South Town station building and forecourt sometime in the 1960s. On one of the chimneystacks is mounted what might be a UHF television aerial (it is too unclear to be certain), in which case the photograph will be later than 1964 but before 1966 when the station became a boarded-up unstaffed halt. As with the similar view from 1977 the asymmetry of the station building is clear to see, this being the result of the extra stationmaster's accommodation added by the GER. This view, being clear of obstructions both vehicular and anthropological, is ideal for describing what lay behind the various doors and windows following the 1952 alterations. From the left, the first doorway led into the stationmaster's lobby and from which led a stairway to his accommodation on the first floor. Annexed to the lobby was a small coal store, presumably for the stationmaster's use, and which occupied the extreme left corner of the building. The fact the stairway was in the extension added by the GER tells us the original stairway was located elsewhere but precisely where is not known. The second doorway, not for public use, led into the enquiry office, behind which was the relocated ticket office. This doorway was originally a window, thus giving symmetry to the original frontage. The third doorway was the public entrance to the booking hall; on entering and immediately on the left was the enquiry office desk for use by the public. Next to the enquiry office and still on the left was the 1952 ticket office with an 11ft 6in counter frontage. The window to the right of the third doorway looked into the booking hall and was directly in front of the pre 1952 ticket office (see pictures of this office). The doorway to the right of the window was ostensibly the exit from the booking hall. Directly opposite these third and fourth doorways were doorways leading from the booking hall to the concourse. Behind the window facing the camera at the right-hand end of the building was the stationmaster's office, behind which was the stationmaster's clerk's office. The window in the north end of the building looked into said clerk's office. This office contained a wash basin but no toilet facilities for the clerk or his boss, nor was it possible for the stationmaster to reach his office directly from his domestic accommodation - the only access being via the concourse. At far right is, of course, the 1952 waiting and refreshments room. This building extended back along the entire north side of the concourse. Beneath the front, below the 'Refreshments' sign, was a ramp leading up to a doorway which led onto the concourse and it was thus not possible to reach the waiting and refreshments room without first entering the concourse. In the centre of the forecourt the former garden has gone and a kerb and lamp standard have appeared. The sign in front of the lamp might suggest that the area had become a taxi rank or what is now commonly known as a drop-off point. The taxi rank, at least originally, had been to the right and was provided with a cabmen’s shelter. The one-time rather grand departures board had stood behind and to the left of the camera. The flow around the forecourt was very orderly; the boundary with the street pavement was marked by a low wall in which were two openings, a ‘Way In’ (to the left of this photograph) and a ‘Way Out’ (where the photographer was standing). Thus people and vehicles entering and leaving the station did so in a clockwise direction as had previously been the case. Whilst this arrangement might suggest the station was somewhat pretentious, it would have been essential in the heyday of holiday traffic when large numbers of people would be coming and going at any one time.
Photo from Terry Wilson

On an apparently damp and dismal 12 December 1964 a Metro-Cammell 79xxx series DMU has just arrived at South Town's Platform 3. No doubt the DMUs Smith-Webasto heaters were operating at full blast - they usually were. Regular through trains via Lowestoft had ceased in 1962 and a few months before this photograph was taken summer excursion traffic had also ceased, being diverted to Vauxhall and thus avoiding reversal at Lowestoft. Platform 2, right, still with its noticeboards and rather nice suspended lights was by now, for all intents and purposes, disused. Compare this view to the similar one taken in 1968. Virtually invisible in this view, but visible on an enlarged and lightened version, are suspended BR Eastern Regions signs indicating Platform 3 and Platform 4. In the left background the waiting and refreshment room can be seen, probably closed by this time after a mere ten or so years ‘use. This view is convenient to outline the differences between the 79xxx Metro-Cammells and what became Class 101. On the 79xxx type, externally there was a fairing beneath the bufferbeam and through which the warning horns protruded. Multiple unit jumper connections were below the outermost windscreens; originally the jumper cables were kept in a cupboard in the driving cab (at both ends) when not required but later dummy cable docks were fitted and thereafter jumper cables remained on the outside and the same applied to the Derby Lightweight units. The driving method for the 79xxx series was the same as with the Blue Square diesel-mechanical units but the controls differed in layout and appearance; the power controller, for example, was a steel rod with Bakelite knob and mounted at the bottom the panel to the driver's left, below the engine start/stop controls, rather than being desk mounted. The gear change lever was more akin to those of the GWR diesel railcars, as indeed it was on the Derby and Swindon 79xxx units. These minor details aside, the major difference was the 'Yellow Diamond' circuitry which was compatible only with other so-coded units. A further difference with the Metro-Cammell and Derby Lightweight units, compared to the Blue Square units, was that they were for some reason restricted to 65mph and a sign in the cabs so-advised drivers. Oddly, the Wickham Class 109 units were also restricted to 65mph and this little detail has been overlooked by preservationists. Nevertheless, these units were well capable of exceeding 65mph and often did. When what we now call 'First Generation' DMUs first appeared they were criticised in some quarters for using obsolete technology. True as this was, the critics chose to ignore the fact that it was proven technology. Because of this the Metro-Cammells, to single out one type, ‘worked straight from the box’ and performed virtually faultlessly throughout their careers.
Photo by Bevan Price

Yarmouth South Town viewed from the signal box in April 1967, by which time the station saw only local service from Lowestoft and goods traffic. Of the signals, the bracket on the left carries the starter signals for Platforms 4 and 3, the single signal to its right is the Platform 2 starter and to the right of that is the Platform 1 Starter. The wooden signal, still with lower quadrant arms, controls one road from the goods yard to the main line while the smaller arm is a shunt signal. The road upon which the coal wagons are standing was the second road from the goods yard and the signals for this are out of view to the right. Part of the coal yard can be seen in the right background and coal traffic appears to have also taken over the former cattle dock. The rake of box and brake vans was possibly in storage and awaiting scrapping. Two, at least, of the brake vans are of Great Eastern origin. Goods traffic was withdrawn from South Town later the same year and, Platform 4 road excepted, all tracks seen here were lifted during the spring of 1968.
Photo from John Mann collection