Showing posts with label Great Yarmouth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Yarmouth. Show all posts

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

It's A Big Small World



Panorama.

The Village Green and Church.
Merritown Shopping Centre.

Indoor Model Railway.


We've my friend Dolly Dolly to thank for this deluxe Great Yarmouth Model Village bumper bonanza, as he was kind enough to send me these treasures a while back. As you will recall, the village is called Merivale, one of the great Modernist evocations of the land of lost content (second only to the Festival of Britain's imaginary town of 'Avoncaster') and is, as you can see, a work of absolute genius. As it says in the souvenir and mini-guide:

'All in all, nothing has been omitted from this Lilliputian land of make believe; it is the most authentic and realistic of models which delights young and old alike'.

I wish I were there now, and three inches tall.

Sunday, 25 November 2012

It's A Small World

I wonder how welcome those little gypsies would be in the real world?

Tiny little wedding. It won't last.

The safest street in Great Yarmouth. 

Merrivale Model Village,
Marine Parade
Great Yarmouth,
Norfolk.

Merrivale (fantastic mid-century name) is a thriving model village on Great Yarmouth's marvellous 'golden mile' of sea front amusement, entertainment, sea food and cheap tat. It was the first model village I ever visited. As a child, my favourite non-Dr. Who book was 'Gullivers Travels', so a trip to Merrivale always felt especially exciting, even more so after I saw my first 'Godzilla' film.

God bless Merrivale!

Monday, 29 October 2012

It's A Small World


Town Centre Shops
Model Village
Great Yarmouth.

Oh, I also love postcards of Model Villages, so I thought I'd share some of them with you.

There are two basic types: the type that provide a close up so it takes you a moment to realise that you're looking at a scale model, and the type with people in it providing a sense of proportion. I think I like the second type best, they are full of strange possibilities. Here an enormous boy points as two little people seemingly cower against a shop window.

Thursday, 23 August 2012

Trapped In Wax


Posh & Becks, as seen through the damaged eyes and critical faculties of Louis Tussaud's.

Wednesday, 8 August 2012

Trapped In Wax


Remember Den & Angie Watts? Louis Tussaud's does. And Cannon & Ball, Barry Manilow, Adam Ant, Terry Wogan and the black Michael Jackson. Nobody ever dies here.

Saturday, 28 April 2012

Trapped In Wax


A jaundiced looking Sweeney Todd makes some more pie filling. Throat slitting fun at Louis Tussaud's.

Thursday, 19 April 2012

Trapped In Wax


Peter Sutcliffe, The Yorkshire Ripper, perennially on the prowl at Louis Tussaud's.

Friday, 13 April 2012

Trapped In Wax


Oh Christ! It's Kylie and fucking Jason, as immortalised at Louis Tussaud's. There's something very wrong with Miss Minogue's arms, and things seem a bit frosty between them, but at least they've still got their reproduction print of 'Flatford Mill', their artificial flowers and a shit load of denim.

Monday, 2 April 2012

Trapped In Wax


'The Exorcism', one of the exhibits in Louis Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors.

Monday, 5 March 2012

Trapped In Wax



The Gallery of Sporting Heroes: Yuri Gargarin (sportsman?); a pensive Steve Davis; a sinister Sir Francis Chichester; Barry Sheene & Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards. More top quality waxen images from Louis Tussauds.

Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Trapped In Wax


Mamma Mia! It's Swedens greatest export, the fabulous Abba, as immortalised at Louis Tussaud's.

Thursday, 9 February 2012

Trapped In Wax


A classic from the dark, dank cellar of Louis Tussaud's: Frankenstein's Monster. Note random head in background - I wonder who it used to be.

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Trapped In Wax


Louis Tussaud's rarely gets new figures these days and, when it does, they tend to be rather slapdash. This is, apparently, HRH Prince William.

Monday, 23 January 2012

Friday, 13 January 2012

Trapped In Wax


I've always been fascinated by waxworks. In fact, fascinated is too weak a word - I'm obsessed with them. My favourite is the first I ever went to, Louis Tussaud's in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

I first visited it when I was about five or six and it made an indelible impression on me. I've been back about thirty times over the years and I still love it - a constant in a turbulent world. It occasionally gets some negative, sneering publicity as the 'worst waxworks in Britain', but this is grossly unfair - yes, the displays are out of date, and some of the newer figures are poorly executed, but, for the most part, it's full of excellent likenesses - and it has a unique atmosphere, providing a snapshot of a popular entertainment / museum where you are just expected to gawp and be entertained, not get all interactive and educated. I love it to bits.

If I ever do and win the lottery, I shall buy the place and keep it open forever.

In this new feature, you'll get to meet some of the residents, starting with Steptoe & Son.