Michael's Blog: April 2024

Tuesday 30 April 2024

London has Piccadilly Line & Victoria Line, but only Manchester has a line to connect Piccadilly to Victoria 😂

TENERIFE Costa Adeje - The Best 5* Hotel ?

British Rail - Signalling - 1989

1950s, 1960s Madrid, Spain, Rare Home Movie Footage

Dad’s SIAM PARK NIGHTMARE! Tenerife Waterpark Excursion- HILARIOUS on sl...

Just coming up to one year ago, next month, that I went there.

MCDONALD’S BREAKFAST in the Tenerife SUNSHINE- Cheap, Quick and easy! Sp...

Benidorm's TAPAS ALLEY & Historic Basque Connection!☀️🇪🇸🦞ALL YOU NEED TO...

Vintage transport film - All that mighty heart - 1963

Monday 21:30 to 07:30 Thorpe Station three hours overtime

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🚉🚉++ Monday 🚉🚉 21:30 to 07:30 Thorpe Station three hours overtime 🚉🚉🚉

745005 platform 2 for 21:02 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street

745106 platform 1 locked 🔒 up

745106 platform 1 left at 21:20.

21:02 to London not left platform 2 yet

755406 platform 3 for 22:40 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge

755409 platform 5 for 21:40 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall

745008 platform 1 arrived a few

745008 platform 1 for 1P73 22 02 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street ?

755401 platform 5 arrived at 21:49 for 22:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central

21:02 & 22:02 to London cancelled

755333 platform 6 arrived at 22:08 for 22:40 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central

755414 platform 4 2J31 arrived at 22:31 for 2S36 22:45 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham cleaning 🧹🧼 inside and cabs 🪥

755415 platform 1 1K92 21:20 Cambridge to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 22:38 for 1Y75 23 05 Norwich Thorpe to Ipswich

755332 Middle Road arrived at 22:45 no cleaning

755409 platform 6 arrived at 22:49 for 23:00 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall cleaning 🧹🧼 inside and cabs badly 🤢

755402 platform 7

158806 & 158846 platform 3 arrived at 22:46

1P66 at Stowmarket at 23:06

1P68 at signal 369 beweteen Ipswich to Needham Market

1P66 21 00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe due 23:33 (22:48)

1P68 21:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe due 23:43 (23:26)

19:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe, Stowmarket 20:52 + 9 minutes late, then cancelled

20:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe, arrived at Ipswich 21:08 +3 minutes late, then cancelled/ delayed

20:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 21:41 plus 8 minutes then cancelled

20:32 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street cancelled

21:02 cancelled from Norwich Thorpe, replaced service run from 21:44 Ipswich left 29 minutes late to London Liverpool Street, due Chelmsford 23:33

This train has been cancelled because of trespassers on the railway

This train has been cancelled of a fault with signalling system

20:32 and 22:02 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street say this, 21:02 is blamed on trespassing?

755327 platform 5 5J97 arrived at 23:30

745006 Platform 1 arrived at 23:33

745001 platform 2 arrived at 23:42

755335 & 755411 & 755410 1D99 platform 4 notice at 00:30, might be going to Norwich Victoria Sidings, no cleaning

755414 platform 6 arrived at 00:36 cleaning

755402 platform 7 but not 755 off platform

Platform 4BMU left at 00:52

745101 platform 4 1P70

745001 platform 2 1P68

745006 platform 1 and done ✅ 1P66

745101 platform 4 stable clean K L M

755332 platform 6 clean

06:28 & 07:26 dirty

745006 may be dirty and three BMU

755329 & 755337 platform 5 arrived at 03:58 for 337 05:12 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham

755329 platform 5B for 06:11 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall

755332 platform 6 for 05:40 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham

755420 platform 7 off platform

May be two more 755 in Jubilee 755403

855422 & 755412 & 755407 platform 2 arrived at 04;29

755407 platform 2A+ 05:08 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall

745001 platform 2 was quick clean before it left for CPD, needed CET to be empty and water tanks may be filled?

