The Felixstowe Flyer June 2022
In The Felixstowe Flyer June edition, we hear from Felixstowe Travel Watch, The Felixstowe Society and The Orwell Hotel have worked together since early this year to find the most appropriate way to celebrate the 125th birthday of one of our iconic Grade II listed buildings.
And other updates from local community groups, also local schools and organisations.
The 125th birthday of Felixstowe Town Station
In the middle of the 19th century, a journey between Felixstowe and Ipswich would have taken about four hours by stagecoach. Fortunately, for Felixstowe, someone had a vision…
Colonel Tomline, the wealthy owner of Nacton Park, had bought thousands of acres of land in the west end of Felixstowe as he saw the potential for constructing a dock to establish European and International trade as well as providing a train line to promote Felixstowe as a seaside resort, taking advantage of its invigorating sea breezes and sea bathing.
So began the development of the railways in Felixstowe and our events on July 1, 2023 will celebrate the construction of Felixstowe Pier and Beach Stations in 1877, culminating in the opening of the Town Station in 1898.
Cynthia Park, Chairman of The Felixstowe Society, in her report on behalf of the Victorian Society to the Enquiry into the demolition of the station buildings in 1983 stated that,’ There can be no doubt that the Town Station brought people and prosperity and it was the central feature in the growth of Felixstowe as a Victorian and Edwardian seaside town’.
The station was built to be the focal point of a prosperous town. The station roof has the Flemish revival gable, so reminiscent of other grand buildings in Felixstowe not least the ornate Orwell Hotel, also opened in 1898. Walking through the booking hall, the Victorian traveller would have found an enormous circulating area lit through a glass roof and a 500 foot glass canopy over the platform supported by intricately designed cast iron pillars. Our 21st century travellers experience something of this even now.
Felixstowe Travel Watch, The Felixstowe Society and The Orwell Hotel have worked together since early this year to find the most appropriate way to celebrate the 125th birthday of one of our iconic Grade II listed buildings.
In the old booking hall, there will be display of historic photos and plans, some of which have never been seen in public before and a 1900 model train layout featuring scaled down copies of some of the engines which originally ran at the opening of the station.
Local schools have participated in a poster competition, the results of which will be displayed in The Orwell Hotel for you to view when you cross the road and join in the celebration at the hotel just as the ‘great and good’ did after having officially opened the station buildings and the train service.