File:Jars voyages Plate V.jpg

English: Waggonways in the Newcastle coalfield, England, described by French academician Gabriel Jars in 1774.

Already they have many of the features of modern railways, including rails (wooden, but could be reinforced by metal bands), sleepers, internally flanged wheels (Figs 2 and 6), which may be of cast iron, brakes (Fig 4), and even a turntable (Figs 1, 3). There are twin tracks railways.

Their function was to convey coal from mine pit-heads to staiths alongside the River Tyne, where the direction was generally downhill, and to take the empties back again. Hence, as described by Jars (pp.200-205), the rails were laid level wherever possible with a gentle slope. Often the truck runs by gravity, the horse being unhitched, and controlled by brake.

Steam locomotion was not necessary, and was not introduced until about 1825 when greater distances meant that more difficult gradients had to be tackled. Horse railways gave good services and continued on some lines until 1907.