Caverswall Parish, The Consall Plateway

In 1815 a partnership was formed to build and operate a horsedrawn railway between Consall Forge and Weston Coyney. The railway is often referred to as the Consall Plateway but as Peter Lead reveals in his book the enterprise was actually the work of The North Stafford Railway Company. The principle of moving carts or trucks on tramways or railways had been developed in the mining industry during the 1700s. By 1777 the Caldon Canal was linked to the limestone quarries at Caldon Low via a tramway at Froghall. The canal network provided a superior method of transport in comparison to the roads. However it did not seem to be a perfect solution because the quarry owners found that the canal easily froze in winter and the water levels were too low in the summer months.
The partners of the railway company proposed to build a railway that would carry the limestone and the burnt lime from the canal wharf at Consall Forge to a wharf at Weston Coyney. It was hoped that the Trent and Mersey Canal Company would put the seal of success on the venture by extending their railway at Lane End to join with the proposed railway at Weston Coyney.
It seems that the work progressed quickly and by 1817 the section between Consall Forge and Creswell`s Piece Wood had been completed. The partners applied to the Government for a loan to complete the scheme in July 1817. At that time the partners were listed as ; Sir Thomas Hugh Clifford, Baronet, of Tixall; John Leigh of Consall Hall; Walter Hill Coyney of Weston Coyney; Walter Weston Coyney of Weston Coyney and George Lambert Clifford of Foxearth House. In the end the Trent and Mersey Canal Company failed to provide the link with their railway line at Lane End. This is perhaps not surprising given that they also owned the Caldon Canal, the railway to Weston Coyney would have been in direct competition. Part of the line was abandoned by the mid 1830s and it is thought that the whole line had been abandoned by approximately 1840.
The railway line started near to the Lime Kilns at Consall Forge and followed the direction of the canal before turning south west and climbing through the wood. A tunnel was constructed to take the line underneath the road that runs from Wetley Rocks to Cheadle. The line crossed the present day A52 at Lime Wharf Bank continued past Moorville Hall and entered the wood at Creswell`s Piece. Leaving the wood the line continued towards the cross-roads at Weston Coyney crossing the Leek Road near to the present day `Blythe Spirit`. The line then crossed the present day Park Hall Road to reach the wharf at Lime Farm. The present day `Weston Coyney Arms` was built on the site of Lime Farm.
	Traces of the railway can still be found today. The route of the track can be seen in places at Consall Forge. The iron rails were laid on stone sleepers and some of the sleepers can still be found in position. They are easily recognised by the single hole in the upper surface where the rail retaining pin was fitted. The tunnel under the Wetley Rocks / Cheadle road remains in place. The route can also be seen in Creswell`s Piece Wood marked by the path leading from Sheepwash towards the north.
References : `The Caldon Canal and Tramroads` by Peter Lead. and `The Consall Plateway` by J.D. Johnstone.