Smokeless fuel prices

[Ianws]

I'm a leisure boater and have a stock of fuel at the boat. I also have a stove at home and had been waiting for Aldi smokeless fuel to come into stock again. I know if has its limitations but it does the job I need it to do at home  last year it was £3.99 for 10kg. I saw it in stock for the first time today and it was £6.99. I've also noticed stores wanting at least £8 for a 10kg baby of Blaze. Also, logs are about twice what they where last year. I know coal dealers are cheaper but not by much wherecI live, though it's a better product. I'm not in the market for buying pallet loads. 

 

Has the cost of this fuel really doubled, or more, or are they just riding on the rise in gas/electric/oil and making a killing.?

[Alway Swilby]

£19.50 for 25kg of Excel from NB Dusty today and their prices will be going up soon. The wholesale price of coal is rising because our coal is imported, it might be Russian and the wholesale market will be priced in US dollars. The GB Pound is very low against the US dollar at the moment so this puts our price up. 

[Ianws]

Ouch. I'm guessing you are reliant on a fuel boat. If not, Welsh anthracite might be a way to go, but they are still expensive. A local merchant is doing Excel at £12.70 for 20 kg. The discounts for bulk buying aren't huge. 

[Boaty Jo]

4 hours ago, Ianws said:

Ouch. I'm guessing you are reliant on a fuel boat. If not, Welsh anthracite might be a way to go, but they are still expensive. A local merchant is doing Excel at £12.70 for 20 kg. The discounts for bulk buying aren't huge. 

I'm pretty sure our fire had a specific warning not to use anthracite as it burned very hot and could damage the stove. We had a Morso and a Becton Bunny. Can't just remember but I think the warning related to the Becton (Aarrow).

Worth a check anyway.

[SteveLevis]

..one of the (many) things that has gone up by way more than the 10% headline inflation rate. We are currently paying around £19 for a 25kg bag of the black stuff, least season around £12.50...

[matty40s]

I took the precaution for the first time of buying 40 bags of smokeless at June prices with discount(£14.50 for 25kg). I'm rather glad I did.!!

[jonathanA]

Our house coal has gone from £22 for 50kg £36. Smokeless is a bit cheaper at 32for 50kg that's delivered by the merchant.

[Chris John]

The low £ means anything imported will rise. Inflation now reported at 10% but reality is price rises in shops higher. Cost of Brexit and Tory failure mainly  

Edited October 19, 2022 by Chris John

[Jon57]

50 minutes ago, matty40s said:

I took the precaution for the first time of buying 40 bags of smokeless at June prices with discount(£14.50 for 25kg). I'm rather glad I did.!!

Better than keeping all your money under the mattress. Good fiscal policy. Might be room for you as chancellor before Christmas.😜😜🤣

Excellent only £13 for 25kg up the frozen north.👍

[Cheshire cat]

9 hours ago, Ianws said:

Ouch. I'm guessing you are reliant on a fuel boat. If not, Welsh anthracite might be a way to go, but they are still expensive. A local merchant is doing Excel at £12.70 for 20 kg. The discounts for bulk buying aren't huge. 

I'm sure that someone posted on here that Welsh Anthracite is now consigned to history? Some kind of equipment failure at the mine and not worth repairing given the extraction license expiry date. I noticed at a steam rally in the summer all the traction engines were burning briquettes.

[alan_fincher]

We have often resorted to Wickes when we just need something we can pick up without hassle.

 

However they are now showing Brazier at £10 for a 10Kg bag, or £24 for 3 bags.

 

I'm fairly certain that is about double from when we last bought any.

 

Incidentally they also do Ecoal50 at £11 for a 10Kg bag or £26 for 3 bags - I'd probably close that , as when we have used it it seems to burn better and longer than the non "eco" products.

[magnetman]

Apparently Ffos y Fran open cast mine is closing which means no more Welsh dry steam coal.

 

Heritage railways may be using Ecoal. I wonder if that has an impact on prices. Not sure how much of a consumer they (railways) are but I imagine it adds up.

