bobalobs Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 We live in North East Hampshire and nine years ago we bought a new van fitted with a refillable underfloor gas tank. Over the years we have noticed a reduction in refill outlets. First BP removed pumps and in particular the station at Peterfield removed pumps that had only recently been renovated. Then Shell when renovating sites at Fontwell and Rustington have removed LPG gas pumps and we are told this will happen throughout Shell outlets .Thankfully we have a gas outlet at the Shell stations on the A3 down the road from us but it seems we would be unwise to think its future is safe. We have found in more agriculture areas there is a better gas availability probably due to farm/horticulture demand but what is the future for camper/motorhome demand? More and more vans are designed on the basis of under floor tanks so when we have to revert to overpriced bottles where are they going to be fitted? Fortunately we have a cupboard with a gasdrop that could be adapted to cylinders but we wonder that everyone will be so lucky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernst Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 They are getting harder to find localy we fitted a refillable gasit tank in feb this year,the nearest to us it 10 miles away (morrisons)but we have found places when out and about to fill up,we have so far spent £22 on gas if it was calor it would be £57,the savings are massive,lets hope it doesnt get any worse i dont know why there is no push from the goverment to use it as a road fuel as its a lot cleaner but then again its a byproduct of petroleum so they proberbley wont . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 ernst - 2019-10-13 9:02 PM i dont know why there is no push from the goverment to use it as a road fuel as its a lot cleaner . . . . It’s down to the economics of demand and supply. LPG fuelled vehicles are as costly to manufacture as petroleum fuelled vehicles. Electric vehicles however have fewer parts and are much cheaper to manufacturer, although the batteries do make up 40% of the component cost, so car manufacturers prefer to move to modular electric. Which is why we are likely to see the now 'popular' battery powered vehicles and their attendant charging points start disappearing in five to ten years time to be replaced by hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as is already starting to happen in China. Incidentally, there appears to be no shortage of AutoGas filling stations on Continental Europe at present, not great news for those who remain in the UK but handy for those of us that prefer to tour abroad although fifteen years from now continental AutoGas stations may have largely disappeared as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmold Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 Most major car manufacturers in Europe produce dual fuel cars (petrol & lpg) but don't import them to UK. I don't understand the push to electric as the network certainly can't cope (imagine the electrical demand every evening if everyone had a plug in electric vehicle.). I can understand self charging hybrids, far more feasible. As for lpg, there are still 1200 filling stations, so if the big boys such as Shell pull out, then support those who carry on and hopefully the extra trade will keep them on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgnbuk Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 Can't say I have noticed any great change in LPG (Autogas pump) availability in my bit of West Yorkshire. I have run 2 LPG converted cars in the past, the first being converted around 13 years ago & all the forecourt pumps I used then are still available now. Local taxis & private hire vehicles are the main users around here. Availabilty in Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg & Germany is good - I topped off twice last month on tour, once in Luxemburg at the motorway services outside Luxemburg city (€0.49/l) & an Autohof services near Kircheim unter Teck in Germany (€0.59/l). I have LPG stations as POIs on my Garmin satnav. As well as forecourts, some industrial gas/fuel suppliers have LPG pumps - I have one locally & there is one 200yds down the road from EmmBee Motorhomes in Bury. This type of supplier is not quite so obvious as a forecourt pump, but may be an option for you if you enquire locally. I don't think that pumped LPG is going to disappear of the UK any time soon. Nigel B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifo Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 A few years back the Andalucian ambulance fleet was converted to LPG and there was an increase in the number of outlets available. The outlets used were slot- in units and, from our observation, very straight-forward and quick to install. How difficult or practical would it be for motorhome dealers to have the necessary installed if they become less common in garages ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 Most taxis use LPG so if you're searching for a garage selling it, ask a cabbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 A good opportunity for Motorhome dealers and bigger sites (like the Caravan and Motorhome club) to rise to the occasion and start selling it perhaps.Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive_Adams Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 In my area there is a noticeable decline in lpg availability, we seam to have gone from BP to Shell garages, (the garages changing hands). I have two garages near to me that used to stock lpg one had excellent access both sides, one had very limited access so guess which one they dropped? I rang Shell and asked what their policy was, and it was the usual, “we are only selling it in garages where it’s profitable”. I asked if there was any way of knowing which garages do stock it and was told “we have a website and app, but unfortunately it’s not updated”.I am now constantly on the look out for alternatives and understand the Morrison’s chain could be one? So now I just keep it well topped up, using UK sourced because of the Propane content and I do use the van in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmold Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 You can download a list of Morrisons filling stations that stock Autogas. Also the FillLPG app is great for locations and whether they have stock.BP have sold their Autogas business to Flogas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 We were looking for it last month in Suffolk, and my app myLPG.eu listed a few, including Calor gas depot. Even if it gets more difficult to find a fuel stations, there will still be a demand for exchanged gas bottles, so perhaps it's worth trying local depots.Is FillLPG app android only - couldn't find it on the Apple store? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmold Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 FillLPG app is android only but you can bookmark the website onto your home screen so it works much the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 OK, thanks, will do as my app only as reliable as the users submitting info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmold Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 Conrad - 2019-10-14 4:20 PM OK, thanks, will do as my app only as reliable as the users submitting info. FillLPG also relies on users updating it. The app is updated at least once a day, often more frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisCM Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 If you want an IOS app have a look at “MyLPG.eu” available in the App Store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMS Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 We refill our LPG built in gas bottles at the main gas supplier in Portsmouth (just off the Eastern Road), often cheaper. there is another supplier just south of Chichester close to Premier Motorhomes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 Do you know the name/website of the outlet near Premier as that could be of interest to us with our current van? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 I live near Southampton, we recently lost a garage at swaythling from the LPG filling , but we have one at OWER just off the Motorway M27 and also the main Calor dealer at Millbrook, I passed a garage on the way home from Somerset yesterday it had a sign out saying LPG , it was near Glastonbury, I have the app on my phone FILL LPG and myLPG and there are lots of outlets shown on these, Android phone, there are many LPG outlets in France Spain and Portugal so no problems there, not much help if you are in the UK of course, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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