Trolleys

Trolleys are used in abundance throughout the city for the transportation of goods and come in a range of sizes. The largest are cart size that one would expect a horse to be pulling except the job is done by a man, often with helpers pushing from behind. Other versions are the size of wheelbarrows, and like the larger versions run on what looks like old fashioned rubber tyre bicycle wheels.

lt is the smaller trolleys that make the most sound. The importance of their contribution to the Chongqing soundscape is down to the material construction of their wheels. Made of metal, they generate their own characteristic sound as they interact with the surface below them, and can be heard from afar as they approach and then as they trundle off into the distance. As much of the city centre is pedestrianised, the sound produced changes depending on the size and design of the tiled paving. Smaller tiles produce faster rhythms than large ones, whilst the sound on tarmac has a dense rain-like quality to it.