The Lane End Plateway

The author's interest in this early railway was triggered by the recovery of some track components excavated during building work on the route of the line in 2016. Already intrigued by the landscape of the Potteries he was surprised to find that the Lane End line had not been written about previously. The line was constructed in the early 1800s and was known as the Lane End Tramway or as the Lane End Railways. However, the ,author dubs it Plateway on account of its flanged rails of 'L' section (plate rails) used with flangeless wheels. The line ran from Stoke New Wharf at the canal basin off Whieldon Road, Stoke-on-Trent to Green Dock and Len End in Longton. Bought by the North Staffordshire Railway the Plateway continued to operate until the 1880s. Although smallish this book is a treasure trove of information on the line compiled from primary sources and illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs.