A Potted History

Located in the rolling hills of South Kingshire, the Candlebridge Tramway was built in 1888 with powers granted to local authorities under the 1870s Tramways Act. It ran between the town of Candlebridge and the mill at Boot, some three miles apart.
The railway was well-built and almost completely level, with cuttings, embankments, and tight curves to maintain the continuous alignment. Stations are at Candlebridge and Boot Lane, while trains can pass each other at The Folly, halfway along the route.
Second-hand locomotives and carriages were acquired, and the Candlebridge Tramway settled into a quiet and somewhat withdrawn existence. However, under the conditions of the Parliamentary Act, ownership of the tramway was transferred to Candlebridge Parish in 1909, who immediately set about selling the railway. Enter the lines benefactor, Sir Francis Rose, who purchased the tramway from the parish in 1912.

Rose’s greatest achievement was probably forming the Candlebridge Tramway Trust in 1965, which gave the Trust a controlling interest in the railway and secured its future.

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