This is my new Google blog, the old one is now set to be read by me only. This blog will have a lot less about work & I hope can not offended anyone at National Express or any other evil coach company's.
Monday, 30 September 2024
Sunday, 29 September 2024
Rest Day Sunday 09:30 to 21:30 Thorpe Station , 12 hours overtime
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745002 platform 2 1P13 07:05 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 08:16 platform 2 -
755414 platform 4A 2J99 07:25 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 08:00 platform 2
745007 platform 2 - 5P19 07:26 Norwich Victoria to Norwich Thorpe 07:34 - 1P19 08:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 09:15 platform 2
755413 platform 4B 2C00 07:36 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth 08:11 platform 3
755409 platform 5 2J60 08:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 08:50 platform 3
755331 platform 5A 2S02 08:39 Norwich Thorpe to Sheringham 09:36
745001 platform 3 5P23 08:15 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 08:33 - 1P23 09:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 10:15 platform 2 -
745006 platform 2 - 1P08 Ipswich platform 2 to Norwich Thorpe 09:24 - 5P08 09:50 Norwich Thorpe to Crown Point Depot 10:08
745010 platform 1 - 5P27 09:00 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 09:18- 1P27 10:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 11:15 platform 2 -
745002 platform 2 - 1P12 09:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 10:18 - 1P31 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 12:15 platform 2 -
745007 platform 2 - 1P16 10:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 11:17 - 1P35 12:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 13:15 platform 2
745001 platform 2 1P20 11:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 12:18 - 1P39 13:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 14:15 platform 2
745010 platform 2 - 1P24 12:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 13:19 - 1P43 14:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 15:15 platform 2 -
745002 platform 2 - 1P28 13:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 14:17 - 1P47 15:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 16:15 platform 2
745007 platform 1 - 1P32 14:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 15:17 - 5P32 15:41 Norwich Thorpe to Crown Point Depot 15:59
745006 platform 3 - 5P51 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 15:37 - 1P51 16:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 17:15 platform 2 -
745001 platform 2 - 1P36 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 16:18 - 1P55 17:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 18:15 platform 2 -
745010 platform 2 1P40 16:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 17:17 - 1P59 18:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 19:15 -
745002 platform 2 - 1P44 17:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 18:17 - 1P63 19:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 20:15 platform 2 -
745006 platform 2 - 1P50 18:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 19:17 - 1P67 20:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 21:15 platform 2
745001 platform 2 - 1P56 19:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 20:17 - 1P71 21:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 22:15 platform 2
745010 platform 2 - 1P60 20:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 21:17 - 1P73 22:04 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 23:15 platform 2
745002 platform 2 - 1P64 21:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 22:17 - 5P64 22:41 Norwich Thorpe to Crown Point Depot 22:59
745007 platform 1 - 5Y75 22:13 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 22:31 - 1Y75 23:05 Norwich Thorpe to Ipswich 23:46 platform 4 -
745006 platform 2 - 1P68 22:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 23:19 - 5P68 23:49 Norwich Thorpe to Norwich Victoria 23:57
745001 platform 1 - 1P70 23:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 00:17 -
745 ? platform 4 - 1P72 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 01:18 -
+ Rest Day Sunday + 09:30 to 21:30 Thorpe Station 12 hours overtime
745006 platform 1 arrived at 09:22 from Ipswich, for Crown π Point Depot
745010 platform 1 1P27 10:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 11:15 platform 2
I am on toilets today π½πͺ π½
745006 platform 2 left at 09:39
745003 Royal Dock, notice at 09:41
745003 Royal Dock left at 09:44
745002 platform 2 - 1P12 09:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 10:17 (10:18) - 1P31 11:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 12:15 platform 2 -
755408 platform 4 for 1K01 10;15 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge 11:35 platform 6, on app says 755407
