Trains and Buttered Toast

Broadcasting in the golden age of wireless, Betjeman was a national treasure for millions of devoted listeners. Here his eccentric, whimsical and homespun radio talks are collected in book form for the first time. From trains and buttered toast to hymn-writing vicars and Regenct traces, his enthusiasms are infectious.

Travel with him as he potters about at the seaside, delves into country churches and marvels at provincial cities. And rediscover, as he did, how to appreciate our discarded heritage. ‘I shan’t tell you where all the lovely places are,’ he says playfully, ‘I want them to myself. But I’ll tell you where to look.’