This is a process known as drawing. The lead person has a belt around their waist and a chain between their legs attached to the truck. The muscle power of their legs providing much of the energy. They would grasp and pull themselves along using the rail sleepers and pit-props. Behind the coal truck is another drawer, in Lancashire known as a Dip-drawer. "You got hold of each rail and push it (the tub) with yer head ... we used to have cork mats in our caps ... you were pushing that hard with your head ... that when you got to the top you could feel your head going back to normal" c1911 Burnley From Dark Days by Ken Howarth. 1978.