Downs Light Railway

The Downs Light Railway is the world's oldest private miniature railway, with a track gauge of . The railway is located within the grounds of The Downs Malvern, a private school in Colwall, near the town of Malvern, Worcestershire in the English Midlands. It is owned by the Downs Light Railway Trust.
The Downs Light Railway is one of only two railways to be operated by children, and the only one by those aged between 7 and 13 years. The railway provides a wide range of educational activities. It provides The Downs Malvern with regular extra-curricular activities and supports other local schools. As of 2019, it is part of the Heritage Railway Association membership.
History.
The railway was built and opened in 1925 under the guidance of Geoffrey Hoyland (Headmaster) as a gauge railway, for the principal purpose of education. The railway was regauged during the 1930s to the larger gauge of , to allow for new locos to be used on the line. After Geoffrey Hoyland fell ill and retired from the school, the railway deteriorated until it became unsafe to use by the late 1960s.
During the 1970s, restoration work began by former pupils of the school, most notably James Boyd. In 1983, the railway was handed over to the Downs Light Railway Trust, who became responsible for its ownership, preservation and operation.