Flanged wheels were first used on a locomotive built in 1805 for the Wylam Colliery. It was too heavy for the track (it weighed five tons) and was never used. Before, the weight of the locomotive was expected to keep the engine on its track. As more driving wheels were added to later, longer locomotives, it became common practice to have flanged tires on the first and last pairs of driver and the ones in the middle were "blinded" (deliberately left flange-less) to prevent binding through curves.