755410 & 755407 now on platform 1
745103 Royal Dock just arrived, 10:23 ?
745103 Royal Dock left at 10:30 ? TURN
745002 coach B toilet π½πͺ unblocked πͺ
755407 platform 1A for 2K73 11:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« top up soap 𫧠in toilet π½πͺ on app say 755408, but this aas used for 1K01 10:15 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge service
755410 platform 1B 1K77 12:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« top up soap, toilets paper 𧻠and empty two bins π️π️
0T20 07:32 Ipswich SS to Norwich Thorpe Middle Road 10:28 (10:15) - 90041
0T20 07:32 Ipswich SS to Norwich Thorpe Middle Road 10:28 (10:15) - 90041
0T21 11:16 (left at 11:08) Norwich Thorpe to Ipswich SS 15:18
745007 platform 2 - 1P16 10:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 11:15 (11:17) - 1P35 12:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 13:15 platform 2
745001 platform 2 1P20 11:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 12:16 (12:18) - 1P39 13:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 14:15 platform 2
745001 coach H toilet π½πͺ unblocked πͺ
Coach C 745001
745010 platform 2 - 1P24 12:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at (13:19) - 1P43 14:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 15:15 platform 2 - cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό toilets π½πͺ πΎ
755421 platform 1 1K70 11:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 13:10 for 1K81 14:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« 16:04 platform 3
745010 platform 2 - 1P24 12:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 13:17 (13:19) - 1P43 14:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 15:15 platform 2 - cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό toilets π½πͺ πΎ
755421 platform 1 1K70 11:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 13:10 for 1K81 14:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« 16:04 platform 3
755407 (755408 as swap around early ) platform 3 1K02 12:30 Cambridge to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 13:47(13:46) for 1K03 14:15 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge 15:35 platform 6
755331 platform 6 2P11 13:22 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 13:52 for 2J78 14:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central
745002 platform 2 - 1P28 13:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 14:19 (14:17) - 1P47 15:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 16:15 platform 2 cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό
755406 platform 4 1K02 12:30 Cambridge to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 14:10 for 1K03 14:15 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge 15:35 platform 6 unblock small toilet π½ cleaned both,
745006 Royal Dock
90041 is back again, platform 1 arrived at 14:26 from Ipswich
745006 Royal Dock for 1P51 16 00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham
745006 check and top up soap, π§Ό
745007 platform 1 1P32 14:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 15:15 (15:17) for 1P51 16:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 17:15 platform 2 cleaning π§Ήπ§Όπ§Ό toilets π½πͺ πΎπ»
745002 1P64 21:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe due 22:17 platform 2 - 1Y75 23:05 Norwich Thorpe to Ipswich 23:46 platform 4
755407 platform 2 1K92 13:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 15:09 for 1K85 16:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό toilets π½π»
745007 toilet coach H 100% CET
755418 platform 5 2P15 15:22 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 15:52 (15:54) for 2J82 16:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 16:51 platform 2 -
755414 platform 6 2J81 15:05 Lowestoft Central to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 15:39 for 2J86 18:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central
745001 platform 2 - 1P36 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 16:16 (16:18) - 1P55 17:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 18:15 platform 2 cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό toilets π½πͺ πΎπ» -
745410 platform 4 1K76 14:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 16:09 (16:12) for 1K07 17:15 Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge 18:35 platform 6
Just cleaning some locals toilets and topping up soap, so as more easy, I hope for night shift ?
