for Carriages on Rail Roads. 131 



any impediment of that nature will be rectified or allowed 

 for. I wish it to be understood, that a stop-rail is intended 

 to be placed at every 30 yards, at which distance any re- 

 pairs may be made within ten minutes, which by the pre- 

 sent mode frequently occupies more than twice that time, 

 exclusive of disturbing in some measure the line of road. 

 By my method, the plates have a certain degree of play^ 

 which is absolutely necessary to avoid that breakage which 

 too frequently takes place when they are fixed with nails and 

 plugs. 



The plates which I send have been fixed in stone blocks, 

 and are nearly as rough as when taken from the sand. If I 

 am favoured with any mark of the Society's approbation, I 

 shall hold myself bound to transmit such further communi- 

 cations on this subject as may be required by them, or any 

 person desirous of adopting my plan. 



I am, sir, your most obedient servant, 



Charles Le Caan^ 



Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, 

 May 12, 1806. 



To C. Taylor, M.D. Sec. 



Reference to the Engraving of Mr. Charles Le Caan's 



improved Tram-Plates for Rail Roads. Plate IV. Fig. 



5, 6, 7, 8. 



The tram-plates, fig. 5 and 6, are fastened by means of a 

 tenon and mortise AB, each having a correspondent bevel, 

 just sufficient to keep the end from rising up, so that the 

 head of one plate confines the end of the other : by this 

 means, the workmen are obliged to form their road in right 

 lines, and maintain perfect levels, as the mortise and tenon 

 confines them to the required exactness necessary to make a 

 perfect road : curves or any given segment may be formed 

 with the same nicety, by having two bevel rails or plates 

 made for such purposes. 



Fig. 6. A side view or longitudinal section of the two 

 plates placed on their stone blocks or sleepers C D, show two 

 plugs in dotted lines, one bevel, the other perpendicular, 

 cast in the, stop-rail or plate, which is so called as it pre- 



I 2 vents 



