Railway SD
Type: Vehicle
Description:
This is an absolutely fascinating curiosity – and a truly historical one. It is a so-called "railway sled" or "gravity seat", a simple invention mostly used by workers in industrial areas of Great Britain during the first half of the 20th century.
At first glance, this quirky "rail seat" looks like just a toy, but in reality, it was a practical means of transport in industrial areas. Workers used it to quickly descend hills to mines or factories, typically along narrow-gauge tracks running down from slopes.
People sat on a simple wooden frame with grooves adapted to the tracks, and for braking... they used their own shoes. This form of transport was cheap, fast, and – let’s admit it – quite adrenaline-filled. No engine, powered purely by gravity.
Today, this device is a forgotten reminder of the ingenuity of workers and their everyday reality. Photo from video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0QqflJNILA
created_at_label: 1. 3. 2025