Railway, light railway, Tramway, what is the difference?

[ericmark]

I know there was a light railway act, speed limits, enclosure of moving parts, use of platforms etc, but some systems seem to encompass all. The railway engines which ran across roads had bells, as well as whistles, but if I look at the Welshpool & Llanfair light railway, the engines look the same as any other narrow gauge engine except for the bell. And I look at the modern Blackpool tram, and it looks like a train to me.

I look at steam trams

and as expected all workings are enclosed. So any ideas?

 

[big-all]

from memory
a tramway means underframe protection for mainly street running for greater street protection around streets
light railway will include street running in prescribed manner where highly restricted speed and extra protection are required on the street perhaps walking speed where as railway crossing no barriers requires 5mph speed till the train covers the crossing then acceleration as train covers the crossing and with closed [half or full]barriers meaning near to normal running speed as railway domain as just a crossing point rather than shared space
in other words you encroach on the roadway you need to take extreme caution as the road traffic work around you
on the railway the road takes extreme caution as its just crossing the railways domain