vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine. |
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| Where did the word "Garage" come from? |
Answers.com states "It is difficult today to envision a world without garages or a language without the word garage. However, the word probably did not exist before the 19th century and certainly not before the 18th; possibly the thing itself did not exist before the end of the 19th century. Our word is a direct borrowing of French garage, which is first recorded in 1802 in the sense "place where one docks." The verb garer, from which garage was derived, originally meant "to put merchandise under shelter," then "to moor a boat," and then "to put a vehicle into a place for safekeeping," that is, a garage, a sense first recorded in French in 1901. English almost immediately borrowed this French word, the first instance being found in 1902."
Vintage Garage says - Please let us know if you find an earlier usage, particularly in old publications prior to 1902 |
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| Why was the name "Motor Spirit" used? |
| Around 1876 Carless, Capel & Leonard invented a product called "Petrol" a solvent based product distilled from petroleum. The trade name "Petrol" was to remain in common use by the company and the product itself was found to be most suitable for use as a fuel for the later internal combustion engine. They defended the name "Petrol" so other companies called their fuels "Motor Spirit" instead. |
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| Who made 2 gallon petrol/motor spirit cans? |
| There were several 2 gallon can manufacturers in the UK. The most common is Valor of Birmingham, then there were Grants of London, Feaver of London, Francis of London, and Reads of Liverpool. Some 2 gallon petrol cans are also found with a stamp on the bottom indicating it was made by Shell-Mex Ltd. |
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| Why were 2 gallon cans dated? |
| Petroleum spirit being highly inflammable and steel being prone to rust, 2 gallon cans were dated to give an obvious indication of age. It is said that officially the life of a 2 gallon can was only 2 years before it was considered unsafe for storage of petrol. However, some running board cans such as those issued by Shell for Morris Cars did not carry a date at all. Cans that are dated are usually marked on the bottom, on the side of the handle, or under the handle depending who the maker was. Date formatting on early cans was usually as this example "2 - 32" indicating the can was made in February 1932. Later post war cans by Valor included a letter instead of a number but it has not been possible to precisely specify the correlation to a particular month or year. |
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| What colour were 2 gallon cans? |
There were hundreds of differently branded 2 gallon cans and it is not possible to specify the colour for all of them because simply the colours are not known. Some cans though are simple to put a colour to like Shell Motor Spirit which came in red and Shell Aviation Spirit which came in a gold finish. Anglo's Taxibus Spirit was finished in silver and Pratts Perfection Spirit in green. R.O.P. Motor Spirit had a lavender finish and early B.P. Motor Spirit cans were finished in a khaki colour. We know these colours because they are mentioned or illustrated in period advertising. A lot of 2 gallon cans were finished in a standard green or black, ABCO Motor Spirit is an example of a green finished can and Metropolitan Police is an example that has been seen with an original black finish. The cans illustrated on this site are in a variety of finishes, some original and some to the owners personal taste. Where possible we will always indicate an original colour or decoration or give direction to period advertisements that specifies a specific brand colour.
If you are restoring an old 2 gallon can check for original looking paintwork. This may be under layers of other paint that has been applied over the years so carefully proceed until you are sure no other colour exists. If you have a can that looks like the paintwork is original but it is a bit tatty consider the merits of just giving it a clean, applying some protection such as dubbing, and leaving it as it is.
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| When were Petrol Pumps first installed? |
| Petrol pumps were first installed commercially in the UK around 1920/1921. The Anglo-American Oil Co Ltd owned Gilbert & Barker a US petrol pump company and they were quick to install their range of pumps throughout the country as did the British Petroleum Co Ltd and Shell. BP petrol pumps were originally painted red but following changes to the colour schemes
of the company's overseas operations, petrol pumps were then painted
green. In 1921 BP had a total of 69 pumps in the UK with petrol still
being sold in shops and chemists in 2 gallon cans but by 1925 the number
of company controlled petrol pumps had risen to approximately 6,000. It should be remembered though that a petrol pump also required an underground storage tank and it wasn't just a simple matter of digging the pavement up and putting one in. The logistics of undertaking this type of installation at many thousands of locations were immense. There is very clear evidence that petrol pump installations got totally our of hand with many garages having so many pumps and brands on offer that the Council for Rural England got in on the act to put a controlling restraint on matters. The early petrol pumps were hand operated and it was not until the 1930's that the first electric petrol pumps started to appear. |
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| Who supplied petrol pumps in the UK? |
| These are some of the more familiar names of petrol pump suppliers in the UK; Avery Hardoll, Beck & Co, S .F. Bowser & Co, Fry Equipment Co Ltd, Gilbert & Barker, Hammond, Milwaukee, Theo & Co Ltd, Vickers, Watson-Erie, Wayne Tank & Pump Co.
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| Who made petrol pump globes? |
| Petrol pump glass globes were generally made by decorative glass manufacturers and/or those producing lighting or lamps. Production marks found on necks of globes range from from BCM Hailglass, Hailware, Webbs Crystal Glass Co, and Chance Bros. Hailware was a trade name of Hailwood & Ackroyd who prior to 1927 were known as Ackroyd & Best. Other less well known makers exist. |
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| How do I avoid buying a reproduction petrol pump globe? |
Petrol pump globes have become expensive to collect so knowing whether the globe you are about to buy is real or reproduction has become extra important.
