Great Western Coffee Shop

Some blowing away of cobwebs and a sort of sanity check prescription break for me.

It may not be as picturesque as Ireland or Sicily but I'm taking a few days away to Great Yarmouth. Why there? Because it was cheap!

Set off this afternoon, traveling from Templecombe to Paddington via Basingstoke and Reading. I decided to go via Paddington rather than Waterloo because of the Elizabeth Line. Having a wheelie case and dog in tow it is far far easier to use the Elizabeth Line to Liverpool St. Lifts vice escalators, no steps, no need to carry Finn. A breeze.

As I write I'm on a Class 745 from Liverpool St to Norwich. My first time on said rolling stock, and first time on a train with Jacobs bogies. First impressions of the 745s? Novel to be able to see almost the length of the train on 'intercity' style rolling stock. Perfectly comfy seats in a nice interior. Dare I say it... an improvement on the loco hauled Mk3s.

Broadgage will be delighted to read the following...

Nice to have a buffet counter too. A hot sausage ciabatta, some Jacobs (appropriately) Mini Cheddars and a couple of local (to the route) ales. Proper train travel. Finn has enjoyed his sausage slice and handful of Cheddars. He's not sharing my ale though!

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The main bar in my hotel tonight (Carlton - Great Yarmouth) is closed as there's cabaret and bingo in the function room. I joined the Wallace Arnold crowd briefly. Billy no mates in a room full of OAPs!

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Nice enough hotel. A typical British seafront affair that obviously gets the majority of its business from coach parties. Nothing wrong with that. My single room was cheap as chips. £30 a night B&B. £10 a night for Finn.

Strange trait of mine, but I do like the big seaside towns. Particularly out of season when they're quiet (and cheap). There's something about the faded glory that speaks to me.

Tomorrow I'm off the Hoveton and Cromer with an Anglia Plus Day Ranger.

Do you think you find that, in a railway-related sense, at Templecombe?

From Great Yarmouth to Cromer via Norwich.

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Beer on the pier.
Where I can see the sea
With some Quavers cheesy.
Just a little bit breezy.

I'm no Wordsworth!

I'd put that poem in one of those wheelie bins....

I'm not headed for Laureate then?

Finn zhoomies on Cromer beach.

Today Finn and I have taken the train over to Thetford. This is where a lot of the Dad's Army outside scenes were filmed. Thetford doubling as Walmington-on-Sea. Thetford is home to the Dad's Army museum. There's also a mapped route round the town taking you to filming locations.

As I type I'm having lunch in Pike's Bar at the Bell Hotel. This is where many of the cast stayed during filming.

Meeting Mainwaring.
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A nod to the Dad's Army title sequence with a wavy path leading to a Union Flag arrowhead under the Mainwaring statue.
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"Now, pay attention!"
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Something Nasty In the Vault.
"Don't panic, Captain Mainwaring. DON'T PANIC!"
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Museum tea room lady in period WRVS costume.
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Mill Lane, Thetford where the scene of the platoon being marched to Walmington-on-Sea harbour by the Nazis in "The Deadly Attachment" was filmed. Thetford of course doesn't have a harbour!
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Heading back to Norwich from Thetford on an EMR Regional Class 158. Much nicer interiors than the SWR 158/159s I'm used to. These EMR sets have the same comfy seats as GWRs Castle Class Mk3s.

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Whilst the Class 158 is an excellent inter-regional train, running just 2 cars on services between Liverpool and Norwich is totally inadequate. The set I'm on is almost full - and that's after it's final stop at Thetford, before Norwich. And I've seen a couple 2 car units leave Norwich full and standing in the past few days.

No - more like Wadworths !

Homeward bound.

A quick photo op at one of England's remotest and least used stations.

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After seeing there were signalling problems at Stowmarket I decided to reroute via Ely. Delays there meant a change of plans for lunch - onward to Cambridge.

Neither station pub at Cambridge was doing food today. Staffing problems for both. Surprising, considering this is a student city and it's the weekend. Neither of the hotels with food offerings near the station would allow dogs in.

Ho hum. Greggs bake on the pavement seats. Sausage roll for Finn.

Onward to Farringdon in a bit for Liz Line to Paddington. Maybe a proper meal in the Mad Bishop and Bear instead.

Roast beef was off in the MBB at Paddington. Didn't fancy the turkey or owt else on the menu. So thought I'd grab a Burger King Whopper meal instead. Nope. BK unit at Paddington is closed.

Drowned my sorrows with a couple Fuller's Golden Pride.

I've not had much luck getting food today. Fingers crossed for BK at Reading.

From there its the SuO SWR service to Salisbury before stepping back onto the following WAT-AXM service for Templecombe.

I've had a cracking four days away. Great Yarmouth, great hotel, great sightseeing, Greater Anglia trains have be great.

Finn has left wee-mails across East Anglia and he was the star of the show in the hotel with the coach party crowd. It's surprising just how many lovely wobbly old ladies have dog treats in their handbags. Even if they've left their pups with family, friends or kennels while off on their seaside jolly.

Can't speak for Finn but I've had a stimulating time. Just what I needed after a bit of mental health wobble last week.

Glad you had a good time in East Anglia. Sometimes it’s just good to get away. Thanks for sharing your pics and reports with us.

Finally!

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So near, yet so far.

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Hopefully the last time I'll have to wait 25 mins at Gillingham (Dorset). Normal timetable resumes tomorrow, 14/11/2022, on the line between Salisbury and Exeter.

Guards on the SWR services have been given a PA script to read out in recent days explaining that the normal timetable is to resume. Said script mentions the work done by Network Rail to repair the route to allow a return to line speed. No mention of the excellent work done by the weather gods. Soaking the clay based soil to allow tamping to level the railhead.

A week later and you could have been to this talk, advertised in the the Great Yarmouth Mercury (https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/23125726.great-yarmouth-man-80-talk-european-journey/)


Has anyone here undertaken a similar venture?   ;D

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Darn it - I am missing that.

My final day tomorrow - I will post up my tallies at the end

I suddenly had a vision of the introduction being given by Alan Partridge.....

Offer of talk(s) at http://www.passenger.chat/26901 - a sticky post in 'And Also".  Happy to do Winter in Warminster,  Spring in St Austell, Summer in Swindon, Autumn in Avonmouth ...