Author Topic: Ration books  (Read 505 times)

Offline Greybeard

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Ration books
« on: 04.04. 2019 15:38 »
This, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_oil_crisis led to these:

We never needed to use them though.
Greybeard (Neil)
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Offline Butch (cb)

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Re: Ration books
« Reply #1 on: 04.04. 2019 16:02 »
In anticipation of all that. My father bought the cheapest small self-assembled shed he could find, then acquired a bunch of very large, plastic, concentrate containers from a friend at Britvic. Each week he filled our Vee Dub camper at the pumps and then at home under cover of darkness I would help him syphon the fuel into the Britvic containers and wheel barrow them down the garden and into the shed. I don’t know how long this went on for but eventually that shed was chock full of plastic containers full of gasoline.

We used to motor up to Derbyshire (from the mid-Essex Badlands) quite regularly back then, and so we would always travel with a couple of these drums under the seats in the camper just so we always had a reserve to get us home again should supplies dry up. Of course it never really happened. I don’t think the proper fuel we had then had such a limit on shelf life but I have to wonder now how long it took him to work his way back through it all.

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Offline Greybeard

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Re: Ration books
« Reply #2 on: 04.04. 2019 16:15 »
...eventually that shed was chock full of plastic containers full of gasoline.

...I have to wonder now how long it took him to work his way back through it all.
I'm glad a firework didn't set light to your dads shed!
His actions and presumably those of many other people panic buying added to the four-hour queues at the pumps. Thanks!
Greybeard (Neil)
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Online Bsareg

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Re: Ration books
« Reply #3 on: 04.04. 2019 20:05 »
Ten years ago I used my 1974? Petrol ration books together with the logbook to 
 re-register my frogeye with the DVLA. I was to be allowed 6 N units (presumably gallons) a month. Luckily never needed but the frugal C11 came in handy.
Helston, Cornwall C11,B40,B44 Victor,A10,RGS,M21,Rocket3,REBSA

Online muskrat

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Re: Ration books
« Reply #4 on: 04.04. 2019 21:01 »
Down here in the late 70's early 80's rationing was by way of your # plate. Odd or even. I had two plates  *whistle*
Odd on Mon/Wed/Friday, even on Tue/Thur/Saturday. Can't remember who got Sundays.
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Offline Greybeard

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Re: Ration books
« Reply #5 on: 04.04. 2019 21:11 »
I've just been informed that those ration books were printed when the 1956 Suez crisis was happening. They were not needed in the end. In the 1970's they just used the original books.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

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A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash