Description
A genuine historical curiosity: a “railway sled” or “gravity seat”, a simple device used mainly by workers in British industrial areas in the first half of the 20th century.
Rail seat
This curious rail seat looks like a toy, but it was a practical way to travel in industrial areas. Workers used it to coast downhill to mines or factories, typically on narrow-gauge lines down the slopes.
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Gravity ride
Riders sat on a simple wooden frame with grooves that fitted the rails, and they braked with their own shoes. The ride was cheap, fast and quite thrilling — no engine, only gravity.
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Period footage
Today the device is a forgotten reminder of workers’ ingenuity. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0QqflJNILA
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