Mid-Suffolk Light Railway

About the museum

The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, known locally as the Middy, was planned to link the farming communities of central Suffolk with larger markets. Money and management problems meant the line was cut short at Laxfield, and it was bankrupt before it opened. It began running in 1904, was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway in 1924 and became part of British Railways in 1948. It closed in 1952, being in poor repair after the war and losing passengers. The track was lifted the following year and the rolling stock was scrapped.

In 1990 a group was formed to keep the memory of the line alive at Brockford, where part of the old station cattle dock wall still stood. Volunteers have since rebuilt a short stretch of the railway on the original site, and the museum is a registered charity.

Today the site has a ticket office, refreshment room, shop, museum, a bar coach, a workshop, a locomotive shed and a demonstration line. Trains run in Victorian-style compartment carriages and are normally steam hauled on open days. The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum, housed in the Dr. Ian C. Allen Building, holds artefacts from the line and photographs by a Suffolk doctor who recorded East Anglian railways at the end of the steam era. The museum was named Suffolk Museum of the Year in 2015.

Highlights

• Steam-hauled rides in Victorian compartment carriages
• Museum with artefacts and photographs of the original Middy line
• Collection of steam, diesel, passenger and freight rolling stock
• Display about the USAAF 34th Bomb Group
• Suffolk Museum of the Year 2015

Permanent exhibitions

• Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum – Artefacts, memorabilia and photographs about the original Middy line, shown in the Dr. Ian C. Allen Building.
• Rolling stock – Steam and diesel locomotives and passenger and freight vehicles, some in restoration.

Admission & discounts

Prices apply to standard running days and special events other than Santa Specials. Unlimited train rides are included. Holders of a Heritage Railway Association pass pay half price. Society members and Wetheringsett residents receive a discount or free entry on standard days but pay full price for special events. Volunteers and exhibitors are admitted free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

There is wheelchair access to all museum buildings and toilets, and a wheelchair is available on site. A wheelchair-accessible compartment is provided on trains. Some areas are not accessible because of uneven ground. Disabled parking is on the station forecourt with short, level access to the buildings and trains. Dogs on leads are welcome, but not in the first class compartment or on upholstered seats.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

Children aged 5 to 15 pay a reduced price, under 5s are free, and there is a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children. The railway runs Santa Specials in December.

Getting there & parking

The site is just off the A140 between Ipswich (14 miles) and Norwich (28 miles). Look for the Mendlesham TV mast and follow the brown signs. Dovebrook Station and Aspall Halt have no road access and can be reached only by train.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The Refreshment Room serves hot and cold drinks and food, with indoor seating and picnic areas around the site. The Middy Bar coach serves real ale, cider and wine on programmed open days. The shop sells models, books and toys.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Group visits, events and private hire are handled through an online enquiry form.

Plan your visit