Quick look
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The Shell station in Johol (Negeri Sembilan) is the oldest operating station in the country and still has a simple layout by the roadside.
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Shell Penang Road, which is around 100 years old, retains its original architecture as a heritage building.
Shell has been in Malaysia since 1891, initially under the name Marcus Samuel & Company. Its first operations were related to exploration for oil in Sabah and setting up storage depots at various ports in the Straits Settlements in Peninsular Malaya.
The first station set up in Malaysia to sell Shell fuel was in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in 1925. It was a simple station under a shophouse veranda and had a hand-operated pump to refuel boats.
Over the next 100 years, Shell would open stations all over the country and had the largest retail network. Today, there are over 950 Shell stations, the second largest number after PETRONAS, which has more than 1,000 stations.
Oldest operating station
Not surprisingly, there are some old Shell stations which are still operating and have a very long history,
One of these is in Johol, Negeri Sembilan which started business in 1930, and is believed to be the oldest operating station. Referred to as ‘Shell Lama Johol’, it is still in what must be its original layout with a small building serving as an office and two pumps in front for diesel and petrol. There is no forecourt and it is right by the side of the Kuala Pilah – Tampin road going through the town.
As the land area is small, the owners have probably not installed an underground tank like modern stations. Fuel is still stored in skid tanks above the ground at the back of the station, such tanks being movable if needed (they are also used on construction sites).
Preserved as heritage building
Along Penang Road on the island, there is also another Shell station with a long history. It has existed since the 1920s so it’s also around 100 years old.
Recognising its historical significance, Shell Malaysia did up the station in 2022 to preserve it as a ‘living heritage’ in Penang. In fact, Shell Penang Road is listed under the Penang Heritage directory as an important cultural landmark.
The appearance of the station retains elements of the original architecture so it’s unlike other Shell stations. It has the modern facilities that motorists are used to, including a convenience store offering food, snacks and other services.
