East Anglia Transport Museum

...across the country to the East Anglia Transport Museum.
From the start, the EATM has something that makes it stand out from most other transport museums, it's not a stuffed and mounted, touch me not type of museum, it's a living, breathing, "hands on" (or perhaps more accurately, bums on) museum. It's also unique in being the only place in the UK where you can travel on Trams, Trolleybuses and a Railway. This allows people to experience ...
...limits (or will be, as of July when the back road opens).
Overall, I would definitely recommend the East Anglia Transport Museum, especially for those interested in Transport, or a big of nostalgia, but also for those who would like to experience a part of history they never knew.  ... more

Being a transport enthusiast, I have visited many transport museums around the country, some I've liked a lot, some less so. I have a fair number on my doorstep as well, including some very successful and popular ones, yet I keep getting drawn half way across the country to the East Anglia Transport Museum.
From the start, the EATM has something that makes it stand out from most other transport museums, it's not a stuffed and mounted, touch me not type of museum, it's a living, breathing, "hands on" (or perhaps more accurately, bums on) museum. It's also unique in being the only place in the UK where you can travel on Trams, Trolleybuses and a Railway. This allows people to experience the sights and sounds of two forms of transport that are now extinct in the UK (trolleybuses and "proper" trams). This seems to excite everyone, young and old. Older people can remember trams and trolleybuses in service and travelling or even working on them. For those slightly younger their are childhood memories of the last years, then their are those (like myself) who are stepping into a world that was long gone before they were born (in fact my parents were very young when the last Trolleybus ran, and never travelled on one).
The museum has a fairly small collection of Trams and Trolleybuses from various parts of the UK and Europe. A large part of the collection is from London, particular the Trolleybuses, and this includes the last Tram and the last Trolleybus to operate in the Capital. The site is small, with trips lasting about 10mins. The Trams travel about 1/4 mile along the site before turning into the woods for another 1/4 mile. Trolleybuses reverse just before the woods and turn back before making a second trip. During 2008 the Trolleybus loop will be extended with a new "back road" running down the back of the site providing a figure of 8. On most days, 2 trams and 2 or 3 Trolleybuses will be in service, trams running alternately, trolleybuses changing on the hour. Their is also a 2 foot gauge railway, running along the edge of the site, hauled by some industrial diesel locomotives.
The museum also has a collection of road vehicles, ranging from a Sinclair C5 to a fleet of vintage buses. These are housed in various buildings around the site, which also contain other transport artefacts. A London Taxi is often used to give rides around the site. The buses are used on special event days to provide free services to Lowestoft and Beccles.
The museum has a small but well stocked gift shop, selling models, videos, books and much more. Their is also a cafe on site which serves tea and coffee, home made sandwiches and hot meals.
Accessibility to the site is good, with the site being flat and all on one level. Transport though has until recent times not been particularly accessible, and this is reflected in the vehicles, although the train and one of the trams are accessible for wheelchair users. The friendly staff are also more than willing to help people out, and you will not feel rushed at all.
The highlights of the museum are the special events. Most years their are 3, Steam and Vintage, Buses and finally the excellent Trolleybus Weekend. Steam and Vintage is usually in June and features Steam Powered Road vehicles as well as vintage cars. The Bus event in July features the Museums own fleet of buses, plus visiting buses from the local area and beyond. The Trolleybus weekend in September has all of the operating trolleybuses in service, and on the Saturday night the museum remains open until 9pm, a giving truly unique atmosphere after dark. All events feature free bus services to Lowestoft and Beccles using the museums own fleet of buses, and a Park and Ride. At the bus event (and sometimes others) visiting buses will also operate services. Events also feature a barbecue and visiting stalls.
Probably the key to the success of the museum is it's staff. These are entirely volunteers who are their because they love what they do, and this shows. Like many others, I found myself drawn in by them so much that after the first visit I signed up as a member, and a few years after started helping out as a working member. I'm now a fully passed Tram and Trolleybus conductor, and a trainee tram driver. Unlike many similar places, they are quick to welcome new members of all ages and experiences, and you'll soon be treated like on of the family.
Admission is just £6.00 for adults, £4.50 for children which allows unlimited rides all day. For £15 (or £8 for 14-17 year olds, £10 for pensioners) a year you can become a member, which entitles you to free entry to the museum, a regular newsletter, and to become a volunteer. The museum opens from March to September, Thursday and Sunday, Saturdays from June to September, and all week but Monday from early July to the end of August (depending on local school holidays). It also opens Easter, May Day, Spring and August Bank Holiday Mondays, and the entire week after Easter and Spring Bank Holiday. Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays opening is 11 to 5, other days 2 to 5, with last admission at 4 on all days. Parties and School visits can also be accommodated.
The Museum is quite easy to find, being signposted from the A146 from the Norwich direction, and from the A12 for those coming from the South. First Eastern Counties provide a half hourly bus service, Monday to Saturday between Norwich and Lowestoft, and a 2 hourly service on Sundays. It is a 5 to 10min walk to the museum from the nearest stop. Rail services to Lowestoft for buses to the Museum are every hour from Norwich Monday to Saturday, 2 hourly on Sundays, and 2 hourly, 7 days a week, from London and Ipswich. For those feeling adventurous, alight at Oulton Broad North (from Norwich) or South (from London/Ipswich) for a 40min or 1 hour walk respectively to the museum.
The only real downside to the museum is the compact site makes future expansion hard, especially since the surrounding land is attractive for property development. The museum is doing it's best though to make the best use of the available space, but it does limit future development. With the possible exception of the train (a doubling of length into the woods is not impossible) the runs on site a now at their limits (or will be, as of July when the back road opens).
Overall, I would definitely recommend the East Anglia Transport Museum, especially for those interested in Transport, or a big of nostalgia, but also for those who would like to experience a part of history they never knew. 

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