A NEW era dawned for motorists in 1968, as Great Western Motors’ opened its first ever ‘self-service’ petrol station in Wokingham Road.

Traditionally, most drivers would usually be served by a forecourt attendant, but by the mid 1970’s this had largely disappeared.

The process for actually pumping fuel was a bit involved, so the Chronicle helpfully explained the procedure: “Select a pump and press its red signal button, which alerts the central kiosk operator. After their visual check, the light will change to an amber colour, followed by a green “go ahead” flickering light.”

The new plans for a state-of the-art shopping centre at Crockenwell Road in Woodley, involving the demolition of council houses, were criticised with regard to the traffic problems it would ‘engender’.

A proposed link road behind the shops between Beechwood Avenue and Woodlands Avenue, had come under fire for being too narrow and the exit and entrance being unsuitable for buses and heavy traffic.

Reading FC had drawn the mighty Manchester City in the FA Cup and the Chronicle pulled out all the stops to preview the game forty years ago.

Some of the City players at the time could rightly be called legends of the game including Francis (Franny) Lee, Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell.

With a quick thaw after central Berkshire received a large fall of snow, the River Thames east of Reading was pictured in full flood from the air and published in the Chronicle.

A large expanse of water was pictured, which in later years would be the site for Thames Valley Park and the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake.

Millicent Martin, who was best known for appearing on the BBC satirical show “That Was The Week That Was”, made a personal appearance at the Baylis Supermarket, Reading in 1968.

As part of her charity appeal fundraising campaign she aimed to collect 35 million Green Shield Stamps, (anyone over 50 will remember the taste of licking these into countless books!)

Harry Scotford, a veteran Sub-Officer at Caversham Road fire station, was a mere 50 minutes from retirement after 28 years’ service, when the alarm sounded at his station.

The call was for a fire at nearby Battle Hospital, so Mr.Scotford drove his fire engine to the scene, then organised firefighters into their breathing apparatus, to reach the blaze in the maternity unit which was under construction.

When he returned at 9.30am he had served half-an-hour more than he had intended.