Suffolk Steam Railways

Head back to England during the glorious days of steam and enjoy this remarkable collection of photographs of Suffolk railways. From as far back as 1860 through the end of the steam era, these images capture the trains themselves, shunting with horses, loading at the docks, the crews, the stations, and accidents and their aftermaths. The lines covered are predominantly in East Suffolk, including both the main lines and some that were closed long ago. The unique perspective the pictures offer derives from the fact that many of the photographs were taken by people intimately related with those stations and trains, including the staff photographer of the famous Ipswich engineering firm, Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, and the legendary shedmaster at the Ipswich loco shed. It's hard to overestimate the importance that railways had in East Anglia during this period for both transportation and employment. Photographs of passengers from what was then called Third Class reveal how embedded class was in society, especially throughout the early days of steam. However, you may be surprised to see how neatly they were dressed, suggesting a formality and reverence for rail travel that you may struggle to find in most places now! Likewise, the