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Greenthorpe's Petrol Station - Darnall - GONE !


Guest transit

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Guest transit

....could not believe it as i drove by today ! Greenthorpes petrol station, top of Greenland Rd, bottom of Prince of Wales Rd , which must have been there around 60? years - has been demolished,-flattened , GONE!

I have been using this place over 30+ years a nd was last there, putting petrol in, 3 weeks ago and had no idea this was going to happen.

This place was the FIRST petrol station in Sheffield to open 24 hrs , and was a saviour to many AA stranded motorist over the years. Don't know what Mr Greenthorpe and his sons - who ran the family business up until the 90's, would be thinking?

It was also a haven for Volvo owners as they used to be a major Volvo used parts supplier (mid 70's- 80's). Once again , another Sheffield landmark GONE :(

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....could not believe it as i drove by today ! Greenthorpes petrol station , top of Greenland Rd, bottom of Prince of Wales Rd , which must have been there around 60? years - has been demolished,-flattened ,-GONE! I have been using this place over 30+ years ,and was last there ,putting petrol in, 3 weeks ago ,and had no idea this was going to happen. This place was the FIRST petrol station in Sheffield to open 24 hrs , and was a saviour to many aa stranded motorist over the years. Dont know what Mr Greenthorpe and his sons - who ran teh family business up until the 90's ,would be thinking? It was also a haven for Volvo owners as they used to be a major Volvo used parts supplier (mid 70's- 80's). Once again , another Sheffield landmark GONE :(

Must have passed you somewhere along the way transit. Also driven along Greenland road today on the way to Meadow Hell (well, someone has to go!) about half eleven -ish and noticed it had gone. Came back a different way though so didn't get to see it from the right side of the road. as you say, another sad loss.

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I hope to drive around Sheffield mid-November, any tips ? or should I just pretend I never knew the place and go with the flow ?

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Guest bus man

I seem to remember it opened about 1953 ish as they had a celebration when they were 50s old at one time if my memory serves me right they had a bus in there livery just for family outings ironicly it was the last bus bodied by Cravens of Darnal been the ex Sheffield Tranport Bedford - was the fleet number no 1 ? It was built for the hope valley rail replacement servicec when the line was due to be closed.

I have a photo of it somewher in green thorpes livery indeed Transitt may have been with me when I took it.

Anyway sad to see another sheffiled firm gone

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Guest transit

I seem to remember it opened about 1953 ish as they had a celebration when they were 50s old at one time if my memory serves me right they had a bus in there livery just for family outings ironicly it was the last bus bodied by Cravens of Darnal been the ex Sheffield Tranport Bedford - was the fleet number no 1 ? It was built for the hope valley rail replacement servicec when the line was due to be closed.

I have a photo of it somewher in green thorpes livery indeed Transitt may have been with me when I took it.

Anyway sad to see another sheffiled firm gone

..that would be this bus then , in its Sheffield Transport guise ?--- did"nt realise it was once Greenthorpes -but then again , that would explain why i often saw it parked on a drive at a house on Richmond Rd , early 80's. The colour was light blue ,with a medium blue band around the middle? What a shame it was"nt saved for preservation!!! :(

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..that would be this bus then , in its Sheffield Transport guise ?--- did"nt realise it was once Greenthorpes -but then again , that would explain why i often saw it parked on a drive at a house on Richmond Rd , early 80's. The colour was light blue ,with a medium blue band around the middle? What a shame it was"nt saved for preservation!!! :(

I seem to remember a Sheffield Star article a short while ago, stating that this petrol station had not closed for sometime, (can't remmeber if it was since it opened or since it started opening 24hrs) They even said when the station was re-located slightly due to the construction of the dual carriageway, it did not close.

Now its gone!

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Guest transit

I seem to remember a Sheffield Star article a short while ago, stating that this petrol station had not closed for sometime, (can't remmeber if it was since it opened or since it started opening 24hrs) They even said when the station was re-located slightly due to the construction of the dual carriageway, it did not close.

