ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Off topic: Fuel

Diesel is a prime example: It was cheaper until it caught on. Up went the tax, not just on fuel but on diesel cars!

Last time I was in France, diesel was barely more than half the price of gasoline there, but from Alan's comments in another thread, I think that's changed.

Diesel was never (as far as I can remember) that much cheaper in Britain. There's not a huge difference per gallon between diesel and unleaded here at the moment, but at most places diesel is slightly more expensive.


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 02-13-2006).]

Paul, about 20 or 25 years ago diesel in the UK was a fraction of the price of petrol. It was only when sales of diesel cars started to take off in this country did the price of diesel rocket.

Haven't been on for a long while due to starting a new job just outside London. one good thing about this job is the places I get to visit. Just wait till you see the pics of old switchgear and breakers I took at Shepperton film studios today. I'm hoping to try and rescue some for display purposes but there are asbestos issues involved and they may all be destroyed/disposed of safely.

Going to browse just now to see what I've been missing.

Talk soon.

Good to see you back Simon. We'll look forward to those photos.

You know I don't remember those diesel prices at all for some reason, and I started driving in 1982. I guess that I just never really looked at the diesel prices, as "normal cars" didn't use that smelly stuff!

I do remember somewhere around that time that regular 4-star (*) was, IIRC, about £1.20 or £1.30 per gallon -- And it was still priced by the GALLON then, none of this government-imposed liters nonsense (with suitable apologies to our Continental friends! ).

(*) The old grading of fuel here used a star system: 2-star and 3-star was used for lower-compression engines, and a high-octane 5-star was available for the performance engines. Gradually those other grades were phased out until we were left with just 4-star. That was all before unleaded arrived on the scene later in the 1980s.


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 02-14-2006).]

Yes I remember the 2,3,and 4 star. 5 star wasn't available when I started driving but my old Datsun 100A used to run on 3 star or when I was skint 2 star .
3 star was just a blend at the pump of 2 and 4 star. More than once I've filled up with 3* and noticed the car going better than normal. Turns out the garage ran out of 2* without noticing. Can't remember it happening the other way round .

When the Formula Shell was available the old Datsun went like it was on steroids. Pity Vauxhall (part of GM) used dodgy valves and seats in some of their Astras and blamed the fuel, spoiling it for the rest of us.

The only reason I remember the diesel being far cheaper was that my parents ran their own business for years and I used to fill up the vans.

Ray makes a very valid point about the old CNG.
For some wierd reason, it was never available in the South Island.
Maybe it was piped to it's filling stations.
But one thing I do remember was the number of North Islanders that came down here in the 1980's that ran out of CNG at either Kaikoura or between there and Christchurch, only to find that it wasn't a nation-wide thing.
Anyone with a bent for automobiles would remember the Sherpa, we had them at Sullivan & Spillane Electrical in Temuka.
They were a Dual fuel setup and going from LPG to Petrol was often a bumpy ride.
I preferred the comfort of the Ford Prefect Panel van that the Senior Electrician had.
It ran on REAL fuel.

Well whatd'ya know? It seems we have an artist in our midst. From Alan Belson:



I think Alan meant to say that the third price would be for unleaded, since 2-star and 4-star were regular leaded.

Speaking of nozzle colors, it's interesting the way different places adopted different schemes.

In the U.K., it's black for diesel, green for unleaded, red was formerly for leaded, now used for LRP (where available).

I've forgotten the French coding, but I think one of them is blue?

Not sure of gasoline, but the diesel handles are Yellow in this part of Canada.

Here in the states, the handles aren't color coded per say. But, the containers definatelty are. Red-gasoline Yellow-Diesel Blue-Kerosene There is also a green but I can't recall what it is.