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Auto Service Station, Colombo Street, Christchurch, NZ – Shell Ford V8 Tanker, c.1950
Mid-century photograph of the Auto Service Station on Colombo Street, Christchurch, showing a Ford V8 Shell tanker refuelling beneath a covered forecourt. The six-wheel tanker is a notable feature, reflecting the growing scale of fuel distribution in post-war New Zealand.
Unusually for the period, the fuel station appears to operate under a single fuel brand, with prominent Shell signage and Shell X-100 motor oil advertising, rather than the multi-brand arrangements commonly seen at smaller garages of the era. The modernist canopy, illuminated forecourt, and purpose-built pump layout point to a transition from early roadside garages to the more standardized service stations that emerged during the late 1940s and 1950s.
A strong record of New Zealand motoring infrastructure at a time when car ownership, road transport, and fuel logistics were rapidly expanding.
Digital download: Suitable for A4/A5/A6 (A4/7x5, 6x4) printing
Digital PDF download - The image is offered as a historical digital reproduction.
About this image
- Image quality reflects the original source material and restoration process, if any.
- This is an authentic photograph that has been digitised for preservation and enjoyment.
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Suitable for
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Printing
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