The days when up to 24 trains bought thousands of holiday makers to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth - Railways and StationsSome of the thousands arriving at Vauxhall Station, Great Yarmouth on the special train from Norwich.Dated 1 August 1955Photograph C7307 Les Gould
Hordes of excited holiday makers arrive at Great Yarmouth’s Vauxhall station in the 1950s.
The railways bought a huge tide of trippers to the town, many from the Midlands, during their heyday with numerous services every day and up to 24 on a summer Saturday.
For the majority a week-long stay in a traditional boarding house awaited, and many were tipped out during the day and told to amuse themselves while the landlady got on with the chores and prepared the evening meal.
In those days there were numerous theatres and cinemas, with shows performed for whole summer seasons and the biggest stars of the day rubbing shoulders in the sunshine with visitors.
As our archive pictures show the station has gone through several transformations appearing quite grand in earlier shots.
The line was first opened in 1844, opening up the town to holidaymakers keen to take the sea air.
It was once the largest of three major stations in the town, Yarmouth Beach (closed 1959), and Yarmouth Southtown (closed 1970).