▁the ▁church . ▁ ▁Transport ▁ ▁Until ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁served ▁by ▁S wa ff ham ▁railway ▁station ▁on ▁the ▁Great ▁Eastern ▁Railway ▁line ▁from ▁King ' s ▁Lyn n . ▁Just ▁after ▁S wa ff ham , ▁the ▁line ▁split ▁into ▁two , ▁one ▁branch ▁heading ▁south ▁to ▁Th et ford , ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁east ▁towards ▁D ere ham . ▁The ▁rail ways ▁were ▁all ▁closed ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Be ech ing ▁A xe , ▁though ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁re building ▁a ▁direct ▁rail ▁link ▁from ▁Nor wich ▁to ▁King ' s ▁Lyn n ▁via ▁S wa ff ham ▁is ▁occasionally ▁raised . ▁ ▁The ▁east - west ▁A 4 7 ▁B irmingham ▁to ▁Great ▁Y arm outh ▁road ▁now ▁avoid s ▁the ▁town , ▁using ▁a ▁nor ther ly ▁by pass ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁The ▁A 1 0 6 5 ▁M ild en hall ▁to ▁F aken ham ▁road ▁still ▁passes ▁through ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁on ▁its ▁north - s outh ▁route , ▁intersect ing ▁with ▁the ▁A 4 7 ▁at ▁a ▁grade ▁separated ▁j unction ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁town . ▁ ▁Sport ▁and ▁le is ure ▁S wa ff ham ▁has ▁a ▁Non - Le ague ▁football ▁club ▁S wa ff ham ▁Town ▁F . C . ▁which ▁plays ▁at ▁Sho em akers ▁Lane . ▁ ▁S wa ff ham ▁Race way , ▁a ▁former ▁grey h ound ▁track , ▁hosts ▁stock ▁car ▁racing . ▁