 A section of the track as it appeared in 2005 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1820–1858 |
| Successor | Abandoned |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 3 in (1,295 mm) |
| Length | 10 miles (16 km) |
The Haytor Granite Tramway (also called Heytor[1]) was a tramway built to convey granite from Haytor Down, Dartmoor, Devon to the Stover Canal. It was very unusual in that the track was formed of granite sections, shaped to guide the wheels of horse-drawn wagons.
It was built in 1820; the granite was in demand in the developing cities of England as masonry to construct public buildings and bridges. In 1850 the quarries employed about 100 men but by 1858 they had closed due to the availability of cheaper Cornish granite.[2]
The Haytor rocks and quarries are protected from development and disturbance as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- ^ Paley, W B (1899). The Practical Engineer. Vol. XX, July–December. Manchester: Technical Publishing Co Ltd. p. 428.
- ^ Minchinton, Walter (1974). Devon at Work: Past & Present. David & Charles. p. 89. ISBN 0-7153-6389-1.