ONE of the North-East's oldest garage companies has turned to new technology to buck the trend of rural petrol stations facing closure.

It has become the first filling station in Britain to install a free-standing card machine called the Illumina 3000, which enables motorists to buy fuel around the clock.

The machine was set up by VBi Ltd, of Blackburn, Lancashire.

It has been installed at Weardale Motor Services garage, in Stanhope, County Durham, after director Roland Gibson was impressed by similar systems he saw in Europe.

"Since I was a boy, I have seen 12 petrol stations close in this dale," said Mr Gibson.

"Now we are down to just two. We now live in the age of the plastic card. This has to be the way forward."

Mr Gibson and his family are determined that Weardale Motor Services, founded in 1926 by his father, Oliver, will stay in business.

The other remaining filling station at Wolsingham, may disappear if plans for a housing development go ahead.

"We have a changing population here, with people travelling in and out of the dale at all hours. So a 24-hour service is vital to many of our customers," said Mr Gibson.

He pointed out that the nearest garage to the west was 20 miles away, at Alston, in Cumbria, and it was a similar distance to the nearest one to the east, at Fir Tree, near Crook.

"I have seen machines like this on the Continent, and they seem to work very well. It is early days for us, so we will just have to play it by ear."

The Stanhope garage will be manned by attendants from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, but it will switch to the card machine outside those hours and on Saturdays and Sundays.

Following the installation of the card machine at Stanhope, VBi Ltd received orders for machines at two rural garages in the South of England.

"We first got into the business by putting integrated card systems into the petrol pumps of a leading supermarket chain," said the company's marketing manager, Barry McLeod.

"Since then, we have spent two years developing the free-standing machine that has been erected at Stanhope."

Mr McLeod said his company recently launched a campaign aimed at independent garage owners to install the Illumina 3000.

"The response has been absolutely staggering," he said.

ose hours and on Saturdays and Sundays.

Following the installation of the card machine at Stanhope, VBi Ltd has received two orders for machines at two rural garages in the South of England.

"We first got into the business by putting integrated card systems into the petrol pumps of a leading supermarket chain," said the company's marketing manager, Barry McLeod.

"Since then, we have spent two years developing the free-standing machine that has been erected at Stanhope."

Mr McLeod said his company had recently launched a campaign aimed at independent garage owners to install the Illumina 3000.

"The response has been absolutely staggering," he said.

HERE'S how to use the card machine

Motorists are asked to follow seven instructions displayed on the screen. These are:

* Press preferred pump icon on Illumina 3000 screen and follow instructions.

* Insert card and enter PIN number.

* Remove card after authorisation.

* Start fuelling at designated pump.

* When fuelling is complete, replace nozzle, then press receipt button if required.

* Re-insert card for receipt.

* Take receipt from side of Illumina 3000.