A139 (Ipswich - Felixstowe)
A139 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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From: | Ipswich (TM167443) | |||
To: | Felixstowe (TM286329) | |||
Distance: | 13.4 miles (21.6 km) | |||
Met (1923): | A12, B1080, B1081, B1082, Pier | |||
Now part of: | A1156, A1021, A154 | |||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
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For the current A139, which runs from Stockton-on-Tees to Billingham, see A139.
The original 1922 list marks the A139 as Ipswich - Felixstowe - Harwich Harbour.
The road started on the A12 (now A1071) in the centre of Ipswich and ran southeastwards via the Trimleys to Felixstowe. There was a loop around the town centre and the road then headed southwards as far as the River Orwell, ending at a pier now within the restricted area of the Port of Felixstowe from where a ferry could be got across the water to Harwich.
This number didn't last more than 13 years before the road was incorporated into an extended A45 in 1935. Later road improvements moved the A45 onto bypasses. The A45 was renumbered later to A14 - but that road actually covers almost none of the ex-A139 even if it does share its general route, with only a short section between Trimley St Martin and the Croft Lane Junction following the original route.
From Ipswich to north of Nacton the former A139 is now part of the A1156. It is then the unclassified road parallel to the A14 as far as the roundabout on the A1021 Hamilton Road in Felixstowe. It then follows the A1021 south and west to join the A154 which it follows as far as the gates of the dock. The final section of the road has been destroyed with the construction of the container port; even the coastline has moved.