755424 platform 3 1K06 15:32 Cambridge to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 16:51 (16:52) for 1K89 17:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ«
755332 2C17 16:17 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 16:52 (16:53) for 17:07 2J84 17:07 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central
755405 755338 platform 1 1P96 16:15 Ipswich to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 16:57 (16:58) for 5P96 17:06 Norwich Thorpe to Crown π Point Depot,17:16, left at 17:06, no cleaning
745010 platform 2 1P40 16:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 17:16 (17:17) - 1P59 18:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 19:15 -
755422 platform 5 2K78 15:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 17:10 (17:12) for 2S58 17:45 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham 18:36
755401 platform 1 2J85 17:06 Lowestoft Central to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 17:42 (17:41) for 1K91 18:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« 20:04 platform 3
755415 platform 5 2P19 17:22 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 17:55 (17:54) for 2S22 18:39 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham 19:38
Just cleaning π§Ήππ§Ήπ§Ό toilets π½πͺ πΎπ»
755408 platform 4B 1K04 Cambridge to Norwich Thorpe arrived at (17:58) for
745002 platform 2 - 1P44 17:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 18:17( 18:17) - 1P63 19:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 20:15 platform 2 -
755421 platform 3 1K80 16:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe 18:10 for 1K93 19:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« 21:04 platform 3
755329 platform 4A arrived at 18:38(18:38) for 2P22 18:45 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall 19:17 platform 2
755335 platform 5 2C21 18:17 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 18:48 (18:51) for 2C24 19:36 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall 20:09 platform 2
755335 done toilets then litter, bins and wipes tables
745007 platform 1 - 1P50 18:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 19:15(19:17) - 1P67 20:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 21:15 platform 2 cleaning π§Ή π§Ό toilets π½ πͺ πΎ
755406 platform 3 1K82 17:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 19:11(19:12 but delayed to 19:17) - 1K95 20:03 Norwich Thorpe to Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« 20:04 platform 3 - might not be able to clean toilets,
Back on time at 19:09 Clean toilets π½πͺ πΎ
755422 platform 6 2S59 18:43 Sherringham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 19:39(19:31) - 2S60 19:45 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham 20:36
755331 platform 4 2J88 19:05 Lowestoft Central to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 19:42 for 2J90 20:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 20:50 platform 3
755335 platform 5 2C2320:1719:22 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 19:53 (19:53) for 2S26 20:39 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham 21:38
745001 platform 2 1P56 19:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 20:16 (20:17) for 1P71 21:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 22:15 platform 2 cleaning π§Ήπ§Όπ§Ό toilets π½πͺ πΎ
755408, well 755407
platform 4B - 1K84 18:09 Stansted Airport ✈️ππ« to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 20:09 (20:12) for 5K84 20:23 Norwich Thorpe to Crown π Point Depot 20:33, no cleaning , with 755407
755416 platform 4 arrived at 20:30 for 20:45 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό toilets π½πͺ πΎ
755415 platform 6 2S23 19:42 Sherringham to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 20:45 (20:38) for 2J92 20:58 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 21:42 platform 2
755335 platform 4 2C25 20:17 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 20:50 (20:51) for 2C28 21:36 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth Vauxhall 22:09 platform 2
Let Me Tell You Who I Am - Dirty Gerty (1941)
Notes for today
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ππππππππππππππππππ
745002 platform 2 1P13 07:05 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 08:16 platform 2 -
755414 platform 4A 2J99 07:25 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 08:00 platform 2
745007 platform 2 - 5P19 07:26 Norwich Victoria to Norwich Thorpe 07:34 - 1P19 08:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 09:15 platform 2
755413 platform 4B 2C00 07:36 Norwich Thorpe to Great Yarmouth 08:11 platform 3
755409 platform 5 2J60 08:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central 08:50 platform 3
755331 platform 5A 2S02 08:39 Norwich Thorpe to Sheringham 09:36
745001 platform 3 5P23 08:15 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 08:33 - 1P23 09:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 10:15 platform 2 -
745006 platform 2 - 1P08 Ipswich platform 2 to Norwich Thorpe 09:24 - 5P08 09:50 Norwich Thorpe to Crown Point Depot 10:08
745010 platform 1 - 5P27 09:00 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 09:18- 1P27 10:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 11:15 platform 2 -
745002 platform 2 - 1P12 09:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 10:18 - 1P31 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 12:15 platform 2 -
745007 platform 2 - 1P16 10:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 11:17 - 1P35 12:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 13:15 platform 2
745001 platform 2 1P20 11:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 12:18 - 1P39 13:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 14:15 platform 2
