Cadeby Light Railway

Pixie at Cadeby in 1981

The last train at Cadeby, 2005

The Cadeby Light Railway was a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway in the garden of the rectory in Cadeby, Leicestershire.

In the early 1960s the Reverend Teddy Boston became rector of All Saints' Church, Cadeby. Boston was a lifelong railway enthusiast and wanted to build a miniature railway in his new garden, but the cost proved prohibitive. Instead he searched for a full-sized narrow-gauge locomotive. In 1962 he purchased Pixie, a W.G. Bagnall 0-4-0ST from the Cranford quarry. The quarry owners donated a short length of track and two wagons and the Cadeby Light Railway was opened.

Over the years, the Rev. Boston built an extensive collection of ex-industrial narrow-gauge rolling stock which ran on the extremely short line in his garden. Although the Rev. Boston died in 1986, his widow Audrey kept the railway open for nearly twenty years, holding regular open days. The railway finally closed in 2005; subsequently the majority of the collection has been amalgamated with the Moseley Railway Trust at the Apedale Community Country Park. Pixie is currently undergoing restoration as of 2014.

See also

• Moseley Railway Trust
• British narrow gauge railways
• Trevor the Traction Engine

References

• The Rev E. R. Boston MA (1973). Rails Round the Rectory - The story of the Cadeby Light Railway. Loughborough: The Book House. ISBN 0-902520-03-2. 

• Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain & Ireland. Atlantic Publishers. ISBN 1-902827-05-8. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cadeby Light Railway.

• The Rev. Edwin Richard "Teddy" Boston - an appreciation - by Mike Rooth
• Steam rally appearance by "Fiery Elias"
• Photo of the Rev. Boston on 'Pixie', with All Saints' Church behind
• "Railway Vicar" (free video download) – April 1967 feature by British Pathe about Teddy Boston and his OO gauge model railway.
• Teddy Boston's involvement in the forming of the Cadeby Steam & Country Fayre