Shortly after the popular Hunstanton to King’s Lynn line closed on Monday 5th May 1969, the King’s and Hunstanton Railway Preservation Society formed to try and reinstate the railway line.
The reopening attracted a lot of interest and support, as the closure although expected was only seen as temporary. The railway service had always been seen as a local asset and was popular.
The King’s Lynn and Hunstanton Railway Preservation Society, led by Roger Duggan, put in a huge amount of work to try and get the railway line reopened.
However despite their efforts, car use and buses won the day.
Here is an interview with Roger Duggan, who led the campaign and was also the landlord of the historic Crown and Mitre public house in Kings Lynn.
Here are a few photographs from the Hunstanton Railway and the Crown & Mitre pub.
Swaffham Museum is a small, independent social history museum for Swaffham and the surrounding villages in Norfolk from the Stone Age to the modern. Local heroes include Howard Carter the archaeologist, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Knyvet Wilson VC, Jem Mace prize fighter, W E Johns author of the Biggles books and the Swaffham Pedlar.
Sue Gattuso, Swaffham Museum Manager
In 2022, there was a celebration of Howard Carter who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. The Carter Gallery was updated and refurbished for this. In 2019 the museum opened the new Conflict and Consequences gallery, which is full of information about Swaffham’s involvement in wars and conflicts.
A map from the 1930’s showing the railway station and surrounding area at Swaffham
The museum has a wonderful collection of artefacts and exhibits tracing the history of the area in Norfolk. Work is currently underway to better tell the story of Swaffham people during conflict – whether that’s the English Civil War, WWI, WW2 or protests against nuclear weapons.
One of the new panel ideas is about the bombing of Swaffham station in WWII, in which five soldiers were killed.
Our Project Officer Paul Young went along to meet up with Swaffham Museum Manager, Sue Gattuso to talk about the exhibition.
The Museum has practically no photographs of Swaffham during the war and certainly none of the railway station. Can you help, do you have photographs or artefacts?
If so please can you get in touch with Sue Gattuso or Tim Lynch, please call 01760 721230 or email: swaffhamarchives24@outlook.com
