Coal merchants near cambridge

[DJW]

Can anyone recommend a good place to buy coal near Cambridge? We're facing our first winter aboard and want to make sure we're well equipped.

 

I've looked in the yellow pages but wondered if anyone had any recommended suppliers they've used before? Taybrite seems to be a popular choice so that'd probably be what I'm after.

[Pie Eater]

Have a look at www.lock13.co.uk/boats for a list of boats selling diesel and coal on the canals.

 

Steve

[DJW]

Thanks steve but no coal/diesel boats in our area that I can see

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi DJW,

 

I'm on the river Cam about 8 miles from Cambridge and I haven't seen a coal boat on these rivers in 5 years of living here. Whereabouts are you, may be able to help via our coal consortium.

 

Roger

[Athy]

Try D. Till in Histon or F. Badcock in Waterbeach. Perhaps they will deliver to your boat as long as they know where it is!

[DJW]

Hi DJW,

 

I'm on the river Cam about 8 miles from Cambridge and I haven't seen a coal boat on these rivers in 5 years of living here. Whereabouts are you, may be able to help via our coal consortium.

 

Roger

 

 

Roger, the boat is in Ely. Not too bothered about getting it delivered - I can collect and we're hardly aboard at the moment so arranging delivery could be tricky

[Bat & Frog]

Have you tried Yell,? if you have no luck you could be cheeky and call The Boat Yard at Ely and ask them, Garth has been known to be knowledgable in the past.

[Liam]

Although we do have a regular supplier of diesel, solid fuel and gas, a couple of weeks ago I placed a large order (1.5 metric tons) of coal from our local coal merchant. As long as it was over a certain amount, there was no delivery charge and it was pretty much delivered right next to the boat. The delivery bloke even helped to stack into the hold which was a big help.

 

I got a very good deal on the price with buying in bulk but it also meant that I could get some much needed ballast loaded onto the boat that isn't wasting space and can be put to use. You can burn coal, you can't burn 45 gallon drums full of water!

 

I would really recommend you looking into this option, as long as you have somewhere to store it.

[Black Ibis]

Roger, the boat is in Ely. Not too bothered about getting it delivered - I can collect and we're hardly aboard at the moment so arranging delivery could be tricky

 

Papworth Solid Fuels: 01366 385741 are based in Ely. Otherwise Mackays in Cambridge sells smokeless coal, or if you are able to get it delivered to you, then Coals2u (www.coals2u.co.uk) delivered with no problems and no extra charge to us in Waterbeach.

Edited November 20, 2009 by Black Ibis

[steve the coal]

Can anyone recommend a good place to buy coal near Cambridge? We're facing our first winter aboard and want to make sure we're well equipped.

 

I've looked in the yellow pages but wondered if anyone had any recommended suppliers they've used before? Taybrite seems to be a popular choice so that'd probably be what I'm after.

hi steve coal at lt/downham we was papworth solid fuels but have started up again we delivery in ely and cambridge

we have a full range of fuels my phone number is 01366 381387 this a downham market number but the yard is near ely

hope this helps you steve the coal

 

Papworth Solid Fuels: 01366 385741 are based in Ely. Otherwise Mackays in Cambridge sells smokeless coal, or if you are able to get it delivered to you, then Coals2u (www.coals2u.co.uk) delivered with no problems and no extra charge to us in Waterbeach.

[bizzard]

Or if your Bishops Stortford way there's Bayfords of Grinstead lane Little Hallingbury,a proper coal merchant,does everything and will deliver to boats near a road 01279 723217.

 

ps They'll deliver far and wide,i know Chelmssford,Hertford sometimes Cambridge ect

Edited February 12, 2012 by bizzard

[ditchcrawler]

One has just joined the forum

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=44594&pid=824741&st=0entry824741

[a.p.now]

bridge boat yard ely i am in ely and thats were i get it from pruty cheep and is good stuff. bit late now tho i gues

[Roger Gunkel]

bridge boat yard ely i am in ely and thats were i get it from pruty cheep and is good stuff. bit late now tho i gues

Anyone anywhere near Upware Marina, which is between Ely and Cambridege on the Cam, is welcome to join our boaters coal consortium. It is just for the personal use of boaters, and we buy at trade price. The cost is shared by the consortium members, and everyone pays for what they want for the whole Winter in one hit. We can sometimes arrange storage for part of the load if necessary. Nobody makes any profit from the consortium and would no longer be able to be a part of it if they attempted to do so.

 

The coal consortium is not connected to the business of Upware Marina in any way and it is for the mutual benefit of the boaters. This Winter saw us order 1300 25kg bags and anyone wanting to join can just PM me. All payments are made before final order is delivered, to allow for late adjustments.

 

Other groups of boaters around the system should quite easily be able to do the same thing if they do not have coal boats in their area and it is quite straight forward to negotiate big discounts for bulk supplies .

