coal drop

plural coal drops

1. An elevated railway track designed to allow material to fall freely between the rails onto the ground beneath. It is used to rapidly unload hoppers containing coal and other bulk materials.

   The ladies remained at the house, while the men walked to the staith on the [River] Wear, and were shown the process of unloading the wagons into the keels by means of the coal-drop.

   1948 January and February, “Notes and News: Duke of Wellington's Early Railway Journey”, in Railway Magazine, page 56

   1 more example

   Another site of early railway enterprise to be upgraded to 2* before benefiting from restoration (which would remove it from the 2024 at-risk register) is the S&DR [Stockton & Darlington Railway] coal drops, located in Shildon's Locomotive museum. After it was upgraded in 2021 […], 2022 research by Historic England found that the drops, constructed in 1847, were the world's first attempt at mechanising locomotive refuelling. The drops worked by chaldron wagons being taken up the incline, and their loads dropped down chutes into tenders of steam locomotives waiting below.

   2025 February 5, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Railway heritage saved in 2024”, in RAIL, number 1028, page 54

   Synonyms: staithe