It began running trains in 1803, the initial line being a plateway of about 4 foot gauge, with motive power provided by a pair of horses.

The two foot gauge steel tramway was built by the Sandfly Colliery Company in 1906.

This was a horse worked line laid to a nominal 2 foot gauge.

In 1886 the system was changed to standard gauge; it had been built to 5 foot (1524 mm) broad gauge.

Some other small railways had been built to two foot gauge, but he wished to use the minimum that he felt was practical.

Additionally, the museum operates a two foot gauge live steam engine locomotive and passenger cars on a one-quarter-mile long loop.

He surprised everybody by choosing a 7 foot gauge to increase capacity and improve the ride.

Also known as "The Huckleberry", the C&T operated tracks that were laid to a three foot gauge.

Neilson also supplied a number of similar 5 foot gauge 0-6-0s to other railways in the Russian Empire, but few photographs and drawings remain.

Mansfield, undeterred, went on to promote the two foot gauge in Maine, where the largest New World network of these lines was ultimately built.