Haytor Tramway

Picture 1, 2 and 3 show the Haytor Tramway. That was a “rail” system in operation from 1820 to 1858 (when Cornish granite turned out easier to transport to sea-going vessels and therefore was cheaper), with a length of almost 11 miles/ 17 km from Haytor granite quarry high up on Dartmoor to Ventiford on the Stover Canal. From Ventiford horse-drawn barges took the granite blocks to New Quay on the river Teign at Teignmouth for onwards sea transport to e.g. London, where it was used for the stately buildings of the time that we now admire so much. This was a serious railway line (picture 3), where no less than 12 wagons long trains descended by gravity and were pulled back up the hill by teams of 18 horses. This picture shows a lot of track if you follow crossing and diverting lines through the summer growth. The line had various “stations” where the driver of descending trains had to get out of the way of approaching wagons coming up. These were indicated by a tall standing stone in case of deep snow in winter (picture 1). The horses travelled on the loaded wagons going down, to be used to pull the wagon sets when the empties went back up. The way to keep wagons on the track were grooves in granite blocks that guided the steel shod wheels, pretty much the way Romans did this sort of thing centuries before, even if the switch-points (picture 2) actually had wooden or steel switch-blades to guide the wheels into the diverting track. Follow the left diverting “rail” on picture 1 and spot a hole in the granite switch-point nose, nowadays referred to as “the heel” of a turnout, which is where that switch-blade was fitted. There is one on the other side too but that is harder to find.This particular experience is one of these things that require a trip to the UK, as everybody else (certainly in my country of birth) cleared up this sort of obsolete anomaly some time after use stopped. And then years thereafter regretted having done that, because historically it was rather special after all. If ever you, Brexit permitting, visit the site, then do not fail to buy the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey walking map number 28 (Dartmoor), on which the tramway layout and the useful footpaths to follow what’s left of this wonder are clearly indicated. It’s well worth to work up an appetite for Cornish Clotted Cream afternoon cream tea through thoroughly checking out this system. Dartmoor really is a wonderful place to be, provided you visit at the right time of the year and during spells of the right sort of weather. You don’t want to be there during rainstorms or in thick snow with overcast skies that predict more. Also, the hound of the Baskervilles has calmed down considerably; meeting the beast to my experience is no longer lethal. In fact, he turned over on his back, closed his eyes and wanted me to rub his belly.