745010 platform 2 - 1P24 12:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 13:19 - 1P43 14:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 15:15 platform 2 -
745002 platform 2 - 1P28 13:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 14:17 - 1P47 15:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 16:15 platform 2
745007 platform 1 - 1P32 14:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 15:17 - 5P32 15:41 Norwich Thorpe to Crown Point Depot 15:59
745006 platform 3 - 5P51 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 15:37 - 1P51 16:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 17:15 platform 2 -
745001 platform 2 - 1P36 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 16:18 - 1P55 17:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 18:15 platform 2 -
745010 platform 2 1P40 16:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 17:17 - 1P59 18:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 19:15 -
745002 platform 2 - 1P44 17:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 18:17 - 1P63 19:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 20:15 platform 2 -
745006 platform 2 - 1P50 18:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 19:17 - 1P67 20:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 21:15 platform 2
745001 platform 2 - 1P56 19:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 20:17 - 1P71 21:00 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 22:15 platform 2
745010 platform 2 - 1P60 20:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 21:17 - 1P73 22:04 Norwich Thorpe to Witham 23:15 platform 2
745002 platform 2 - 1P64 21:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 22:17 - 5P64 22:41 Norwich Thorpe to Crown Point Depot 22:59
745007 platform 1 - 5Y75 22:13 Crown Point Depot to Norwich Thorpe 22:31 - 1Y75 23:05 Norwich Thorpe to Ipswich 23:46 platform 4 -
745006 platform 2 - 1P68 22:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 23:19 - 5P68 23:49 Norwich Thorpe to Norwich Victoria 23:57
745001 platform 1 - 1P70 23:00 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 00:17 -
745 ? platform 4 - 1P72 Witham to Norwich Thorpe 01:18 -
+ Rest Day Sunday + 09:30 to 21:30 Thorpe Station 12 hours overtime
Saturday, 28 September 2024
Friday 21:30 to 04:30 Thorpe Station
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ππππππππππππππππππ
745108 platform 1 - - 1P72 22:00 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street 22:55 platform 5
745003 1P60 19:00 London to Norwich Thorpe 20:48, cancelled because someone being hit by train. 19:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich delayed to 20:33 (21:19). - may be 1P73 22:02 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street 23:57 platform 10
755421 platform 6 2C45 23:34 Great Yarmouth to Norwich Thorpe 00:06
755406 platform 5B 1K96 22:10 Stansted Airport to Norwich Thorpe 00:13
755328 platform 5A 2J99 23:30 Lowestoft Central to Norwich Thorpe 00:16
745010 platform 1 1P70 22:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe 00:27
2S35 00:07 Sheringham to Norwich Thorpe 00:56 platform 6 no unit number
745108 platform 4 1P72 23:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe 01:33
++++++ Friday ++++++ 21:30 to 04:30 Thorpe Station ππππ
755410 platform 3 arrived at 21:30 for 22:40; Norwich Thorpe to Cambridge
745003 platform 1 arrived at 21:36 for 1P73 22 02 Norwich Thorpe to London Liverpool Street cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό inside and cabs
755405 platform 5 arrived at 21:48 for 21:05 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central
755411 755423 755334 platform 2 arrived at 21:49
755328 platform 6 for 22:40 Norwich Thorpe to Lowestoft Central
745006 platform 1 1P64 20:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 22:23 (22:18) for 1Y75 23 05 Norwich Thorpe to Ipswich 23:49 platform 4 cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό inside and cabs πͺ₯
755418 platform 4 arrived at 22:36 for 23:05 Norwich Thorpe to Sherringham
745005 platform 1 1P68 21:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe arrived at 23:23 (23:19) for 5P68 23:55 Norwich Thorpe to Norwich Victoria (Royal Dock) 00:03
745010 1P70 22:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe 00:27 platform 1
745108 1P72 23:30 London Liverpool Street to Norwich Thorpe 01:33 platform 4
745005 platform 1 left at 23:40 , to Royal Dock
745005 Royal Dock arrived at 23:51
755421 platform 6 arrived at 00:03 cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό inside and cabs and
755328 platform 5B arrived at 00:12 cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό
7553406 platform 5A arrived at 00:16 cleaning π§Ήπ§Ό
755329 platform 4 arrived at 00:17
745010 platform 1 arrived at 00:20
745108 platform 2 arrived at 01:25
745005 Royal Dock stable clean KLM
745010 Stable Clean KLM
745108 stable clean ABC as wrong way round on platform 2, help out on DEF
Friday, 27 September 2024
Out & About Special - Ruddles Best at Wetherspoons
Ruddles Brewery (G. Ruddle & Co) was a brewery in Rutland, England. The brand is now owned by Greene King who still brew beers under the Ruddles name in Suffolk, although the current recipes are not those used at the original brewery.[1]
The brewery, established in 1858 in Langham, Rutland, was bought by George Ruddle in 1912.[2] Langham remained the home of the brewery until its closure in 1999. The company lost its independence in 1986 and passed into the ownership of Watneys, and then Grolsch in 1992. The value of the brewery and brands had dropped to £4.8m when it was sold to Morland & Coin 1997.[3] Morlands moved production to Abingdon only for that site to be closed by Greene King which took over Morlands in 2000.
