What's happening: Several Ransomes steam engines will make their way from the current Ransomes Works at Nacton to the old Orwell Works site at Ipswich Docks, where the engines were once built. The engines will run down Nacton Road and Bishops Hill, past Portman Road and along the Ipswich Waterfront for a 90-minute lunch break at the old Ransomes Orwell Works site.
After lunch, the engines will travel back through Ipswich Town Centre, up Grove Lane hill and return to the Ipswich Transport Museum.
Times and locations:
Saturday: First engine departs Nacton between 10:00-10:30, then at frequent intervals
Sunday: Steam engines at Ipswich Transport Museum, Old Trolleybus Depot, Cobham Road, 11:00-16:00
For families: Sunday's static display will let visitors "enjoy sight, smell and sound of Ipswich steam engineering as the engines steam in the Museum yard."
The details: The event is kindly sponsored by Ransomes Jacobsen and a friend of the Museum. Special event admission prices apply for Sunday's museum visit.
The bottom line: This weekend offers a rare opportunity to witness Ipswich's steam heritage in motion, with engines retracing historic routes from the famous Ransomes Works to the docks, bringing Victorian engineering to life for families, enthusiasts and spectators alike.
