Welcome to the Downs Light Railway Trust

The Downs Light Railway Trust is an independent registered charitable organisation, who own and operate the Downs Light Railway for the educational benefit of children from The Downs Malvern College Preparatory school.

Situated within the grounds of the school, the Downs Light Railway is the world's oldest, and most internationally renowned, private miniature railway. At the track gauge of 9 ½ inches in width, it is one of a handful of railways of this gauge - once a popular size for many estate railways of the Edwardian Era.

The Downs Light Railway Trust has a small collection of narrow gauge locomotives, together with some ⅞ mile of track around the school grounds. The children meet once a week during the school timetable to maintain and operate the railway.

Recent News!

2012 News
From July 2011, the Downs Light Railway stopped as an activity for the children, to allow for some essential maintenance to be carried out to the buildings which had become detrimental to the safety of the locomotives. The maintenance was unfortunately delayed, to allow for material to be removed under specialist conditions. With this task completed in November 2011, the school will provide temporary accommodation for the locomotives in the new year.

During this time, the overhaul to the locomotive James Boyd uncovered a deteriorated condition of its boiler, and after some repair work, found the condition unsuitable. The condition is currently being surveyed, and there is a potential that the boiler will need replacing. With two of the three steam locomotives effectively undergoing overhauls, it was decided to complete some substantial infrastructure works to the terminus at Hoyland Down.

Together with the limited availability of staff over the winter period, all of the work underway is outside the ability of the children. It is hoped that the railway will return to a suitable state from April to enable the children to continue the work. Until this time, the railway will not be available for the Children as an activity.
Annual Report 2011
The Downs Light Railway Trust's Annual Report is available for viewing.

Click here to view: Annual Report 2011 !
Locomotive News
James Boyd left the Downs to undergo maintenance to resolve a boiler fault. Catch up with the latest progress here!
Autumn Steam
The Downs Light Railway ran for the School's autumn open day. This marks George's first passenger service, operated by the children, in some two decades!
Locomotive News
George passes his steam test ready for the Autumn!
Annual Report 2010
The Downs Light Railway Trust's Annual Report is available for viewing.

Click here to view: Annual Report 2010 !
New Website
The Downs Light Railway Trust launches its new website!

The new website follows BT Community's move of website services, which they provide for chairites.

The Downs Light Railway is the world's oldest private miniature railway situated within the grounds of an independant preparatory school. It is the only railway in the United Kingdom to be operated and maintained by children.

The Downs Light Railway Trust

Hoyland Down, Brockhill Road, Colwall, Near Malvern, Worcestershire. WR13 6EY

School Tel: +44 (0) 1684 544100

School Fax: +44 (0) 1684 540094

All resources, pictures and information on this website are protected by UK Copyright Law. Written permission must be obtained from the Trust for reproduction and commercial use.

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