The local Langham well water was said to give the beer a unique character and quality which enhanced the brewery's reputation. The difficulty in reproducing elsewhere the taste of the beers has led to the premier beer being jocularly referred to as "Ruddles Counterfeit".
In 1996, Rutland bitter was the third of British beers to have achieved Protected Geographical Indication status;[4] this followed an application by Grolsch Ruddles. Since Greene King closed the Langham brewery, they cannot take advantage of the registration. However, in 2010 former Ruddles head brewer Tony Davis revived Rutland Bitter, brewed at his Grainstore Brewery in Oakham, Rutland.[5][6]
A television commercial for Ruddles in 1993 featured the last appearance of Vivian Stanshall narrating as Hubert, brother of Sir Henry Rawlinson of Rawlinson End played by Mel Smith and a cross-dressing Dawn French.[7]
In 1996, Ruddles Best won the gold medal in the ordinary bitter category at the first World Beer Cup. Ruddles Best took silver in the bitter category at the Champion Beer of Britain in 1997.
Greene King have now inverted the horseshoe emblem on Ruddles branding.
Ruddles also are part of Aldi's ‘Inspired Cuisine' line with their beer in the Beef filled Yorkshire Pudding.
Beers
[edit]- Ruddles County
- Ruddles Best
- Ruddles Organic
- Ruddles Rhubarb
In popular culture
[edit]Being regarded as one of England's cheapest beers,[8] it is used as a reference in the HBO series Veep.[9]
- Watneys (1986-1992)
- Grolsch (1992-1997)
- Morland & Co (from 1997)
Exploring The Remains Of Herculaneum Dock Volatile Cargo Stores (Casemat...
Herculaneum Dock was part of the Port of Liverpool in Liverpool, England. It was at the south end of the Liverpool dock system, on the River Mersey. To the north it was connected to Harrington Dock. The dock was named after the Herculaneum Pottery Company that had previously occupied the site.
History
[edit]From 1767, a tidal basin in the area that would become the dock was used for unloading copper for a smelting works.[1] Between 1794 and 1841 it was the site of a pottery. In 1864, a new dock designed by George Fosbery Lyster was blasted from the foreshore, providing two graving docks. This dock opened in 1866.[2] Ten years later, a third graving dock was added.[3]
Beginning in 1873, the dock handled petroleum. In 1878, specialist casemateswere built to store this and other volatile cargo within the sandstone cliffs above. The dock continued in this capacity until the task of oil handling was transferred across the river to Tranmere Oil Terminal and Stanlow Oil Refinery. During 1881 the dock facility was enlarged further and a fourth graving dock was constructed in 1902.[3]
Liverpool remained an important port during the Second World War, with Herculaneum Dock acting as a terminus for the North Atlantic Convoys.[3]
Herculaneum Dock was formerly served by its own station on the Liverpool Overhead Railway. The station (and railway) closed on 30 December 1956. By 1958 demolition of the station had been completed.[4]
In 1972, Herculaneum Dock closed[2] being filled in during the 1980s to create a car park.
After closure
[edit]The area south of the dock contained a tank farm; this was reclaimed for the Liverpool Garden Festival and residential properties.
In 2004, the site was bought by national property developer David McLean Homes and a riverside residential development, called City Quay, Liverpool was built on the dock.
Since the closing of Herculaneum Dock, what was the main dock area now comprises car parks, a fitness club, a Car dealership and residential buildings. Graving docks 1 2 and 3 are now occupied by residential buildings. Graving Dock no.4 has been restored as a water feature within the residential estate. The map of 1901 shows the entrance to the dock with the letter 'L'. A restaurant has since been built on this.
