Plateway

A plateway is an early kind of railway, tramway or wagonway, where the rails are made from cast iron.

[1] On most lines, that system was replaced by rolled wrought iron (and later steel) "edge rails" which, along with realignment to increase the radius of curves, converted them into modern railways, better suited to locomotive operation.

Plateways were particularly favoured in South Wales and the Forest of Dean, in some cases replacing existing edge rails.

A leading advocate of plate rails was Benjamin Outram, whose first line was from quarries at Crich to Bullbridge Wharf on the Cromford Canal.

The edge rail formed an outside flange for a broad foot which allowed wagons to pass through the unmade streets.

The gauges of some tramroads increased by a couple of inches after decades of horses passing up the middle but, being loose on the axles, the wheels could usually be adjusted slightly with washers.

Despite its ancient appearance, the Haytor Granite Tramway, the track with ledges cut in stone blocks to produce a similar effect as tram plates, was contemporary with plateways, being built in 1820.