woodenhead Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2E Sub Shed Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 A Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railway Blog reports issues with the use of an alternative "Black stuff" to fuel locos on Saturday GWSR C&W Blog 12th March 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FraserClarke Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 I had the "pleasure" of firing a couple of engines with these nuggets at Didcot a few weeks ago (I don't know if it's exactly the same as the GWSR stuff). Certainly very different to Welsh!! Seems to need a pretty constant blast through it to generate any heat from it; and then when it does burn, it goes pretty damn quick without building much of a bed. We also found we used a lot more of the ovoids than we would on Welsh. It's pretty friable, and a lot of it ended up in the ash pan! I'm very much a novice fireman, so I'm sure others will do better -- but definitely a learning curve to coming up for everyone! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Ovoids are rocket fuel in my rayburn at home, as you say give them a good flow of air and they are pretty decent - in a domestic application. I'm not sure that they are the future of steam railways. In the meantime the current economic circumstances start to bite in other ways: Public train services cancelled for the remaining weekends in March at Midland Railway – Butterley. Regrettably we are having to reduce our service train offering for the remainder of March due to the uncertainty around the supply of red diesel for our DMU service which was planned to run. Escalating prices and supply issues are forcing us to conserve fuel ahead of planned events in April. We apologise for any disappointment this causes and hope to see you all in April . This ongoing situation will be under constant review over the coming weeks. We're planning to keep Butterley office and shop manned for any enquiries. Midland Railway – Butterley's next public train services will now be on Saturday 2nd April 2022 for the first passenger services in preservation for the 125 Group's High Speed Train! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
faulcon1 Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 In times past the WSR imported coal from Colombia even though some didn't like it as they thought the lumps were too big. Well you could break them up into smaller lumps with the coal hammer. So UK steam railways may have to look at importing coal from other countries. Oh no sorry you can't do that because it's difficult and if something is difficult in the UK then it's impossible. It's the same reason given as to why you can't have a Great Steam Train Race on the mainline because it's too difficult to organise and so therefore it's impossible. Other countries with different operating rules manage it (Germany and Australia) but not the UK as all you get is pathetic excuses as to why something can't be done. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w124bob Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I know someone senior in the preserved railway world and the issue appears to be cost not actual supply, he's was talking about an increase from £120 a ton end of last season to a at least £650 at today's price. The stock his railway has is enough for the rest of the season, so they have a window of about 5 months to source a fresh supply. The last lot came from Uzbekistan so that's a non starter for next year. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
faulcon1 Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 Why is more coal from Uzbekistan not possible. Is it the wrong sort of coal for UK steam engines?, or is it just political reasons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 (edited) 52 minutes ago, faulcon1 said: Why is more coal from Uzbekistan not possible. Uzbekistan is landlocked so it has to come via Russia or Afghanistan and Iran. Importing coal from or via Russia is banned. I've never tried to import coal via Iran but I doubt it's straightforward. There's difficult and difficult. Edited October 23, 2022 by Wheatley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aire Head Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 On 23/10/2022 at 21:37, faulcon1 said: Why is more coal from Uzbekistan not possible. Is it the wrong sort of coal for UK steam engines?, or is it just political reasons. Geography dictates that it has to travel via Russia, Afghanistan or Iran. All places where we are currently not on the friends list! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingEdwardII Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 The really stupid thing is that there is plenty more coal sitting in the ground in South Wales, but the Welsh government is stupidly withholding licences to extract it. Yours, Mike. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted December 20, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2022 The current political climate in south Wales is not in favour of coal extraction. Any coal extraction won't be done by the accepted means. Things like headstocks have long disappeared, if only because they are no longer considered safe. having seen the turmoil in south Wales during the 1980's, followed by the (almost) total closure of the coalfield, the populace have moved on, and opinions have hardened. As an historical note, a proportion of the Aberfan Funds were ruthlessly diverted by the NCB; a situation that still rankles heavily today. People might forgive, but they never forget. Prospective coal entrepreneurs would invite rectal examinations with a pitchfork; sterilisation optional. There is (approximately) 4,000 million ton reserves at Cwm Llantwit, but it's not going anywhere soon. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted December 27, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 27, 2022 Looking at the reaction and controversy around the proposed new mine in West Cumbria which is intended to produce industrial process coal I really can't imagine anyone would even think about opening a mine to produce coal as a fuel source. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium OnTheBranchline Posted February 10, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2023 On 20/12/2022 at 12:19, tomparryharry said: The current political climate in south Wales is not in favour of coal extraction. Any coal extraction won't be done by the accepted means. Things like headstocks have long disappeared, if only because they are no longer considered safe. having seen the turmoil in south Wales during the 1980's, followed by the (almost) total closure of the coalfield, the populace have moved on, and opinions have hardened. As an historical note, a proportion of the Aberfan Funds were ruthlessly diverted by the NCB; a situation that still rankles heavily today. People might forgive, but they never forget. Prospective coal entrepreneurs would invite rectal examinations with a pitchfork; sterilisation optional. There is (approximately) 4,000 million ton reserves at Cwm Llantwit, but it's not going anywhere soon. Didn't the government eventually repay that amount? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted February 10, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2023 Well, the public records are all available, and online. The Government did indeed repay the money, and topped it up, but only after a fight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium OnTheBranchline Posted February 10, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2023 On 01/11/2022 at 18:07, KingEdwardII said: The really stupid thing is that there is plenty more coal sitting in the ground in South Wales, but the Welsh government is stupidly withholding licences to extract it. Yours, Mike. Coal mining is not currently in vogue in today's environmentalist culture. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsmb Posted February 10, 2023 Share Posted February 10, 2023 On 20/12/2022 at 17:19, tomparryharry said: The current political climate in south Wales is not in favour of coal extraction. Any coal extraction won't be done by the accepted means. Things like headstocks have long disappeared, if only because they are no longer considered safe. having seen the turmoil in south Wales during the 1980's, followed by the (almost) total closure of the coalfield, the populace have moved on, and opinions have hardened. As an historical note, a proportion of the Aberfan Funds were ruthlessly diverted by the NCB; a situation that still rankles heavily today. People might forgive, but they never forget. Prospective coal entrepreneurs would invite rectal examinations with a pitchfork; sterilisation optional. There is (approximately) 4,000 million ton reserves at Cwm Llantwit, but it's not going anywhere soon. also drippy doesnt like anything that is sensible, I cant stand that bloke we need coal 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted February 10, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2023 Just remember folks, that we (unfortunately) stay on the correct side of the discussion, that's all. My opinions of some 'self-servants' is not repeatable, but there we go.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted April 26, 2023 Author Share Posted April 26, 2023 License not extended https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65399546 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted April 26, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 26, 2023 Grr :( Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damo666 Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 On 20/12/2022 at 17:19, tomparryharry said: There is (approximately) 4,000 million ton reserves at Cwm Llantwit, but it's not going anywhere soon. Where is that, near Coedely, (in Rhondda Cynon Taff)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted April 26, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 26, 2023 1 hour ago, Damo666 said: Where is that, near Coedely, (in Rhondda Cynon Taff)? Yes, it's (was) linked to Cwm llantwit. Check the Welsh coal mines web pages. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BachelorBoy Posted April 27, 2023 Share Posted April 27, 2023 ♪ ♫ ♪ ... there's money, lots of money, and security ... ♪ ♫ ♪ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted April 27, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 27, 2023 (edited) Getting a bit off topic but the band Public Service Broadcasting's album Every Valley strings together a series of those old film voice overs, including the one above, set to music and telling the story of the industrial action and decline of mining. Edited April 27, 2023 by Hal Nail 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pheaton Posted April 27, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 27, 2023 12 hours ago, woodenhead said: License not extended https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65399546 TBH with the current rhetoric from the welsh government i think that was inevitable.....remains to be seen however if.....if port talbot remains viable in the long term....if not you have killed one of the remaining major employers in south wales, if does remain viable then...the green credentials take a serious hit after you have imported container ships of coal...from thousands of miles away when it could quite easily have come from 10s of miles away... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted May 19, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 19, 2023 They'll be bulk carriers full of coal, not container ships. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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