Now its gone!

...heard a rumour its going to be a new "bigger/better" petrol station ! I suppose it is better than some more identikit flats !

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...heard a rumour its going to be a new "bigger/better" petrol station ! I suppose it is better than some more identikit flats !

Here is a link to a website which gives a bit of a potted history of Greenthorpes

ForecourtTrader.co.uk

A bit of a specialised site, not one of my regular sites

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Guest transit

Here is a link to a website which gives a bit of a potted history of Greenthorpes

ForecourtTrader.co.uk

A bit of a specialised site, not one of my regular sites

...great find ! although the info was 4 years ago - i think the family re-thought , and recently sold the business? , and someone else has taken over , hence all the redevelopment?? :o

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...great find ! although the info was 4 years ago - i think the family re-thought , and recently sold the business? , and someone else has taken over , hence all the redevelopment?? :o

That probably explains it then

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..that would be this bus then , in its Sheffield Transport guise ?--- did"nt realise it was once Greenthorpes -but then again , that would explain why i often saw it parked on a drive at a house on Richmond Rd , early 80's. The colour was light blue ,with a medium blue band around the middle? What a shame it was"nt saved for preservation!!! :(
Fleet number 11 later renumbered 1 Bedford VAS 1 Reg KWA 811D Withdrawn 1973.
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Guest bus man

As discussed above greenthorpes purchased Sheffield Transprot Number 1 the craven bodied bedford for family use it is here seen at the family home, in the late 1970s / early 1980s transit was with me when this shot was taken but he cant remember been there - its his age you know

Seem to remember that some of the seats had been turned and two tables put in

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Guest transit

As discussed above greenthorpes purchased Sheffield Transprot Number 1 the craven bodied bedford for family use it is here seen at the family home, in the late 1970s / early 1980s transit was with me when this shot was taken but he cant remember been there - its his age you know

Seem to remember that some of the seats had been turned and two tables put in

....parked in Richmond Rd - although a bit of an "ugly duckling", i cant believe this bus was"nt bought for preservation , mainly because of it being the last ever Cravens-bodied bus. :(

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Guest Patsy2122

Hi all,

This was my grandads garage your all discussing. Yes a real shame that my Aunty eventually sold it. The bus you're on about used to be on my dads drive in Richmond Dennis Davis (coal &haulage) we had fun times with that bus it was named 'Georgie Porgie' as this is what all his grandchildren used to call him. It did some miles to Devon and Cornwall packed to the brim.... Memories very fond memories...

It's nice to read all the lovely comments you have written. It's sad that characters like my grandad are becoming very rare, what an awesome generation they were and some still are.

Again thank you for the nice comments and memories :-)

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Guest Patsy2122

As discussed above greenthorpes purchased Sheffield Transprot Number 1 the craven bodied bedford for family use it is here seen at the family home, in the late 1970s / early 1980s transit was with me when this shot was taken but he cant remember been there - its his age you know

Seem to remember that some of the seats had been turned and two tables put in

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Guest Patsy2122

As discussed above greenthorpes purchased Sheffield Transprot Number 1 the craven bodied bedford for family use it is here seen at the family home, in the late 1970s / early 1980s transit was with me when this shot was taken but he cant remember been there - its his age you know

Seem to remember that some of the seats had been turned and two tables put in

This photo was taken on my mum and dads drive, Georgie Porgie our bus!! Dad used to take all the kids on our road swimming to Eckington baths every week in it...

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Used to visit  there with the various Volvos I had the pleasure of owning (like VW Beetles, where have they all gone to - there used to be hundreds/thousands  of 240s,7’s among others, on the roads 70s-90s?) Always helpful. We were discussing how  strong those cars were one day, when the fella there told me, of him, in the absence of a proper recovery truck, recovering a LORRY (I think, off the A1) with I think, he said, using one of the more powerful 265 six cylinder cars! Knowing how they pulled, I didn’t doubt the tale...      

Great cars, great times and as others have recorded here, a great garage!

 

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