I confess I am a tealeaf.





Or I was when I was around 7 or 8.
I used to steal small, brightly coloured, plastic and stove enameled marker tags from the outlet pipes of fuel lorries.
I lived near a place where Esso, Shell, BP. and Regent petrol lorries would fill up prior to delivering out to service stations.
Each section of the tanker would have different kinds of fuel in and the outlet pipe under the lorry would have a removable tag attached to remind the driver what was in that particular tank.
Esso tags were 1" x 2" plastic tags ... red, pink, gold, white. with the name of the fuel on Extra, Golden, Derv. etc
BP and Shell would have stove enameled tags that were about 1 1/2" on a side with rounded tops and bottoms really attractive. Heavy and brightly coloured yellows, greens and blues.
Regent were circular about 1 1/4" in dia.
I can't remember the names of all the different type of fuels but there was a thriving swap culture between me and my mates. Some were rarer than others and were much sought after.
The most prized were Regent tags, for two reasons. One because there were very few Regent lorries about and two because their tags were situated in slots right on the tops of the tanker. So to get them meant climbing right up on top.
I gained bragging rights and was 'the man' for some time because I managed to get the rarest Regent petrol tag of all.
I lost it when my mum found my stash and not only gave me a hiding she confiscated the lot.
Under strict instructions ''not to let me hear of you stealing tags again'' I was kept in for a while.
Afterwards I obeyed my mum's instructions.
I made damn sure she never 'heard about it' again.



I wish I could find some now. I would mount them and give them pride of place.