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GRAEME CASSIDY'S GREAT YARMOUTH CHRONICLES (PAGE 1 OF 7)
by Graeme Cassidy
 Article: Added June 2006
Graeme Cassidy has been fascinated with roller coasters and amusement parks ever since he sampled the delights of Great Yarmouth and, in particular, the Super Snails, Tyrolean Tubs and Roller Coaster attractions. His main interests lie with coasters - wherever they are and whatever type of park they are in - but his other big passion is seaside resorts and the coast. A well respected member of 'the coaster community' Graeme can often be found strolling in the seaside resorts of Essex and East Anglia...with chips and ice cream in hand.

themagiceye invited Graeme to write an article based upon his observations and memories of Great Yarmouth following a trip report he wrote on Eric Gieszle's 'Ultimate Rollercoaster' forum.

"My first memory of Great Yarmouth is heading there on the train around 1980 and looking out at a field of cows. Somehow I had a feeling I was going somewhere very special..."
We were staying in a holiday camp in the north of the resort. As we pulled into the main driveway, I was excited, intimidated…the road was lined with intriguing sights - high-fenced adventure playgrounds with colourful faces. Rising up out of them; a 'Kentucky Derby' on the right.

I felt I had arrived at the ultimate destination on Earth – an association I’ve never really been able to shake.

Every day we would begin the long, long walk south to the attractions. The Golden Mile, as such, is only the main bit.
 
What awaited me was an incomprehensible array of sights and sounds.
 
To use a cliché, 'sensory overload'. I couldn’t begin to understand all the stimulation that would fill a day.
 
All I knew was that, throughout fresh mornings, sunny afternoons and atmospheric, neon-lit evenings, the whole day would be full of excitement.

In the mid-80s, I would holiday at the nearby Hemsby. Without exception, one full day per week would be set aside for an outing to Great Yarmouth - a day of fun and a night of magic, finished by buying fish & chips to eat in the car.

25 years of going to Great Yarmouth has provided me with magical, magical memories…


Great Yarmouth's Golden Mile
The beach at Hemsby

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