Studs of steel

[Johnyxxx]

Hi.

Do I get it correctly those "bars and studs of steel" mean "a tramway track" in this case?


Here was relief from the burning of London streets, from the close and airless nights, when all the myriad walls of brick and stone and concrete and the pavements that are endless give out into the heavy darkness the fires that all day long have been drawn from the sun. And from those roadways that have become like railways, with their changing lamps, and their yellow globes, and their bars and studs of steel; from the menace of instant death if your feet stray from the track: from all this what a rest to walk under the green leaf in quiet, and hear the stream trickling from the heart of the hill.

The Children Of The Pool, Arthur Machen, 1936.


Thank you.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, I think so.

 

[Johnyxxx]

And what about the track and the menace of instant death? I am not sure I can visualize what the author means ... The only thing that comes to mind in this respect is one must be very careful not to step into the busy street that is probably filled with passing cars in order to avoid to be run over. But that is just a guess of mine.

Thank you for helping me.

 

[probus]

Bars of steel could easily be rails for trams. I suspect the studs are those little round steel things that some jurisdictions put in their roadways to house reflectors.

 

[Tdol]

The track could be where you are meant to walk to get on and from the trams.