Sir John Betjeman: Romantic or Realist?

[Tiny Tim]

I've just watched 'Lets Imagine: A Branch Line Railway' a BBC documentary from 1963. It's available (free!) as part of the BBC Steam Railway Collection on BBC iPlayer. It's a fascinating trip along part of the old Somerset & Dorset line to Burnham-on-Sea. I've always seen Betjeman as a romantic, and his views on railways as more emotive than practical. However, in this programme he makes some surprisingly prescient (for 1963) remarks concerning the future of our railways. He was also instrumental in saving St Pancras Station from demolition, and you don't change government policy with poetry. I'm wondering if the former Poet Laureate was a bit more of a realist than I give him credit for.

 

[transmanche]

Here's a link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/p01203rd

 

[SWTCommuter]

You may find this interesting: http://www.methuen.co.uk/john-betjeman-on-trains/b/153

It includes letters discussing the filming of Branch Line Railway.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Thankyou SWTCommuter, I'll see if my local library can oblige.

 

[yorksrob]

Highbridge Wharf, your hopes have died,
they flow like driftwood on the tide,
out, out into the open sea,
oh sad, forgotten S&D

When I was a child I got that on a BBC video as a present (complete with intro by Michael Palin at Quainton Road).

Love it. Perhaps Sir John was a bit over optimistic at the potential for the Highbridge branch, but he was spot on about us coming to regret the loss of so many routes in the age of road hoardings and traffic jams.

The main route from Bath to Bournemouth should have stayed in my opinion.