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See Homepage. This page: The first self-service filling station in the country
Steve in Devon sent in these photos and information.. "Shown here are all that remains of the former site of Turnbulls Garage, Charles Cross, Plymouth City Centre. The rest was demolished in the late 1990s and the site is now occupied by a new 'Staples' building. The covered forecourt, with its distinctive round shape and roofline, was preserved because when it was built in 1960 it was the first self-service petrol station in the country. Back in the late 1970s I had a Mk4 Ford Zephyr and at over 15ft it was no easy job negotiating the tight circular forecourt when filling up (which was quite often in the thirsty Zephyr!). With its new glazed side walls, the building is now a motorcycle accessory shop.

The ruined church in the background is Charles Church. This was destroyed by a direct hit from a bomb in the Plymouth blitz. It was left unrestored as a memorial to those Plymothians who died in the blitz, and is now in the middle of a roundabout. My grandfather and his brother were the organ boys in the church during the 1914-1918 war, pumping frantically while someone played the hymns!"

Plymouth garage

Plymouth garage

Plymouth garage

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