Are there any that you recall that are now long gone?
The one that I recall that lead me to create this thread is Moores of Weybridge, a Ford dealer on Monument Hill, RF, er Zero, will surely remember Moores, the site is now a B&Q or similar.
That had a very catchy slogan playing on the word "Moores" something like "we try a little bit Moores".
I remember looking at 3 litre Capris and Granada Coupes in the showroom in the days when an Escort 1100 popular was around £1100 and a top of the range Granada was about £3000.
I think someone else is using the Moores of Weybridge brand to sell second hand cars, I guess they are unconnected.
EDIT: Doh, mods please move to Motoring !
Last edited by: Cheddar on Wed 22 Dec 10 at 16:12
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One for the Scots, we always used to call it the "chain garage" because of the decorative chains, at the junction of the A81 to Aberfoyle and the A811 from Drymen, remembered from childhood trips as the junction where we turned right to go to visit some cousins in Kippen.
Not sure what it is now but certainly no longer a garage although the chains are still there as is one of the petrol price signs at the back
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Little France was always my marker of getting to Edinburgh from the back seat of the car.
It was a caravan park as well as service station, now just a service station with Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in place of the caravans.
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I remember Moors of Weybridge. (now a Focus DIY)
The parts storeman was a man of tremendous knowledge all things Ford. Rock up to his counter and say, "My capri 1.6 is making a ticking noise"
"cam shaft going, you'll need this, this that and this, the new modified spray bar, this tool, that tool"
Off he would trot and come back with it all. "Right - that's umpteen qiud, let you have trade discount cos you have been here before and your a local lad, call it numpteen quid."
Complete diamond he was.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 22 Dec 10 at 16:45
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I remember the Texaco garage that was opposite a house I bought in south London a few years ago. You had to pay before filling up, such was the clientele. One night it was surrounded by poilce cars, as somebody had driven their car into the shop door; ramraided! It ceased being Texaco, and started being an "unnamed" petrol station. And then it shut. And was turned into a luxury block of flats, and improved the outlook of my house no end!
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Anyone still got thier "Smurfs" from the National garages? i`ve still got 2! and a jar of pink -air that my granddad gave me one day, cant remember where from though!
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Fry's garage Otford, garage & Filling station, Esso petrol. Tiger in yout tank & redex fuel squirts. Morris garage then Leyland the Rover triumph! now a housing estate!!!!!!!!!!
Dutton Forshaw Tonbridge was a massive Jaguar/Landrover Triumph Daimler dealership in the 70's now B&Q
Stevensons Sevenoaks
jaguars sales & service
Now an office
Sidlow Garages East Grinstead
VW Seat Citreon etc etc, now all demolished
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What about locations named after a garage that no longer exists.
Henleys roundabout at Hounslow West.
There were also the likes of Henlys Corner on the North Circular London.
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...There were also the likes of Henlys Corner on the North Circular London...
On the subject of garages at junctions, I think there was a garage at Amen Corner in Tooting (or is it Mitcham?) in south London.
If I recall, it had a first floor car showroom, unless I'm thinking of somewhere else.
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"Fuel-Line A604"
On, er, the A604.
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I'm getting a sense of de ja vu now like we have done this before in the other place.
Two motorcycle shops, Comerfords in Thames Ditton, a massive pace in the late 70's. Kawasaki Old Woking, I think there is still a filling station there though at one time it was a Nissan dealer.
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>> Two motorcycle shops, Comerfords in Thames Ditton, a massive pace in the late 70's.
I remember that place - what ever happened to it?
Kawasaki
>> Old Woking, I think there is still a filling station there though at one time
>> it was a Nissan dealer.
Now a Ford dealer.
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>>>> Two motorcycle shops, Comerfords in Thames Ditton, a massive pace in the late 70's.
>>I remember that place - what ever happened to it?
>>
Z. Although Commerfords was on my patch, I have no idea where it was located.
If you say where it was I will tell you what exists there today.
I have now discovered it was on the Portsmouth Rd
www.gracesguide.co.uk/wiki/File:Im19561115MC-Comerfords.jpg
from this item
www.francisfrith.com/long-ditton/photos/portsmouth-road-c1955_l457002/
It would appear to have been where the present Dagenham Motorsand the adjacent Honda dealers are. A whole block between houses and the water works. I may be wrong.
Others remember it. A COOL photo of a cool.....
chm63.blogspot.com/2006/03/trip-down-memory-lane.html
img.photobucket.com/albums/v711/Sergentwoodie/bikeshop.jpg
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Superb research henry!
>> would appear to have been where the present Dagenham Motorsand the adjacent Honda dealers are. >>
I would guess from the photo, that looks like ktwas taken in the 50's, Comerfords was a good half a mile further on on the right.
Actually it may be that it was originaly a smaller shop within the residential area and then moved to a warehouse type location nearer Kingston which is perhaps the Dagenham Motors site, not sure though.
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>>I would guess from the photo, that looks like it was taken in the 50's, Comerfords was a good half a mile further on on the right.
>>
I think you are correct in both comments.
The only " newish" buildings are the two car dealerships about half a mile further on.
I will lok again at the photo of the inside and see if I can identify the buildings outside.
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There must be loads of former Rover dealers which closed down.
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The Rover dealer in Chobham switched seamlessly into second hand Rovers and Rover spares and repairs, and now does rover spares and repairs and other marques second hand.
Seems to be doing OK.
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I remember Chequered Flag garages, the Rover/MG dealer in Chiswick. I think they did quite well in the early 90s flogging new MGs to the locals. I once bought a brand new Rover from a tiny hole-in-the-wall Rover franchise in Hammersmith called Harry Nash. 2 desks and barely enough room for 2 cars in their "showroom". A leftover from the time before the glass and chrome palaces that abound now!
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Leonard Dayborn, is that the Chobham dealer, I remember it well.
Also Trident at Ottershaw took on a Honda franchise.
I also seem to remember Harry Nash.
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>> Also Trident at Ottershaw took on a Honda franchise.
They did indeed. They had a large stash of MG ZT's they drip fed onto the market.,
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Clifton's Corner roundabout on the A205 South Circular where it meets the A20. It then became World of Leather roundabout and they've now gone. It's soon going to be The Big Yellow (storage) roundabout.
PS Clifton's was a BMC - Leyland dealer with an Esso outlet. Only the Esso bit remains.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Fri 24 Dec 10 at 18:40
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Garages and filling stations from the past. - commerdriver