745101 platform 4 for 1P01 05:05 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street

745006 platform 1 for 1P03 05:30 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street

06:28 and 07:26 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street not been cleaned

2S04 05:12 Norwich Thorpe platform 5A to Sherringham 755332

2S06 05:40 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham 755337

755412 platform 2A middle BMU 1K55 05:33 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge

755422 platform 2B 05:36 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central

5P07 at Norwich Victoria Sidings signal no 1751 notice at 05:26

745005 platform 4 1P05 06:04 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street

755106 platform 2 arrived at 05:41 for 1P07 06 28 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street

745008 platform 1 arrived at 06:00 for 07:05 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street

745106 platform 2 unblocked 🪠 coach B toilets 🚽

5P15 07:26 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street Norwich Victoria Sidings signal 1751, Green at 06:33, and left

755335 & 755411 & 755410 platform 2 arrived at 06:38 from Norwich Victoria station for 1P15 07:26 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street cleaning 🧹🧼 inside and cabs 🪥 plus toilets 🚽

5P19 CPD Reception signal 🚥🚦 no 533 , notice at 07:15

The morning three hours was a little more busy than normal, with 06:04, 06:28 and 07:26 needed cleaning, and 07:05 being a little dirty too.

Last day of the month of April, nearly May.

Monday 29 April 2024

TENERIFE - Important Info If Staying Here in Las Americas......

Lion: Mistaken Identity?

This is THE END! I Can't be Bothered!! WHAT WOULD YOU DO in my shoes?

Get Some In S03 E02 End Of Basic Training

The Prime Minster used to be in the RAF , silly me

TENERIFE - Weird But One Night Only OK No Complaints

Right next to Las Piramides, even more near Paddy O'Kelly bar.

I remember used the supermarket HiperDino Express in this place, to get one car of Dorada beer & Catisfactions snack.

The Anchor Bar Irish Bar had changed it name the last time I seen it, on a video, to Waikiki, but now on Google Maps, I see that The Anchor Bar is open 11:00 till 01:30, may be it changed back since then ?

I STAYED at a HOTEL with EUROPE’S highest HANGING GLASS BOTTOM POOL! INN...

Portugal: Carnations against Dictatorship | ARTE.tv Documentary

Harp Lager Advert (1989)

Surprising PROBLEMS at 5 Star TENERIFE Hotel - Palacio De Isora Hotel in...

Railway Hotel PRICE SHOCK - Glasgow Grand Central Review

I started to think about the railway hotel I have stayed in.

I have stayed in Adelphi Hotel, that was Midland Railway, so LMS, then British Transport Hotel, which was sold to the company who own it now.

Liverpool had three railway hotels,

Liverpool Lime Street had North Western Hotel (I think), but that was closed in the 1930, and only reopened a few years ago, so never part of British Transport Hotels.

Liverpool Exchange Hotel was at Liverpool Exchange railway station, and closed in 1971, so before the station, this was British Transport Hotel.

I had stay at Hilton Nottingham Hotel, which was the hotel for Nottingham Victoria Station, Great Central Railway, then LNER, but no on the list for British Transport Hotels ? I wonder why ?

Midland Hotel in Manchester, which was Midland Railway, and next to Manchester Central Station, now the railway station is used for other things, but hotel is still there.

Euston Station Hotel is on the list, but not St Pancras station hotel, which was Midland Railway Hotel and then LMS, I wonder why ?

British Transport Hotels (BTH) was the hotels and catering business of the nationalised railway system in Great Britain.

Origins of the company[edit]

Britain's private railway companies pioneered the concept of the railway hotel, initially at locations such as London Euston and Birmingham Curzon Street where hotels were opened at the start of trunk railway operation in 1839. Most of the railway companies followed suit, and by 1913 there were 93 railway owned hotels. The policies of the 'big four' railway companies differed considerably, with the LMS and LNER railways being the most enthusiastic.

Details of railway-owned hotels at nationalisation in 1948
Company	LMS	LNER	GWR	SR
№ of hotels	26	17	4	2
Bedrooms	2,429	2,328	336	224
Guests	748,765	449,355	136,307	75,000

The Hotels Executive (1948–53)[edit]

At the nationalisation of transport in Great Britain on 1 January 1948, and the establishment of the British Transport Commission, hotels and catering came under the control of BTC's Railway Executive. However, on 1 July 1948 they were separated from direct railway control and placed under British Transport Commission's Hotels Executive, chaired by Lord Inman, who was later succeeded by Sir Harry Methven. At this point the Hotels Executive acquired 55 hotels and 400 station refreshment rooms, along with various golf courses, tennis courts, laundries, wine cellars, bottling stores and even a farm (at St Ives in Cornwall).

British Transport Hotel and Catering Services (1953–63)[edit]

The Conservative government elected in 1951 sought to alter the structure of the British Transport Commission and its subsidiaries. One consequence was that the Hotels Executive was abolished on 19 August 1953, and the BTC took direct control, establishing a "Hotel and Catering Services Division" to run them. Sir Harry Methven, the last Chairman of the Hotels Executive, became a member of the BTC.

