Image: Mondriram outside Vaillant’s Customer Experience Centre, Belper © Vaillant

Following the huge success of the Derby Ram Trail this summer, Derby Museums – the trail’s principal organiser – is pleased to share news about 15 of the rams, which have remained in the public realm for people to enjoy.

The Derby Ram Trail was a spectacular free discovery trail, featuring 30 unique ram sculptures that brightened the streets of Derby between 27^th May and 25^th August this year.  It was brought to the city by Derby Museums, in partnership with Wild in Art, and attracted over tens of thousands of visitors during its three-month run, including Derbyshire locals and international tourists.

The 30 rams comprising the trail were auctioned off in September by Charles Hanson, raising an impressive £300,000 towards Derby Museums’ Endowment Fund and helping to secure the future of our heritage.

The rams have now travelled to their new homes across the country – the ram rambling the furthest now overlooks the town of Prestatyn in north Wales! Half are in private ownership, but there are still 15 rams the public can spot:

1. Ramtastic and Poseidon rambled off to a Lincolnshire Wolds location set in the grounds of Nettleton Park, owned by Don Amott Parks.
2. Rambo takes pride in looking after the iconic pepper pot building on the former site of the Derby Royal Infirmary in the Nightingale Quarter, Derby.
3. Captain Stone was purchased by the entrepreneurs at Project D and will make guest appearances at some of their pop-up events.
4. Secret R.A.M. and Random Access Memory welcome visitors to Tioga Limited, helping showcase their expertise in Electronics Assembly at their Head Office on Mansfield Road, Derby.
5. Ramble sits on proud display at Custom Paintworks Derby and was bought in memory of Robin Morley who used to ramble in the Peak District with his son Scott Morley, the owner of the company.
6. For Those About to Rock warmly welcomes visitors to Brand Outlet on Ascot Drive in Derby, and we are told is already a hit with their visitors.
7. Pride in Derby has nestled into its new home at Derby City Council on Corporation Street and proudly shares its space with a sheepdog!
8. Play is residing at Cosy HQ, the play factory in Fauld near Tutbury and will playfully come out on tour with Cosy Direct in support of their work with Derby Kids Camp.
9. Mondriram, sits proudly outside Vaillant Group’s Customer Experience Centre in Belper, Derbyshire. Vaillant was really happy to win the ram and use it to welcome visitors and staff to their award-winning manufacturing plant.
10. Nurse Nightingale sits proudly inside the main reception at the Royal Derby Hospital, continuing to support their work connecting art and wellbeing.
11. Ram Gogh – Starry Night over the Dales and Herding Together to RAMp up Quality take up a temporary position at the Needles Pub in Alvaston, Derby before they move into a new pub garden area next year to welcome families and visitors alike.
12. Keener eyed ram spotters might also see Derby Industries outside Motus Commercials when driving past their office in Mackworth.

The legacy of the trail continues, and Derby Museums is pleased to extend this by further developing the Derby Ram Trail app with local company, Bloc Digital. The company has freely donated its expertise and time to design, develop and produce the app, which is available to download for free on mobile devices.

Although the trail has finished, by the end of October when the app has been updated, visitors will still be able to navigate it using the app to locate 3D virtual images of the rams in their original positions.

Bloc Digital Director, Keith Cox, said:

“We are delighted to keep the creativity and community spirit of the Derby Ram Trail alive by harnessing digital and immersive technology in this legacy app. Visitors can continue to experience that sense of quest as they explore the city and interact with the virtual rams along the way. The app also brings the trail close to home – once the rams have been unlocked, visitors can take these Augmented Reality sculptures home to place in their own rooms or gardens.”

Tony Butler, Executive Director of Derby Museums, said:

“It is a fantastic to hear that 15 of the rams will stay on public display as a legacy to the project and we are thrilled that Ram Trail sponsor, Bloc Digital, have continued their support with the development of the app, enabling visitors to continue to enjoy a virtual version of the trail.

We would like to thank all of our sponsors, artists and visitors for their commitment to making the trail such a fantastic success after such a difficult time during the pandemic, and for everyone who supported us so generously, helping to raise an incredible sum for Derby Museums’ Endowment Fund.”