Thread: Ampol coming back

Back in the late 70's I managed the Ampol SS in Paddington for Wedmaiers who were JRA dealers , that had three Ampol SS, one in Kelvin Grove ,one in Kenmore & Paddington all three sites had large workshops . They were tough times for petrol stations it was just the start of the discount fuel , Ampol kept telling us we needed to sell more fuel but to do that we would have sold at a loss the Shell 1/2km away was selling there fuel for what we were paying for it. The workshop was always very busy but Ampol didn't care , they ended up closing it down , selling the site & it is now a small block of shops. The Kenmore site they lost because Ampol didn't like the manager told Wedmaiers either he goes or they go & they stuck by there manager . They kept the Kelvin Grove site open until they stopped selling cars then sold the site which they owned ( it is still operating selling a different fuel) They also leased the Ampol Hamilton for a number of years until Ampol cancelled the lease demolished the site & built a large discount petrol station on the site. I also had a mate who leased a Ampol on the north side Ampol wanted to demolish it turn it into a discount so cancelled his lease. He ended up becoming a fireman until he retired. Pretty cut throat business selling fuel.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Highlight of our road trips as a kid was to stop at a Golden Fleece for fuel and a feed in dad's XW GTHO , the Seymour servo was our usual stop.

On the east side of the highway. Used to stop there with my grandparents while going to or from their farm at Violet Town in the Ford Mainline ute (which my cousin still has).

cheers, DL

If I recall what my dad told me correctly. Ampol in th 1930's was a kind of co-operative. To buy petrol at the very few Ampol filling stations then one had to be a member.

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

If I recall what my dad told me correctly. Ampol in th 1930's was a kind of co-operative. To buy petrol at the very few Ampol filling stations then one had to be a member.

I think you're right, Brian, I believe NRMA was involved in the start-up.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Cors.
Esso.
Philips 66.
Total.

Cors was actually BP-COR - Commonwealth Oil Refineries.

Atlantic
BP
Shell
Caltex
Ampol
Amoco
Esso
Golden Fleece
Neptune
Total
Vacuum (aka Flying Red Horse or Mobil)

Originally Posted by Tombie

Perhaps they could all rebrand:

Except that oil didn't come from dinosaurs, it came from plants.

Originally Posted by Saitch

Yeah! I'll be able to use my old road maps again without fear of ridicule.

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SH, I bet they are spotted with Hamburger juice, fried onion & Chico Roll salt. Probably find some Coca Cola slops on those too.

Originally Posted by 350RRC

On the east side of the highway. Used to stop there with my grandparents while going to or from their farm at Violet Town in the Ford Mainline ute (which my cousin still has).

cheers, DL

I bet the kids sat in the back without expecting to get crap from Jobsworth coppers. Looking back it wasn't really very safe but hey, it was the norm.