'Jump, Sam!'"

Knowl Hill, Buckley

1970

see 1.488 for a picture of the wheels

"JUMP, SAM!"

Horse trams decended slopes laden with bricks or coal. Normally they were braked by "spragging" the wheels, that is, ramming an iron bar into the spikes of a leading wheel. If this failed, the horse was in danger of being run down. At any rate, if the rails were wet and greasy, the tram would not stop. It was in danger of running into the horse and injuring it. The animals became attuned to the crisis. Whenever the carter released the harness by knocking a bolt out of it, thereby freeing the horse, he yelled "Jump, Sam!" - or whatever the horse's name was. Sam would neigh loudly and bound into the hedge, whilst the runaway tram sped on.

OLD BUCKLEY DAYS AND WAYS

PICTURE NUMBER 39

see entry number 1.51

Author: Bentley, James

'Jump, Sam!'"

Knowl Hill, Buckley

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