British Transport Hotels Ltd (1963–83)[edit]

Further change occurred in 1962 with the abolition of the BTC and the transfer of its rail businesses to the newly established British Railways Board. The BRB Chairman, Richard Beeching, argued for the retention of the hotels within the BRB's rail portfolio, and BTH Ltd was established to manage them. The intention was to give BTH a high degree of autonomy, including bringing in outside expertise in the hotel business to the BTH board. The Railways Act 1968 empowered BTH to expand beyond the railway estate, and the company considered opening a number of new hotels. In the event only one such hotel was opened – the Old Course at St Andrews – in 1968 before further expansion was stopped by the Conservative government elected in 1970. The remainder of the hotel estate was rationalised – the 34 hotels inherited by BTH being reduced to 29 by 1979.

The end (1983–84)[edit]

Following the victory of the Conservative Party at the 1979 general election, led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the deteriorating economic situation, pressure was put on nationalised industries such as British Rail to consider asset disposal. It was not long before the BTH Hotels were under review. The management at the time, led by Peter Land, tried to establish a viable structure for a management buyout, which would have kept the group more or less intact and would have delivered a smooth transfer to the private sector. As Peter Land notes in his book Sauce Supreme, politics rendered this plan impossible and the hotels were sold by open tender, realising a much lower value for the UK taxpayer than the management buyout would have done.^[1] By 1984, the disposal was complete and the history of BTH was at an end.

Hotel portfolio[edit]

The British Transport Commission took over the following hotels from the big four railway companies in 1948:

From the Great Western Railway

Fishguard Bay Hotel, Fishguard (sold 1950, closed 2020)
Grand Pump Room Hotel, Bath (sold 1956, now demolished)
Great Western Royal Hotel, Paddington, London (sold 1983, still operating, now known as Hilton London Paddington)
Manor House Hotel, Moretonhampstead, Devon (sold 1983, still operating, now known as Bovey Castle)
Tregenna Castle Hotel, St. Ives, Cornwall (sold 1983, still operating)

From the London, Midland and Scottish Railway

Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool (sold 1983, still operating)
Caledonian Hotel, Edinburgh (sold 1981, still operating as Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Caledonian), at the former Caledonian Railway's Princes Street station
Central Hotel, Glasgow (sold 1983, still operating, now known as the Grand Central Hotel)
Crewe Arms Hotel, Crewe (sold 1952, still operating)
Dornoch Hotel, Dornoch (sold 1965, still operating)
Euston Hotel, London (closed and demolished 1963)
Exchange Hotel, Liverpool (closed 1971)
Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder (sold 1981, still operating)
Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer (sold 1958, still operating)
Lochalsh Hotel, Kyle of Lochalsh (sold 1983, still operating)
Midland Hotel, Bradford (closed 1975, reopened 1993)
Midland Hotel, Derby (sold 1983, still operating)
Midland Hotel, Manchester (sold 1983, still operating)
Midland Hotel, Morecambe (sold 1952, subsequently closed. Reopened in 2008)
North Stafford Hotel, Stoke-on-Trent (sold 1953, still operating)
Park Hotel, Preston (sold 1950, closed)
Queen's Hotel, Birmingham (closed 1965)
Queen's Hotel, Leeds (sold 1984, still operating)
St Enoch Hotel, Glasgow (closed and demolished 1974)
Station Hotel, Ayr (sold 1951, closed 2012)
Station Hotel, Dumfries (sold 1972, still operating)
Station Hotel, Holyhead (closed 1951, demolished late 1970's.)
Station Hotel, Inverness (sold 1983, still operating - now named the Royal Highland Hotel)
Station Hotel, Perth (sold 1983, still operating)
Turnberry Hotel, Turnberry (sold 1983, still operating)
Welcombe Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon (sold 1983, still operating)

