In Janow Podlaski, which is better known for its breeding stable of Arabian horses with its annual auction, there can be found an original historic site which hardly anyone expects. In the local market square is a petrol station with pre-war, hand-powered petrol pumps which were made by the company Temper Extakt in 1928. These are probably the only ones of their kind in Poland.

What is interesting is the principle of operation of such a pump which is known only to a few today. On the base of each pump were a lever and two glass cylinders each with a 5 litre capacity. If the petrol station operator wanted to fill up a car he would fill one of the cylinders with the help of the attached lever then with a turn of a valve the petrol would flow into the petrol tank. At the same time he would be filling the other cylinder and so on.

The historic pumps were last used up until the end of the 1970’s. Older residents remember that if a coach pulled into the CPN station and the driver wanted his tanks filled the passengers had at least a 45 minute stopover. Today these pumps are not in working order and are only a reminder to the past.

Janow Podlaski Municipal Office (woj. Lubelskie)

www.janowpodlaski.pl