 

 

[philjw]

I bought 49 bags of Brazier on line from Home Bargains which works out at £5.92 for 10Kg delivered .   The fuel itself is not as good as in previous years. The lumps are bigger and harder to light.

https://www.homebargains.co.uk/products/25412-pallet-of-49-bags-brazier-multipurpose-smokeless-fuel-including-home-delivery.aspx

[bizzard]

I've been stockng up with 10k bags Brazier from Range for the past couple of months. Began at £6.50p a bag now £6.90p a bag. Cheapest around here.

[davidg]

46 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

I'm sure that someone posted on here that Welsh Anthracite is now consigned to history? Some kind of equipment failure at the mine and not worth repairing given the extraction license expiry date. I noticed at a steam rally in the summer all the traction engines were burning briquettes.

Welsh steam coal, not anthracite. The washery/grading plant at Ffos y fran (the last available source of Welsh steam coal) broke down in January and overnight Welsh steam coal was set to disappear*. Tata at Port Talbot bought up the remaining stocks/output as they burn dust so don’t require lump coal. In the summer Ffos y fran had second thoughts and repaired the grading plant, but the price went up from ~£200 per ton to north of £500. At my railway the scramble for alternatives led us through a product which shall remain nameless (I’m a fireman so suffered through that particular experiment) to where we are now, which is using Wildfire at around £350 a ton. We are managing with Wildfire but as the locomotives get a spanking rather than pootling around it is only just sometimes.

 I think anthracite is still being produced in the west of the coalfield (FyF is near Merthyr in the middle where the best steam coal came from, Middle Dyffryn anyone?) and permission has been granted for new anthracite extraction somewhere over there - Onllwyn?

Wildfire uses crushed anthracite as one of its ingredients along with a binding agent (molasses?) and pixie dust. It produces horrible clinker which clogs the grate.

 

*back in the spring a little girl was watching fascinated as I was coaling up so I presented her with a lump of Welsh steam coal saying take a good look at it as it was among the last welsh steam coal she would see. 

[dmr]

I though Wildfire was a petrocoke, containing some oil derived components?  Hence it can burn too hot if care is not taken., but maybe this is what you want.

We are currently using eCoal and as well as half saving the planet its one of the best coals that we have used.

A friend of mine has suggested that steam locos could be fitted with huge imersion heaters run from solar power, along the lines of a fireless loco. This would be no good for the longer high speed lines but is it possible on some of the shorter branch line railways?

[mrsmelly]

12 hours ago, Ianws said:

I'm a leisure boater and have a stock of fuel at the boat. I also have a stove at home and had been waiting for Aldi smokeless fuel to come into stock again. I know if has its limitations but it does the job I need it to do at home  last year it was £3.99 for 10kg. I saw it in stock for the first time today and it was £6.99. I've also noticed stores wanting at least £8 for a 10kg baby of Blaze. Also, logs are about twice what they where last year. I know coal dealers are cheaper but not by much wherecI live, though it's a better product. I'm not in the market for buying pallet loads. 

 

Has the cost of this fuel really doubled, or more, or are they just riding on the rise in gas/electric/oil and making a killing.?

When one fuel goes up because of a genuine increase such as oil due to a war, all the other suppliers will put theirs up wether their costs are greater or not. This week last year I had 500 litres of oil delivered for £ 298 from boiler juice. The same today is £ 484.58 ( Its recently gone down!! ) I use about 2000 litres a year. My next door neighbour says his logs have gone up a lot in price. The trees will have been felled last year, the supplier a one man band with no staff to pay, so in reality his extra expense is delivery because of fuel prices, I wonder if hes just jumping on the band wagon? Supply and demand etc etc.

[peterboat]

2 hours ago, dmr said:

I though Wildfire was a petrocoke, containing some oil derived components?  Hence it can burn too hot if care is not taken., but maybe this is what you want.

We are currently using eCoal and as well as half saving the planet its one of the best coals that we have used.