From the London and North Eastern Railway

Cruden Bay Hotel, Port Erroll (sold 1951, closed)
Felix Hotel, Felixstowe (sold 1952, closed)
Grand Hotel, West Hartlepool (sold 1983, still operating)
Great Eastern Hotel, Liverpool Street, London (sold 1983, still operating, now known as Andaz Liverpool Street)^[2]
Great Eastern Hotel, Parkeston Quay, Harwich (closed 1963)
Great Northern Hotel, King's Cross, London (sold 1983, still operating)
Great Northern Hotel, Peterborough (sold 1983, still operating)
Great Northern Station Hotel, Leeds (sold 1952, closed)
Great Northern Victoria Hotel, Bradford (sold 1952, still operating)
North British Station Hotel, Glasgow (sold 1984, still operating, now known as the Millennium Hotel)
North British Station Hotel, Edinburgh (sold 1981, still operating, now known as the Balmoral Hotel)
Royal Hotel, Grimsby (sold 1949, closed and demolished late 1960's.)
Royal Station Hotel, York (sold 1983, still operating, now known as The Principal York)
Royal Station Hotel, Hull (sold 1983, still operating)
Royal Station Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne (sold 1983, still operating)
Royal Victoria Station Hotel, Sheffield (sold 1982, still operating, now known as the Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria)
Sandringham Hotel, Hunstanton (sold 1950, closed)
Station Hotel, Aberdeen (sold 1983, still operating)
Yarborough Hotel, Grimsby (sold 1952, still operating)
Zetland Hotel, Saltburn-by-the-Sea (sold 1976, closed)

From the Southern Railway

Charing Cross Hotel, Charing Cross, London (sold 1983, still operating)
Craven Hotel, Charing Cross, London (sold 1963, closed)
Grosvenor Hotel, Victoria, London (sold 1983, still operating)
Knowle Hotel, Sidmouth (sold 1951, closed)

Gallery[edit]

Station Hotel, Aberdeen
Station Hotel, Ayr
Midland Hotel, Bradford
Victoria Hotel, Bradford
Station Hotel, Dumfries
North British Hotel, Edinburgh (now the Balmoral)
St Enoch Hotel, Glasgow
Grand Hotel, Hartlepool
Station Hotel, Inverness (now the Royal Highland)
Queen's Hotel, Leeds
Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool (exterior)
Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool (interior, 2014)
Charing Cross Hotel, Charing Cross, London
Great Northern Hotel, Kings Cross, London (before redevelopment)
Great Eastern Hotel, Liverpool Street, London (now Andaz)
Station Hotel, Perth
North Staffordshire Hotel, Stoke-on-Trent
BTH table setting

Sunday 28 April 2024

The Badly Thought Out Plan to Close London's Termini

Sunday 07:30 to 19:30 |Thorpe Station five hours overtime

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🚉+ Sunday +🚉 07:30 to 19:30 Thorpe Station Last Day Shift

745004 Royal Dock at 07:14

755327 Low Level

755414 & 755408 platform 2B for 07:50 Norwich Thorpe to Stowmarket 1P19

Platform 1 755337 & 755404 & 755415

Platform 1B 08:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central

07:25 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 755415 2J60

755404 platform 1A now 2C00 07:36 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall

1P23 from platform 4

755327 & 755325 platform 5 2S03 arrived at 07:32 from Low Level for platform 5B 2P02 08:45 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth via Acle & platform 5A 2S02 08:39 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham

PLT1 at CPD Reception signal 🚥🚦 no 535 notice at 07:33

Platform 4 1P23 is 08:50 Norwich Thorpe to Stowmarket 09:21

Diss 09:06

755419 09:03 in half hour

09:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ to clean as well, as platform 5

745101 platform 4 arrived at 07:45 for 1P23 08:50 Norwich Thorpe to Stowmarket

07:54 platform 3 after

745101 platform 4 left at 07:56 ?

755406;& 755419 platform 3

755420 & 755417 platform 4 arrived at 08:05 , now on platform 5B 755327

755420 & 755417 & 755331 platform 4 arrived at 08:05 , for 1P23 08:50 Norwich Thorpe to Stowmarket

755404 platform 5B arrived at 08:54 for 09:07 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central

755408 & 755414 platform 2 1P08 08:58 Stowmarket (Diss 09:10) to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 09:26 (09:27) for 1P27 09:50 Norwich Thorpe to Stowmarket 10:21 (Diss 10:07)

755337 platform 4B for 10:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central vacuum carpets

755327 platform 5B for 10:39 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham vacuum carpets

755420 & 755417 & 755331

745417 platform 2 1P12 09:58 Stowmarket to Diss 10:10 and Norwich Thorpe arrived at 10:27 (10:32) for 1P31 10:50 Norwich Thorpe to Dis 11:07 & Stowmarket 11:21 cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets

755418 platform 4B arrived at 10:10, vacuum carpets?

755418 platform 4B not 2K73 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport

755414 platform 2 1P16 10:58; Stowmarket to Diss 11:10 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at 11:27 (11:27) for 1P31 11:49 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 12:07 & Stowmarket 12:21 cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets 🚽🚻🚾 and ?

