coal trains on our network; how many left?

[Jon Fitness]

Just had 6M18, a coal train from Killoch to Penyffordd, through Chester past my signalbox. It got me thinking (a painful process for me!), bearing in mind how many collieries and coal fired power stations have closed in recent years, just how many coal trains still run on the national railway system? When I worked at Lightmoor Jc on the way down to Ironbridge power station in the 80s as many as 14 trains a day ran down there.

Chester had a few MGR trains in the early 90's from Point of Ayr colliery to Fiddlers Ferry PS but now it's just a monthly top up from Scotland to Penyffordd cement plant now.

Any info on the current status of coal trains on NR? Am I seeing a very rare thing when 6M18 passes?

 

Cheers

JF

[br2975]

Freightliner Heavy Haul (FLHH) now serve Aberthaw Power Station, having taken over the contract from DB (Cargo) at the beginning of April, 2016.

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There are several FLHH paths each weekday from Cwmbargoed ( Ffos-y-Fran opencast disposal point high above Merthyr Tydfil) to Aberthaw.

When the WAG consented to the opening of Ffos-y-Fran, the licence required ALL coal to leave by rail

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Two FLHH paths exist each weekday from Tower loading pad (at the top of the Cynon Valley) to Aberthaw.

As an aside, and worthy of note;

These two trips pass the site of Radyr Yard, one time home (1970-1972) to some 15+ Cl.37 local diagrams, 3-4 Cl.08 shunter duties, 3x Cl.08 trip pilot jobs, and starting point for coal/coke trains to Avonmouth, Margam,Filton, Bristol West depot, Bristol Kingsland Road, Cheltenham, Shotton, Normanby Park, Penshaw, Corby, Glazebrook, Acton, West Drayton, Willesden, Aylesbury and Bletchley; and further along the FLHH journey, Aberdare which was home to a further 4-5 Cl.37 diagrams and 2x Cl.08 shunters  circa 1970-1972.

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Other FLHH paths exist from Onllwyn (an opencast washery/blending site at the head of the Neath Valley) to Aberthaw, with, I think, DB (Cargo) working a few other services.  

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FLHH also work the GCG (Gwaun-cae-Gurwen) to Onllwyn coal flow, one train per day.

The WAG granted the licence to move coal again from GCG on the proviso it went by rail.

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As the closest  FLHH operational base is at Stoke Gifford, an increased amount of empty/loaded running takes place from Stoke Gifford / Portbury to locations in South Wales.

 

Currently DB (Cargo) still operate services from Cwmbargoed - Port Talbot, Grange Sidings (Tata Steel) and also from Cwmbargoed to Hope (cement works).

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The downside to all this:-

(I)   - Aberthaw has a projected life until 2025 at the latest.

(ii)  - The power station has an alleged 5years worth of coal stockpiled.

(iii)  - FLHH have only a one year contract

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Brian R

Edited May 25, 2016 by br2975

[4630]

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Edited November 12, 2016 by 4630

[beast66606]

Coal traffic is down significantly in the old hot-spots, Barnetby sees the Scunny coal (an almost continual procession of coal from Immingham to Scunthorpe for the processing plant) but take that out and it's Drax only at the moment, as Russ mentions Cottam and West Burton aren't loading, Eggborough and Ferrybridge also not loading - that's a lot of trains missing.

 

Milford Junction has also seen a dramatic fall off in traffic, although compensated slightly by extra Biomass trains, however the Anglo-Scottish traffic is depleted, with several power stations - Ratcliffe, West Burton etc - either no longer around or not currently taking the black stuff.

 

It's a sad state of affairs out there as far as coal is concerned.

[Talltim]

There are periods now when no electricity is produced in the UK from coal (although some coming across the French and Dutch interconnects may be)

This site is interesting http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

Edited May 25, 2016 by Talltim

[tamperman36]

That also results in many sidings full of semi redundant hopper wagons which are only a few years old. Look at Milford sidings and hunslet yard in Leeds

[Fat Controller]

There are periods now when no electricity is produced in the UK from coal (although some coming across the French and Dutch interconnects may be)

This site is interesting http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

France hasn't had any coal-fired generating capacity for some time. The last operational station I know of was near Montceau-les-Mines, which ceased operations a few years ago.

[Jon Fitness]

Thanks for all the info chaps , it sounds pretty much as I perceived. I suppose even the industries and power stations still burning biomass as well as coal will eventually fall by the wayside and the railway industry will cease to carry such materials. I don't suppose Fiddlers has long to go before closure which will take out a bit more. As you say Beast, a sad state of affairs for coal.

 

Jon F.