There are good reputable businesses selling reproduction globes and there is clearly a market for them. Problems can arise though when a reproduction globe changes ownership and its origins become lost or cloudy and eventually someone offers it for sale believing it to be genuine.
Most original globes have a makers or owners name, and perhaps a date etched into the glass, usually around the inside of the neck. So if no marks are present proceed with extreme caution but it should be remembered that not all globes were marked as described just most of them. Original globes have the printed design fired into the glass at high temperatures but so do some of the reproductions on the market so again proceed with caution. Good indicators of a real globe are wear and tear, makers marks, and provenance of where the globe came from. Fading to parts of the design may indicate the globe has been around for a long time being exposed to the elements, or there may be other indicators such as a heavy dirty mark around the neck where the rubber collar was fitted and perhaps chips around the neck where it was clamped down.
If a globe looks too good to be true then it probably is but to confuse matters more, lots of original globes were kept as spares and never installed and are often found in pristine condition. Quite often a seller knows exactly where a globe came from and if this is the case then get them to write the details down. One clear indicator of a reproduction globe is a fired on transfer design where the transfer is stuck on then the globe is heated which creates a strong bond between the transfer and glass. Feeling with your fingers you will find the design feels smooth and plasticy and warmer then the glass around it, or if the design has been damaged you will normally see clear white glass in the scratched area. Once you know what you are looking for it is easy to spot this type of reproduction globe. Designs that have been fired in are much more resilient to scratching and it is fairly obvious to someone with experience to be able to tell the difference. The last way of being assured as to the authenticity of a globe is to ask others who may have more experience in the subject but at the end of the day it is your money and your decision.
One of the more commonly reproduced petrol pump globes is the National Benzole Mixture Mr Mercury 3 sided globe. These have been reproduced since the 1980's and have caught many people out. They are quite often innocently sold with a story that it has been in the family for years - it probably has but it doesn't mean it's original so on this particular globe always look for makers/owners marks along with a registration number which is more the norm, and always check for stuck on transfers.
Lastly, if you are buying a globe and spending a lot of money then try to get a descriptive receipt as to its originality, it could come in useful if any dispute arises. |
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| What is meant by the phrase "Pooled Petrol" ? |
During times of national emergency such as the first world war of 1914 to 1918 and the second world war of 1939 to 1945 the government of the day introduced petrol supply control measures in the form of "Pooled Petrol Regulations" which were implemented by a "Petroleum (Pool) Board". The regulations themselves are fairly detailed and for the purpose of simplicity will not be examined here in any great depth.
In the case of the first world war the Pool Board as it was known, was not set up unto May 1917 and consisted of representatives of the Anglo-American Oil Co Ltd, Anglo-Mexican Petroleum Products Co Ltd, the Bowring Petroleum Company Ltd, the Shell Marketing Co Ltd, the British Petroleum Co Ltd, the Homelight Oil Co Ltd, the Union Petroleum Products Ltd, and H. P. Wheatley & Co Ltd. With the exception of lubricating oils all petroleum products were distributed under the authority of the board under the "Pool" brand.
Individual company branding was not allowed and the quality of the "Pool" product was not guaranteed.
To quote a later 1960's Competition Commission report "During the 1914-1918 war the British Government became the sole importer of petroleum products. Distribution of petrol remained in the hands of the existing petrol companies, each of which was allotted a fixed percentage related to its previous share of the market and given sole rights of distribution in a particular area. The Government controlled both the wholesale selling prices and the distributing companies' profit margin."
the report went on
"When the 1914-1918 war-time controls ended the established petrol
companies, having become accustomed to a certain amount of co-operation
with each other during the war, continued to act together on such matters as
agreeing wholesale and retail selling prices and the general conditions of
trading and relations with retailers and with the public, while at the same
time they competed with one another on quality of product and on the services
offered to retailers."
During the second world war the Pool Board, which was established on the 3rd September 1939, worked along similar lines, and again quoting the 1960's Competition Commission report "In the summer of 1938 the principal suppliers in the United Kingdom-
namely Anglo-American, National Benzole, S.M. & B.P. and Trinidad
Leaseholds-joined together, with Government approval, to form the
Petroleum Board. The Board was initially a voluntary body set up to consider
the problems of petroleum distribution which would arise in the event of war.
On 3rd September 1939 the Board's recommendations became effective and
the Board itself became an executive body working under Government direction.
The physical assets, working capital and manpower of all petrol companies
in the United Kingdom were pooled, each company receiving remuneration
and depreciation on the assets contributed at agreed rates; prices, quantities
and qualities of petroleum products came under Government control and
competitive marketing between suppliers ceased; products were supplied by
the members of the Board as far as possible in proportion to their pre-war
deliveries, all (except lubricants) were sold under a Pool description, the
selling price of each Pool product being subject to Government control.
