Memories of a Gorleston Spotter (Part 1)

For our first WGC meeting of the year, we welcomed Chris Wright, who recalled for us his “Memories of a Gorleston Spotter”.
Chris moved to East Anglia in 1953, within sight of the Gt. Yarmouth to Lowestoft line. The major stations in the area all had long platforms to accommodate the lengthy holiday trains that ran into the area during the summer months. The one named train that ran to Gt. Yarmouth starting in 1951, was “The Easterling” which ran from Liverpool Street. One of the most frequent locos to visit was B17, 61664 Liverpool which always seemed to be around and featured in many of Chris’s pictures. During the week at this time, most traffic in the area were two-coach push-pull trains serving the local community.
Chris told us about the varying traffic that served the three stations in Gt. Yarmouth. 1959 was when the M & GN ceased with the closure of 118 route miles. Despite this loss, all holiday trains survived except one. During the latter 1950’s Chris’s spotting took him further afield to places such as the London termini stations, Manchester & Scotland, also leading to spending some holidays with his aunt in Hitchin, where he delighted in seeing all the variety of East Coast traffic, including the large express engines. We saw a superb photograph of 60009 Union of South Africa on what he thought was the final steam hauled “Elizabethan”. Then returning to East Anglia for a final look at the freight in and around March and Whitemoor yard, the only place in the area still with operating steam.
We look forward to Chris’s return in October with part 2 of this presentation.

Dave Elsdon
Branch Secretary