[4630]

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Edited November 12, 2016 by 4630

[Talltim]

France hasn't had any coal-fired generating capacity for some time. The last operational station I know of was near Montceau-les-Mines, which ceased operations a few years ago.

But France has links with other European countries too, so some may have come through from Germany or whatever. It's a bit hard to tell how electricity was produced or where it came from once it's just electrons!

[Fat Controller]

But France has links with other European countries too, so some may have come through from Germany or whatever. It's a bit hard to tell how electricity was produced or where it came from once it's just electrons!

True, but the 400kV lines to Mandarins convertor station (the other end of the Interconnector to Sellinge) run directly from Gravelines nuclear power station, near Dunkerque. It's quite possible that some of this electricity is available because the French have taken German coal-generated electricity to replace it elsewhere.

Incidentally, Eurotunnel is currently installing another high-voltage DC link via the Service Tunnel, with an inverter station next to the main sub-station on the UK Terminal.

[Jon Fitness]

Sounds like I'd better point the camera at the Penyffordd coal train a little more often then. As it runs in darkness for most of the year, I'll get some pics in while I still can.

JF

[Richard E]

I'd be very surprised if there is much going on at Eggborough as two of the four gensets have been shut down and the other two are only on standby for high demand use over winter 2016/17. By observation there has been no use of the generating capacity there since the end of March.

[The Stationmaster]

There's still some coal going to Drax - only half of its units are converted to burn biomass IIRC - and I passed 6H86 0642 Humber International Terminal to Drax at Haywood Junction yesterday morning.

 

I read on another forum recently that both Cottam and West Burton Power Stations are well stockpiled and have no need for deliveries in the near future.

 

I understand that  neither West Burton nor Cottam will take any coal at all in the future unless they receive the relevant reserve generating capacity subsidy to pay for it.

[russ p]

One of the reasons for stockpiling coal was put in by Thacher before the miners strike. It was to guarantee supplies. With the world in its current state of instability surely the taxes on coal should be lifted to allow restocking of coal at power stations to safeguard power supplies.

God that was hard agreeing with anything she had to do with coal!

[br2975]

One of the reasons for stockpiling coal was put in by Thacher before the miners strike. It was to guarantee supplies.

 

God that was hard agreeing with anything she had to do with coal!

Actually, you were stating the obvious, it was a fact, agreeing didn't really come into it.

[pwilson]

Is coal traffic still leaving Portbury in Bristol? On the most recent rail tour, the coal stockpile was gone but I have seen a coal train and wagons travelling down recently?

[Welly]

That also results in many sidings full of semi redundant hopper wagons which are only a few years old. Look at Milford sidings and hunslet yard in Leeds

And Worksop - dozens of redundant EWS coal bogies there.

[jjb1970]

 

It's a sad state of affairs out there as far as coal is concerned.

 

A sad fact for coal power stations, coal mining and the railways but I'd argue it is very positive for the country that we have moved away from coal to less environmentally forms of electricity generation and with renewable energy moving from subsidy generator to genuinely competitive, the rise of energy storage and micro-generation I am pretty optimistic about the future.

[beast66606]

Is coal traffic still leaving Portbury in Bristol? On the most recent rail tour, the coal stockpile was gone but I have seen a coal train and wagons travelling down recently?

 

Yes, currently loading at least Fiddlers.

[pharrc20]

Coal is being moved from Redcar Import Terminal to Fiddler's Ferry at present

[Fat Controller]

There are also trains from Newport Docks to Aberthaw (two daily, I believe) and Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen to Onllwyn (open-cast coal for washing). Not sure if Onllwyn sends out coal by rail.

[TheSignalEngineer]

There have been some Avonmouth - Aberthaw trains shown running recently, also Cwmbargoed Opencast - Earles Sidings last Friday

[Metr0Land]

Also Cwmbargoed to Port Talbot Grange Sidings

[Davexoc]

A sad fact for coal power stations, coal mining and the railways but I'd argue it is very positive for the country that we have moved away from coal to less environmentally forms of electricity generation and with renewable energy moving from subsidy generator to genuinely competitive, the rise of energy storage and micro-generation I am pretty optimistic about the future.

But coal has still been ticking over in the background all summer long,  apart from that one 24hr period that was highlighted. It is still needed because renewables are unreliable, just look at last week with storm Aileen, the wind turbines were stopped as they cannot cope. And some of the early solar panels are now failing life expired. Battery storage is far from carbon neutral due to the footprint required to make them, hence the electric car adverts carefully mentioning they are only emmission free while driving.

The glimmer of hope is the new hydrogen plant in Orkney, now if that works on a large scale we are truely moving forward.

 

Dave