RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: richard on October 15, 2014, 08:08:16 PM
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what do we know of this company ? Back in the day they were quoted as being the largest chain of garages in Britain and were sole concessionaires for Powerdrive and Coronet Cars . Anything else ?
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I don't know anything for sure but wonder if it is connected with Blue Star shipping line. I sailed to Uruguay on the Blue Star liner Argentina Star.
Also that address is probably at the west end of the road and I wonder if it is where Bristol Cars opened their London showroom, used to pass it daily.
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They were sued by the Vehicle and general insurance co in 1975.
Here's one in 1962.
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Yep I saw that on www but nothing about court cases , do we know what it was concerning ? Any other connections to microcars at all ?
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Looks like the usual council workers in the 1960s. All standing about doing nothing. One missing, making the tea I expect. ;D
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By memory when I saw that pic online it was the last stages of refitting or building a new site so I guess Blue Stars own crew this time . I wonder whether there were claims against them due to the Powerdrives / Coronets ?
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It appears that the motoring side of the business was gradually divested and sold off during the 1960s and early 70s until whoever controlled it's nominal remains got involved in Portsmouth Football Club in the late 1990's. When the football club got into serious financial difficulties, Blue Star Garages owed lots of money to the people who'd been rebuilding the stadium for them and the company was wound up.
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the mention of a Coronet in the OP , reminded me I've still got the bonnet badge of my old car , bit heavy for the available power , but spares was easy at the time (A30/5 ?)'
Alan
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Wondering further about any relationship between Blue Star Garages and Blue Star Line: they both use the same blue star as a logo, and this would presumably have been a Registered Trade Mark. if the companies were not related, the Registry might well have said they were too similar for unrelated companies to use. Likewise the name "Blue Star" would need to be approved by Companies House. Normally different companies will be refused Trade Marks and Names if they are too close to existing ones, unless they are in clearly different businesses, say Baking and Plumbing equipment.
Shipping and Motoring might have both been classed as "Transport" and therefore the Blue Star name and logo might only have been grantable if the companies were part of one group, and therefore not in competition or any conflict of interest.
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i can't see any mention of a connection Marcus though perhaps nowadays it might cause a problem
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another great pic from flikr but no logo - any comments
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Lovely photo!
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last one but a good 'un i think . 1958 apparently
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Nice one! I have vague memories of petrol stations like that.
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Whats it got to do with microcars?
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We do sometimes stray Bob , you as well , I was trying to find out further micro connections other than Powerdrive and Coronet . Unfortunately the court case had nothing juicy about those cars so that was a dead end . Don't blame me for trying , the forum has been VERY quiet and I was hoping for information ah remind me who was it now who first posted a pic of a Blue Star Garage on this topic whilst we were actually looking for microcar links - surely not you Bob ? ;)
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I couldn't find any further connection with microcars either. Despite it's size, the company was pretty much a one-man empire run by a guy called Maurice Deen. He was described as being in his sixties in 1965, so I guess it probably disintegrated after he retired. The petrol stations were sold off to Stations Supreme Ltd which was a wholly owned part of Texaco, but part of the Blue Star name still lives on if you have come across the Allstar fuel card. This began as the All Star petrol card and was Texaco's direct replacement for the Blue Star fuel card.
http://www.allstarcard.co.uk/about-us/ (http://www.allstarcard.co.uk/about-us/)
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thanks for that Malcolm a good rounding off to the topic . right we better move off before Bob shuts us down :D
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I also tried but came up with nought. I did find something about an cycle motor maker that switched attention to building microcars and there was a connection with Blue star. If I can find it again I will email you.
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thanks Bob but if it's not a micro connection not my thing either - the final final word on Coronet's and Blue Star Garages . An interesting website with mentions of the Excelsior engine and views of production amongst other things :
http://www.thecoronet.com/road_test.htm
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Well just found it again and it is a microcar thing. Keep scanning down until you see the David Gotlieb designed cars.
http://www.icenicam.ukfsn.org/articles3/art0059.html
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I have been looking at the history of Fairthorpe. It turns out that there is a cobweb of links between Microcar companies behind all this.
Fairthorpe Ltd was created to build vehicles in June 1952 by Don Bennett, but had to start life as a jobbing engineer assembly company. It had a co company doing Areo engineering called Dart Aircraft Litd sharing the site. In early 1952 Don Bennett had bought the Russon car production company. Connection 1
In October of 1955 Fairthorpe gained a new factory Manager. He was John Green, who had been a manager for Blur Star Garages. The same outfit of this thread, who marketed the Powerdrive from November 1955. The 350cc version of the Atom had failed to sell one unit. So a version was made with a British Anzani engine in it. This car was spoken of as the best Atom by the workers and was used as a firm runabout. However I do not know if the Atom 322 was marketed, certainly there is no evidence of sales. You cannot help wondering if this Connection 2 was more than an idle link. I think not. Maybe the history of Powerdrive mentions John Green in passing.
Clearly connection 3 is the link between the Powerdrive and the Allard Clipper. Connection 4 is the Coronet. I am sure there are plenty more.
From the Fairthorpe point of view there are now three Atomata known. One is a 650 BSA A10 Gold Flash original, Another is a Atomata Major with a Standard 8 engine, (it was at the nec last year) so not a microcar, the last is probably an Atomata 650 that has been converted to Subaru underpinnings in America. So a half point there. No Atom survivor is known of as far as I can make out. Tony Marshall often stated he wanted to find one, but failed. The thing seems to have been a bit of a disaster, as Don refused to listen to his then Manager and engineer, Ken Lowe, who left allegedly frustrated. He it was that invented and made a good living by marketing the Kenlowe Fan. So if an Atom has survived it will be a rare thing indeed.
To see Atoms watch the first few minutes of the 1955 Rank film 'Checkpoint' where some take the roll of being Valta cars in production behind a shot out. Cheesy film but great sports cars throughout, and James Robertson Justice shouting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ncweROe9U&t=383s
Interesting 'innit?
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Hi all, I have been directed to this website by a fellow Fairthorpe Sports Car Club member, unfortunately none of the original Atom`s appear to have survived but I live in hope that one may be tucked away awaiting to be rediscovered. The Atom Majors were Standard 10 powered and the Atomotas were Gold Flash 650 powered. There are actually two Atom Major survivors ( both Standard 10 engines), one Atomota in the USA which has had the body modified and grafted onto a Subaru floorpan complete with Subaru engine and the remains of another in the UK which is missing the bodyshell and engine.
More info and pictures of Atoms and Atomotas can be found on the Fairthorpe blog at www.fairthorpe.blogspot.co.uk
...........Martin
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Atom Major as displayed at the NEC last year. A personal highlight of the 3 day show to see this car. What a find.
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Blue Star Garages started by my father Maurice Deen in early 1930's we had 275 garages nationwide , plus battery factories Coronet Cars at one moment and many other companies . My dad dies in 1971 and to satisfy his ' young ' wife the company was sold half to Texaco and the rest otherwise all against my wishes . I bought 3 sites for redevelopment . Today even a reduced chain would be worth over £400 million but thats life ! John DEEN