The controlled prices were as far as possible fixed with a view to covering
the costs of the Board without providing any profit. In the case of petrol,
one grade only was made available, the octane value of which varied over the
years from 67 to 80. Supplies for civilian use were rationed. By agreement
between H.M. Government and the Board, (a) pooling arrangements were
to end not more than two years after the end of the state of emergency; (b) for three months after the end of pooling arrangements members would continue
to market only Pool petrol; (c) for the first year thereafter members
would adjust their deliveries, product by product, in accordance with their
respective quotas, the intention being that at the end of the first year of individual
trading each member would be delivering in accordance with his quota
under the Pool.
Lubricating oil was the subject of separate pooling arrangements.
The Lubricating Oils Pool was formed of 21 importers of base oils (including
petrol companies), from whom it took over stocks, vehicles and storage
facilities. Lubricants continued to be sold under brand names throughout
the war. The Pool acted as sole wholesale seller of lubricants, supplying over
500 distributors and providing base oils of 30 different qualities."
End
As the regulations and deliveries of "pooled petrol" got under way branded petrol pump globes were over stuck with a "Pool" sticker / notice, an example of this can be seen by clicking herePhotograph taken at an unnamed garage in London on the 5th September 1939 just 2 days after the declaration of war with Germany. The caption on the rear of the photograph states "This picture was taken at a London petrol station today. It is the first to be issued with the new "Pool" spirit at 1s.6d. per gallon. Photo shows- An employee fixing up the "pool spirit" notice at the Station today. Sept 5th 1939".  |
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| What was a "Solus" garage? |
Rather than re write what has already been clearly defined in Competition Commission reports Vintage Garage will quote the basic description and provide 2 links to the description of Solus in respect of Petrol and non petrol products. The basic description as defined by the Competition report is stated as follows;
"The essential feature of solus trading consists of an undertaking by the
retailer (usually incorporated in a supply agreement) to sell a particular
supplier's brand or brands of motor fuels exclusively at the premises named
in the agreement in consideration of a solus rebate to be allowed by the supplier
on all the motor fuels purchased." End.
This was the basics but there was a lot more to an agreement with a particular supplier such as how much they would pay for the re branding of a garage, costs of other marketing, and installation and maintenance of company equipment etc.
For those wishing to study "Solus" in greater detail the following links will open a Competition Commission PDF file report in a new browser.
Solus Trading in Petrol
Solus Trading in Lubricants and other Petroleum products
Please notify us if any of these external links get broken |
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| What was Benzole Motor Spirit/Petrol? |
Benzole, Benzol, or Benzene, is a by-product of various industrial processes such as coke and coal tar production. It also occurs naturally in the environment and is aromatic. In Great Britain it principally came from Coal Shale and being very inflammable was ideal for use during the first world war of 1914 to 1918 as a shell propellant. Benzole extraction plants were built at many collieries to help supply the war effort and at the end of the war a ready supply of benzole with on-going production facilities led to the formation of a co-operative called "The National Benzole Association. This was in 1919 and the co-operative was quickly renamed to the more familiar "The National Benzole Co Ltd" with the aim of providing a new improved fuel for motor cars.
The National Benzole Co Ltd entered into an agreement with British Petroleum Co Ltd who supplied them with petrol. They blended BP petrol 50/50 with benzole to produce a new product called "National Benzole Mixture". This product was bought by other companies to be sold under their own brands such as Glico National Benzole and Glico Motor Benzole, and Blaydon Benzol Mixture to name just a few.
The new motor spirit had good detonation properties and it was marketed as an anti-knock fuel giving greater engine efficiencies thus providing faster speeds and more miles to the gallon.
National Benzole Mixture was sold until the early 1960's at which time it was withdrawn when it was found that benzole could be deleterious to health.
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| What was Ethyl Petrol? |
In short Ethyl petrol was a high performance anti-knock fuel but the longer answer requires more explanation. Ethyl or to use its full name "Tetraethyllead" was initially a product of the Ethyl Corporation of America and when added to fuel increased the octane rating of that fuel which allowed for higher engine compression ratings, greater performance, and better fuel economy. Ethyl petrol came to the UK in the late 1920's and familiar brands were Pratts Ethyl and BP Ethyl. The mixture ratio was approximately 1 part Ethyl to 1200 parts petrol and we know this fuel today as leaded petrol which was available at the pumps for example as 4 or 5 star.
Alternatives to Ethyl Petrol were Benzole and Alcohol based fuels which had been available in the UK prior to, and after, the introduction of Ethyl. Examples of these alternatives were National Benzole Mixture and Cleveland Discol, an alcohol based fuel. These alternatives also gave increased performance but the downside was the mixture ratio which ran in some cases as high as 50%.
Due to health and environmental issues, and mechanical problems with lead attacking catalytic converters lead based fuels were phased out in the 1990's being replaced almost universally with lead free petrol. Those who drive classic or vintage cars which were designed for use with leaded petrol will have to take some form of action to allow for trouble free motoring such as the use of petrol additives, or the fitting of a re-engineered head with hardened exhaust valves and seats. |
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