Looking back at Service stations

   

     

I have had a fun project this year sketching service stations.  I thought I would gather them all up in one blog post and here they are.

My father had one or two gas pumps next to the general store he had in the 50's, 60's and 70's.  When I was a child I would hang out around the pumps listening to the conversation and seeing interesting things, like the giant snapping turtle Donnie Dungen had in the back of his truck one late afternoon. But...that's another story.  So, I suppose it makes sense for me to be attracted to the service station.

The service station above is located on Parramatta Road, Summer Hill in Sydney.  This  station is Art Deco in style.  It was a very hot sunny morning when this was sketched, very early before it opened.

This service station is in Marion St,Leichhardt and is P&O style as you can just make out from the curve of the main building.  That little brown creature is a dog which was tied up from the moment it took for his owner to get the newspaper.

 

     

This old service station and taxi rank was not purpose built but rather a colonial building made into a service station in the 1960's by the current owner's father.  The owner told me the building was a Baby Health centre before his dad bought it.  It is located on New Canterbury Road in Dulwich Hill.  When sketching this a few taxi drivers came along to talk and suggest I do their portrait.

                                                 

This is a Victorian building converted into a petrol station years ago and no longer in use.  It is amazing that the pump is still there although quite rusty.  Located on Canterbury Road, Summer Hill.

       

Here is another Victorian building turned into a petrol station years and years ago.  Located in Norton St Leichhardt and still in use.

                            

     This was built as a service station in the 1930's but is now a Chinese restaurant.  Located on Marrckville road, Marrickville.

           

This is a big place originally owned by our former prime minister John Howard's father in Dulwich Hill. It is situated in the side of a hill.  Purpose built garage, Art Deco style.

      

I love this place located on Canterbury Road at Campsie.  I sketched this on a Sunday morning and the mechanics were already there, working away.

Princes Highway, Sydenham on a very hot summer day.

    

Holley's Garage on Canterbury Road, Canterbury.  Built between the wars and still in use. It is Spanish Mission style.

Spanish Mission style purpose built garage on King st, Newtown.  Unfortunately, no longer in use and is in disrepair.  This was the first service station in the series.

      

      

This is a very unusual style of service station built in the 1930's.  Located on Cleveland St in Sydney.

    

    I hope to find some more service stations, this theme is not finished yet.