Horse drawn cart and exhibition part
This Horse drawn cart was built in the early 20th century by William Rundle Wheelright in Battersea, London.
This cart has four wheels with a wide open flat top body design. It has a very simple layout, lacking brakes and steering mechanisms, and is built to be drawn by a single horse, which was led on foot. Included with this cart are two contemporary oil lamps, harness for a horse, two 1cwt coalsacks with cards identifying high and low grades of coal. There is also a set of scales, runners, and tare weights.
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This horse drawn cart would have also been referred to as a coal trolley, the driver being called the ‘trolleyman’. These vehicles were most often family owned and operated, with a father and son duo running a set route, called a trolley round, delivering coal to houses much like a newspaper or dairy delivery route. Most runs were five miles in length, but often run twice or three times a day depending on the season.
Coal was usually stored at depots next to train stations, which was then transported on carts and trolley to individuals. Coal trolleys would carry two types of coal, ‘best coal’ for dining room fires which burned cleaner, and a low-grade coal for the kitchens one.
This cart would have cost around £30 in around 1910 and has a two-ton carrying capacity, and by law was required to carry a dedicated scale and weight set for people to check the weight of the coalsacks. This cart was owned and operated by
the Normanton Coal Company based at Stewart Lane Goods Station, and was used on a trolley round in Lavender Hill, London between 1930 and 1972.
- Measurements:
-
overall: 3470 mm x 1700 mm x 3050 mm,
- Object Number:
- 1974-69 Pt1
- type:
- cart
- Image ©
- The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum