Celebrating the 120th anniversary of Sir John Betjeman

Celebrating the 120th anniversary of Sir John Betjeman: A Journey to Snettisham Station

This weekend we’re celebrating the birthday of one of Britain’s great railway enthusiasts, poets and broadcasters — Sir John Betjeman, who was born on 28 August 1906. 

For us at The Old Station Snettisham, Betjeman has a particularly special connection.

In 1962, Betjeman travelled by train from King’s Lynn to Hunstanton, in a delightful 10-minute film made by British Transport Films and BBC East Anglia. Along the way he stopped at Wolferton, the station serving Sandringham, before continuing to Snettisham. 

And when he arrived at Snettisham, it was clear that he was rather taken with our little country station.

As he waited for the next train, he remarked:

“I can think of few pleasanter places to hang about in on a sunny afternoon like this than Snettisham Station.”

He went on to admire the station’s quirky character, including the topiary spelling out Snettisham, the Great Eastern Railway details incorporated into the platform bench and even the lilac bush growing at the end of the platform. 

A station worth stopping for

Watching the film today is a wonderful glimpse into a vanished railway age. Betjeman’s enthusiasm brings the journey to life — from the wide Norfolk landscape to the small stations and the characters who travelled along the line.

What makes it particularly special for us is that Snettisham Station is still here.

The railway closed in 1969, but much of the character of the old station has survived. Today, the former station building has been lovingly restored as The Old Station, retaining many of its original railway features while giving visitors the opportunity to stay in this unique piece of Norfolk railway history.

More than sixty years after Betjeman paused here, we still find ourselves doing much the same thing — stopping, looking, listening and appreciating the atmosphere of this very special place.

And perhaps Betjeman had it right all along:

Snettisham really is a rather pleasant place to hang about.

Watch the journey

The original John Betjeman Goes by Train: King’s Lynn to Hunstanton film is available to watch through the BFI Player. It is only ten minutes long, but it offers a fascinating journey back to the railway landscape of 1962.