Conceived by the Clay Cross Company to carry stone, this 60cm narrow gauge railway was engineered by Stephens.Initially conceived in 1918 and authorised as Standard gauge line, it was finally constructed using second-hand World War I army light railway equipment. It opened in 1924 with, under pressure from government, a passenger service that lasted until 1936. The line finally closed in 1950. Stephens and Austen remained as consulting engineers virtually throughout the railway's existence.

Further reading:

The Ashover Light Railway. R Gratton and S R Bond.
Wild Swan Publications. 1989.