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Pioneering Petrol Station: The Forgotten Birthplace of the Automobile Age
15 Nov
Summary
- England's first petrol station opened in 1919 by the Automobile Association (AA)
- Motorists were served by AA's uniformed patrolmen at a single hand-operated pump
- The station was located on a busy A4 Bath Road near Aldermaston, Berkshire
In November 2025, a nondescript layby along the A4 Bath Road in Berkshire holds a significant piece of automotive history. This is the site of England's first petrol station, opened by the Automobile Association (AA) in 1919.
At the time, the A4 was already a "very busy" route, making it an ideal location for the pioneering fuel stop. Motorists would pull into the small forecourt, where an AA patrolman in uniform would operate the single hand-pumped fuel dispenser to fill their vehicles.
Prior to this, drivers had to purchase fuel in small quantities from local ironmongers, blacksmiths, or general stores. The AA's new station, established in partnership with British Benzole, aimed to provide a dedicated "patriotic fuel" source as the UK sought to reduce reliance on imported Russian oil in the aftermath of the 1917 Bolshevik revolution.
The AA itself had only been formed 14 years earlier, in 1905, as a club to protect motorists from police speed traps. Over time, the organization evolved to focus more on roadside assistance, with patrolmen famously saluting members' cars displaying the AA badge. This tradition ended in 1962, the same year the iconic yellow AA vans replaced the patrol motorcycles.
Today, the site of England's first petrol station remains largely unchanged, marked only by a railway and bus signpost. But its historical significance as the birthplace of the modern fuel retail industry is a testament to the pioneering spirit that shaped the early days of the automobile age.
