More than 500 classic cars, historic motorcycles, lorries, buses and military vehicles will enjoy a trip to the seaside this weekend for the annual Ipswich to Felixstowe run and rally.

Sunday’s event is the 44th annual historic vehicle run and is expected to attract more than 20,000 visitors to enjoy the nostalgic look back at transport times past.

Vehicles have to be over 30 years old to take part in the event – 77 entrants pre-date 1939, and there are around 100 vehicles which have not taken part in the run before.

Entries dating from 1913 include two Ford Model T cars and a four-ton Foden steam wagon.

The newest entrants are a 1984 Daimler car, and a similarly aged bus which ran for 20 years in Belfast.

Organisers say the most unusual vehicles in the line-up are a 1950 Lister auto-truck and a 1952 McCormick Deering tractor.

Rally organiser Peter Cansick, who has co-ordinated the run for the first time this year, said: “The entrants and the public love this event – it’s been a fixture in the calendar for over 40 years and is one of the most popular events in Ipswich and Felixstowe.

“It’s a tribute to all the volunteers who help in staging the event and vehicle owners who take part.”

Organised by volunteers from the Ipswich Transport Museum and supported by Suffolk Norse and Lavenham Press, the events gets under way at 9.30am when vehicles begin to gather in Christchurch Park, Ipswich.

After being inspected by the mayor, they will leave the park at 11.30am to head for the coast via the old Felixstowe Road and through the Trimley villages and Walton. The first cars should arrive on Felixstowe prom at 12.30pm and the line up will stay all afternoon.

Hundreds of onlookers are expected to gather along the route to Felixstowe, which is free to watch – as is the parade on the prom.

There will be a souvenir programme for the day available from event stewards.