3 October 1862.
A date that changed Snettisham forever.
On this day 164 years ago, Snettisham Station officially opened as part of the new Lynn & Hunstanton Railway, connecting King’s Lynn with the growing seaside resort of Hunstanton.
For the people of Snettisham, the arrival of the railway brought a new connection to the wider world. What had once involved slower journeys by road could now be reached by train, while passengers, goods and visitors could travel in and out of the village by rail.
And remarkably, the station building and its two platforms are still here today.
A railway to the coast
The Lynn & Hunstanton Railway was built remarkably quickly. Construction began in 1861 and the line opened for traffic on 3 October 1862. The railway was approximately 15 miles long, running from the junction near King’s Lynn through North Wootton, Wolferton, Dersingham, Snettisham and Heacham before reaching Hunstanton. (Wikipedia)
The railway was particularly important in opening up Hunstanton as a seaside destination, making the coast much more accessible from King’s Lynn and beyond.
Contemporary reports of the opening describe more than 100 people travelling on the inaugural train. The journey to Hunstanton took around 40 minutes, and one newspaper reporter was struck by just how picturesque the route was. (Dersingham History)
Snettisham Station
Snettisham was one of the intermediate stations on the new line.
Although it was a rural station, it became part of everyday village life. Trains carried passengers and goods, connecting Snettisham with King’s Lynn, Hunstanton and the wider railway network.
The station continued in use for more than a century until the line finally closed on 5 May 1969.
But that wasn’t quite the end of Snettisham Station’s story.
164 years later…
Today, standing on the original platforms, it is still possible to imagine the sound of a train approaching, passengers waiting beneath the station canopy and the bustle of a working railway.
Many of the original features have survived, and we feel incredibly fortunate to be able to care for this remarkable piece of Snettisham’s history.
Our aim is not simply to preserve a building, but to help tell its story.
Because although the trains stopped running in 1969, Snettisham Station never really stopped being a station.
On 3 October 2026, we celebrate 164 years of Snettisham Station — and look forward to continuing its story for generations to come.
Where railway history meets coastal escape. 🚂
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