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The world's smallest public railway, it was built in 1927 for millionaire racing driver Captain J.E.P. Howey. During World War II, the line was taken over by the military. After the war the line was re-opened by Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. As well as being a tourist attraction, this railway is a useful service between the small towns it serves and is also under contract to the local council to transport schoolchildren to and from school, for which purpose a special train is used.

A serious accident occurred on the line on August 3, 2003, when a train hit a car at an ungated level crossing and was derailed. The volunteer train driver, 31 year old Kevin Crouch, died in the crash. Some of the train passengers were treated for shock and minor injuries. The car driver, a woman with a baby, had apparently ignored or failed to see the crossing's warning lights. The woman and her baby were taken to hospital but were not badly hurt. The owners of the line and the Health and Safety Executive promised a full investigation into the crash. The woman was later arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

(Information on the crash is based on news reports in the Daily ExpressThe Daily Express is a British newspaper, currently tabloid, and it is owned by Richard Desmond. It was founded in 1900 and was bought in 1916 by the future Lord Beaverbrook. It was one of the first papers to carry gossip, sports, and women's features, an and The Daily MirrorAlternate newspaper: The Daily Mirror (Australia) The Daily Mirror is a popular British tabloid daily newspaper. For a period during the 1990s it was renamed The Mirror but reverted to its original name in 2002. The newspaper was launched in 1903 by Alfre, August 4August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. Events 1500-1899 1578 Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir Moroccans defeat Portuguese. King Sebastian of Portugal is defeated and killed in North Africa, 2003.)

See also

• List of British heritage and private railwaysList of British heritage and private railways This list is intended as a list of railways (railroads in Britain. For rail museums, see List of British railway museums. More links at foot of page. Many of the standard gauge railways were originally lines c