A friend of mine has suggested that steam locos could be fitted with huge imersion heaters run from solar power, along the lines of a fireless loco. This would be no good for the longer high speed lines but is it possible on some of the shorter branch line railways?

Jayne has a load of ecoal, we bought it last year when it was cheap, for this year I have a load of indian hardwood blocks for her, burns long slow and hot with no smoke, should be enough for the winter between the two. If the press announced electic turn offs happen she will maybe come to the boat its self sufficient for this year without problems

3 hours ago, davidg said:

Welsh steam coal, not anthracite. The washery/grading plant at Ffos y fran (the last available source of Welsh steam coal) broke down in January and overnight Welsh steam coal was set to disappear*. Tata at Port Talbot bought up the remaining stocks/output as they burn dust so don’t require lump coal. In the summer Ffos y fran had second thoughts and repaired the grading plant, but the price went up from ~£200 per ton to north of £500. At my railway the scramble for alternatives led us through a product which shall remain nameless (I’m a fireman so suffered through that particular experiment) to where we are now, which is using Wildfire at around £350 a ton. We are managing with Wildfire but as the locomotives get a spanking rather than pootling around it is only just sometimes.

 I think anthracite is still being produced in the west of the coalfield (FyF is near Merthyr in the middle where the best steam coal came from, Middle Dyffryn anyone?) and permission has been granted for new anthracite extraction somewhere over there - Onllwyn?

Wildfire uses crushed anthracite as one of its ingredients along with a binding agent (molasses?) and pixie dust. It produces horrible clinker which clogs the grate.

 

*back in the spring a little girl was watching fascinated as I was coaling up so I presented her with a lump of Welsh steam coal saying take a good look at it as it was among the last welsh steam coal she would see. 

I was burning welsh anthracite the other week it was small stuff no good for the Rayburn, it falls through the grate rather than burning

[peterboat]

5 hours ago, jonathanA said:

Our house coal has gone from £22 for 50kg £36. Smokeless is a bit cheaper at 32for 50kg that's delivered by the merchant.

I thought house coal is banned? It is according to the internet, unless purchased in large amounts, Tesco were all but giving it away 2.50 for 10 kilo bags friends of mine bought pallets of it as it was so cheap

[Big Bob W]

8 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I thought house coal is banned? It is according to the internet, unless purchased in large amounts, Tesco were all but giving it away 2.50 for 10 kilo bags friends of mine bought pallets of it as it was so cheap

My understanding it's banned from being sold in sealed bags. Our local coal merchants still sells it in the same bags - just left unsealed. Daft.

[Cheshire cat]

I believe unsealed bags ends next May

[peterboat]

16 minutes ago, Big Bob W said:

My understanding it's banned from being sold in sealed bags. Our local coal merchants still sells it in the same bags - just left unsealed. Daft.

You are right barking totally barking 

[mrsmelly]

15 hours ago, Ianws said:

I'm a leisure boater and have a stock of fuel at the boat. I also have a stove at home and had been waiting for Aldi smokeless fuel to come into stock again. I know if has its limitations but it does the job I need it to do at home  last year it was £3.99 for 10kg. I saw it in stock for the first time today and it was £6.99. I've also noticed stores wanting at least £8 for a 10kg baby of Blaze. Also, logs are about twice what they where last year. I know coal dealers are cheaper but not by much wherecI live, though it's a better product. I'm not in the market for buying pallet loads. 

 

Has the cost of this fuel really doubled, or more, or are they just riding on the rise in gas/electric/oil and making a killing.?

£5.99 for 22 lb bags  in Lidl half an hour ago.

[dmr]

43 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

£5.99 for 22 lb bags  in Lidl half an hour ago.

 

I don't believe you, Lidl are German, no way are they going to be selling anything in British lb's  . 😀

[booke23]

I just picked up a 10kg bag of Brazier in store at home bargains for £5.69. I'm going to source some Anthracite next....you can get in in bigger nuggets to stop it falling through the grate.