Kington Railway embankment at Eardisley (SO313495)
The tramway received parliamentary authorisation on 23 May 1818 by theKington Railway Act 1818 (58 Geo. 3. c. lxiii).[1] Construction started immediately and was completed in two sections. The tramway was built to a gauge of3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm). The tramway adopted the use of cast iron L-shaped tramroad plates in its construction.[2] The vertical portions of the two plates were positioned inside the wheels of the tramway wagons and the plates were spiked to stone blocks for stability. The first section from Eardisley toKington was opened on 1 May 1820. The western section from Kington to quarries at Burlingjobb, 3 miles (4.8 km) east ofNew Radnor opened on 7 August 1820.[1]
For the tramway's opening, an end-on connection was made with theHay Railway, also a3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) plateway. This co-operative arrangement allowed the through working of wagons, pulled by horses, along a continuous 36-mile (58 km) line to wharves on theBrecknock and Abergavenny Canal.
The tramway was intended solely for the carriage of goods and minerals, and therefore did not carry any passengers.