745103 platform 2 left at 11:01, had just arrived and then left, may be training 😁

745005 platform 1 arrived at 11:53 and left at 11:57

755412 platform 1 arrived at 12:06 ? For 1K03 13:12 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge

10:09 Stansted Airport ✈️🌍🛫 to Norwich Thorpe, cancelled at Cambridge 10:50, another 755336 from Sidings arrived at 12:21 for 13:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport

755420 platform 2A 1P20 11:58 Stowmarket to Diss 12:10 Norwich Thorpe arrived at 12:28 ( 12:27) for 1P35 12:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 13:07 & Stowmarket 13:21 cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets 🚽🚻🚾 then may be vacuum carpets

755407 Jubilee

745 platform 3A 1P 12:58 Stowmarket to Diss 13:10 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at (13:27) for may be 14:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ 🛫 🛫 16:04 ?

PLAT4 at signal 1775 notice at 13:14

755407 platform 4 arrived at 13:15 for 1K05 14:15 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge

Not for platform 2 1P43;13:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 14:07 and Stowmarket 14:21

745408 platform 3A, sorry platform 2 - 1P 12:58 Stowmarket to Diss 13:10 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at 13:26 (13:27) for may be 14:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ 🛫 🛫 16:04 ?

Not for platform 2 1P43;13:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 14:07 and Stowmarket 14:21

75517 platform 2 1P28 14:00 Stowmarket to Diss 14:12 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at 14:28 (14:29) for 1P47 14:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 15:07 & Stowmarket 15:21 cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets 🚽🪠🚾 and may be vacuum carpets

There also Stowmarket to Cambridge and may be Stowmarket to Peterborough services as well, to cover?

09:55 and 10:56 Norwich Thorpe to Sheffield, joined up to form 4 158 DMUs, so eight coaches long? This morning, both are busy services.

745101 Royal Dock left at 14:27

755417 platform 2 1P28 14:00 Stowmarket to Diss 14:12 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at 14:28 (14:29) for 1P47 14:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 15:07 & Stowmarket 15:21 cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets 🚽🪠🚾 and may be vacuum carpets

There also Stowmarket to Cambridge and may be Stowmarket to Peterborough services as well, to cover?

09:55 and 10:56 Norwich Thorpe to Sheffield, joined up to form 4 158 DMUs, so eight coaches long? This morning, both are busy services.

745101 Royal Dock left at 14:27

755414 platform 1B 1P32 14:58 Stowmarket to Diss 15:10 and Norwich Thorpe arrived at 15:27 (15:27) for 1P51 15:50; Norwich Thorpe to Diss 16:07 and Stowmarket 16:21 cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets 🚽🚻🚾 and may be vacuum carpets after

15:50 Norwich Thorpe to Stowmarket 16:21 platform 2 - 16:34 Stowmarket to Cambridge 17:38

15:45 Cambridge to Stowmarket 16:46 platform 2 - 16:58 Stowmarket to Norwich Thorpe 17:29

15:44 Peterborough to Stowmarket 17:13 platform 2 - 17:34 Stowmarket to Cambridge

16:50 Norwich Thorpe to Stowmarket 17:21 platform 2 - 17:34 Stowmarket to Cambridge ?

16:45 Cambridge to Stowmarket 17:46 platform 2 - 17:58 Stowmarket to Norwich Thorpe

14:45 Cambridge to Stowmarket 15:46 - 2E80 16:06 Stowmarket to Peterborough 17:33

755420 platform 2 1P36 15:58 Stowmarket to Diss 16:10 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at 16:25 (16:27) for 1P55 16:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 17:07 & Stowmarket 17:21 Cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets 🚽🚻🚾 and may be vacuum carpets

755408 platform 2 1P40 16:58 Stowmarket to Diss 17:10 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at 17:26 (17:29) from 1P59 17:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 18:07 and Stowmarket 18:21 Cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets 🚽🚻🚾 and may be vacuum carpets

170202 platform 1 1L10 13:45 Sheffield Victoria 🤡 to Norwich Thorpe arrived 17:28 for 1R74 17:54; Norwich Thorpe to Nottingham Midland 20:31

755417 platform 2 1P44 17:58 Stowmarket to Diss 18:10 & Norwich Thorpe arrived at 18:30 (18:27) for 1P63 18:50 Norwich Thorpe to Diss 19:07 & 19:21 Stowmarket cleaning 🧹🧼 toilets and may be vacuum carpets

755329 platform 4 arrived at 18:49 eat for 19:36 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall

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