The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway has released detail of its programme of special events for this spring.

On Easter Sunday, 9th Easter Monday, 10th April there will be a two day Easter Steam-Up where the emphasis will be on entertainment for families, with an Easter Bunny Hunt and prizes for the children. On both days, steam train rides and visits to the Restoration Shed will be available.

A Bank Holiday Steam Up and Railway Art Exhibition will be held on Sunday, 30th April, with an exhibition of paintings by Malcolm Root, Deputy Chairman of the Guild of Railway Artists, who will also be visiting the exhibition during the day.

On Sunday, 7th and Monday, 8th May, a King Charles IIIs Coronation will be celebrated with a Gala Coronation Steam-Up, when there will be two locos in steam plus the railway’s award-winning diesel Shreddie and the railway’s Wickham Trolley.

‘Middy in the 1940s’ will be held over May bank holiday weekend 28th and 29th May. This is one of the railway’s main events when, as well as the railway attractions, there will be a full programme of displays, military vehicles, live music, memorabilia, visiting ‘soldiers, sailors and airmen’, and possibly a famous face or two. Weather permitting, it is hoped that there will also be a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast. Full details of this weekend’s event are on the railway’s website at https://www.mslr.org.uk/visit-us/middy-in-the-war-years/.

As well as the spring events, there will be a full programme of open days every Sunday and Bank Holiday from 4th June to 3rd September.

On passenger train duties during this year’s operating season will be the railway’s resident locomotives including the 100-years-old Cockerill Belgian well tank tram, the 80-year-old Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 saddle tank Wissington, and visiting locomotives including the 12-ton Peckett 0-4-0T Marcia, which is the smallest steam locomotive ever to run on the Middy.

During each operating day steam train rides in genuine Victorian four-wheel carriages will be available, as well as all the railway and museum facilities will be open including the museum, souvenir shop, café, and real ale bar
The full programme and entry prices are available online at www.mslr.org.uk