Images of Herculaneum Dock
[edit]- The infilled entrance to Herculaneum Dock in 2014
- British Empire Dockyards and Ports, 1909
- Herculaneum Dock with Dazzle painted merchant ships by Leonard Campbell Taylor
- Map showing context of Herculaneum Dock
- Map showing layout of Herculaneum Dock
- View north along the oil casemates, which are Grade II listed
Exploring Liverpool's Original Millionaires Row From The 1980's
The International Garden Festival was a garden festival recognised by the International Association of Horticultural producers (AIPH)[1] and the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which was held in Liverpool, England from 2 May to 14 October 1984.[2] It was the first such event held in Britain, and became the model for several others held during the 1980s and early 1990s. The aim was to revitalise tourism and the city of Liverpool which had suffered cutbacks, and the idea came from Conservative Environment Minister Michael Heseltine. The festival was hugely popular, attracting 3,380,000 visitors.[3]
The international horticultural exposition was held on a 950,000-square-metre (10,200,000 sq ft) derelict industrial site south of Herculaneum Dock, near the Dingle and overlooking the River Mersey. On this site were built sixty individual gardens,[4] including a Japanese garden and pagodas. A large exhibition space, the Festival Hall, formed the centrepiece of the site and housed numerous indoor exhibits.
Other attractions included a walk of fame, featuring numerous stars connected with Liverpool, and a light railway system (see below). Public artwork included the Yellow Submarine, a statue of John Lennon, a Blue Peter ship, the Wish You Were Here tourist sculpture, a red dragon slide, a large red bull sculpture[4]and Kissing Gate (by Alain Ayers).[5]
The Festival Railway
[edit]A 15 in (381 mm) gauge minimum gauge railway system provided transport around the site.[6] The light railway system consisted of a mainline providing transport links between a series of stations at key locations around the festival site, and a junction linking to a branch line. There were also extensive shed and workshop facilities. A considerable investment was made in the purchase of passenger coaches, and in the purchase and installation of permanent way. Additional passenger coaches (of the 20-seat 'teak' saloon type) were borrowed from the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent. The prohibitive cost of purchasing locomotives was avoided through the use of engines which were deemed 'spare' on other existing 15 in (381 mm) gauge minimum gauge railways, particularly the United Kingdom's two most extensive railways of this gauge, the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, and the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. The cost of building and hiring passenger coaches was partly offset through sponsorship by the National Westminster Bank, whose name and logo was painted on the side of every coach. The visiting locomotives, leased coaches, and purpose-built passenger carriages provided the mainline service, whilst the branch line was operated on a shuttle basis by a 1970s-built diesel multiple unit railcar set (named Silver Jubilee) on loan from the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Since the festival closed, the site has passed through the hands of a series of developers. From the late 1980s until its closure in 1996, the Festival Hall was used as the Pleasure Island amusement park.[7] Half of the site has since been turned into residential housing. The Festival Hall dome was demolished in late 2006.[4]
In November 2006 local companies Langtree and McLean announced plans for the site that will see more than 1,000 new homes built around the cleared dome area, as well as the restoration of the original gardens created for the festival in 1984.[8]
Liverpool Festival Gardens
[edit]In September 2009 it was announced[9] that work would begin on redeveloping the site in November 2009, after the city council gave permission for work to begin.[10] The redevelopment would see the Chinese and Japanese gardens being restored, as well as the lakes and associated watercourses and the woodland sculpture trails.[9] Funding came from a range of sources, including the Northwest Regional Development Agency, who provided a £3.7million grant.[10] Redevelopment work began in February 2010
In 2012, Liverpool Festival Gardens finally reopened. The restored garden site had been due to re-open in September 2011, however, this was delayed until 2012 whilst a new landscape management contractor was found after the original contractor, Mayfield Construction, went into administration.[11] The garden site was managed by The Land Trust until 2017 at which time it reverted back to the control of Liverpool City Council.
The new restored site features:[12]
- Two restored pagodas in the oriental gardens
- The restored Moon Wall
- New lakes, waterways and waterfalls
- New pedestrian access point linking to the promenade
- New secure parking area
In 2022 work was completed on a smaller refurbished car park as part of a project to create a new southern grasslands extension to the Festival Gardens. The completed Southern Grasslands area was opened on 7th August 2023 by Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham and Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins. The new site provides extensive elevated views across the Mersey River.
New housing
[edit]In March 2013, the developers Langtree began work on the 1300 planned homes on the site, despite the earlier collapse of partner David McLean Homes.[10] In 2017 Liverpool City Council took back control of the site and in 2018 appointed Ion and partner Midia as the development partner with City Council. Remediation works at the site to remove waste from the landfill was not completed until 2023 at which time the Council were in the process of seeking a new development partner.