 

Roger

[a.p.now]

Anyone anywhere near Upware Marina, which is between Ely and Cambridege on the Cam, is welcome to join our boaters coal consortium. It is just for the personal use of boaters, and we buy at trade price. The cost is shared by the consortium members, and everyone pays for what they want for the whole Winter in one hit. We can sometimes arrange storage for part of the load if necessary. Nobody makes any profit from the consortium and would no longer be able to be a part of it if they attempted to do so.

 

The coal consortium is not connected to the business of Upware Marina in any way and it is for the mutual benefit of the boaters. This Winter saw us order 1300 25kg bags and anyone wanting to join can just PM me. All payments are made before final order is delivered, to allow for late adjustments.

 

Other groups of boaters around the system should quite easily be able to do the same thing if they do not have coal boats in their area and it is quite straight forward to negotiate big discounts for bulk supplies .

 

Roger

 

 

thats grate i shal get in touch when ic sorted my boat out enuf to stor a load for next year.

[Black Ibis]

Anyone anywhere near Upware Marina, which is between Ely and Cambridege on the Cam, is welcome to join our boaters coal consortium. It is just for the personal use of boaters, and we buy at trade price. The cost is shared by the consortium members, and everyone pays for what they want for the whole Winter in one hit. We can sometimes arrange storage for part of the load if necessary. Nobody makes any profit from the consortium and would no longer be able to be a part of it if they attempted to do so.

 

The coal consortium is not connected to the business of Upware Marina in any way and it is for the mutual benefit of the boaters. This Winter saw us order 1300 25kg bags and anyone wanting to join can just PM me. All payments are made before final order is delivered, to allow for late adjustments.

 

Other groups of boaters around the system should quite easily be able to do the same thing if they do not have coal boats in their area and it is quite straight forward to negotiate big discounts for bulk supplies .

 

Roger

 

Will try to get our act together to join in next year. When do you normally put in your order?

[Roger Gunkel]

Will try to get our act together to join in next year. When do you normally put in your order?

I usually start haggling for best prices during June, give the supplier a minimum order quantity in July and pay when they want, which is often not until near delivery time , typically early October. All I need once I have the price sorted is an idea of the number required from consortium members, then we firm that up before payment.

 

Let me know if you want to go on the list and your current contac number and I'll call when I have price details for next Winter.

 

Roger

[Black Ibis]

I usually start haggling for best prices during June, give the supplier a minimum order quantity in July and pay when they want, which is often not until near delivery time , typically early October. All I need once I have the price sorted is an idea of the number required from consortium members, then we firm that up before payment.

 

Let me know if you want to go on the list and your current contac number and I'll call when I have price details for next Winter.

 

Roger

 

 

great. will pm you my details.

[jckm2000]

Anyone anywhere near Upware Marina, which is between Ely and Cambridege on the Cam, is welcome to join our boaters coal consortium. It is just for the personal use of boaters, and we buy at trade price. The cost is shared by the consortium members, and everyone pays for what they want for the whole Winter in one hit. We can sometimes arrange storage for part of the load if necessary. Nobody makes any profit from the consortium and would no longer be able to be a part of it if they attempted to do so.

 

The coal consortium is not connected to the business of Upware Marina in any way and it is for the mutual benefit of the boaters. This Winter saw us order 1300 25kg bags and anyone wanting to join can just PM me. All payments are made before final order is delivered, to allow for late adjustments.

 

Other groups of boaters around the system should quite easily be able to do the same thing if they do not have coal boats in their area and it is quite straight forward to negotiate big discounts for bulk supplies .

 

Roger

 

Hi Roger,

We're currently at Earith but will be moving to Ely shortly, I'd be very interested in joining your consortium to fuel up for next winter.

Cheers,

 

Crispin.

Edited March 23, 2012 by jckm2000

[Sanddancer]

On the move so SOON have you done the boat up so fast.

 

chris

Hi Roger,

We're currently at Earith but will be moving to Ely shortly, I'd be very interested in joining your consortium to fuel up for next winter.

Cheers,

 

Crispin.

 

 

 

[markb]

would there be enough demand for a coal/diesel boat in the Anglian region?

 

Mark.

[Roger Gunkel]

There would probably be potential customers at Cambridge as that probably has the largest number of riverside moored liveaboards, although I am not sure what the Cams conservators and the City council would feel about commercial trading on the river. The other potential problem is that probably the vast majority of boats would be on marina owned moorings and I think that it would be unlikely that marina owners would allow independant commercial trading to their moorers unless they were cut in on the profits, which could make a coal/fuel boat unviable.

 

I'm sure the idea would have supporters but I can see it being difficult to implement.

 

Roger

[markb]

<SNIP>

the vast majority of boats would be on marina owned moorings and I think that it would be unlikely that marina owners would allow independant commercial trading to their moorers unless they were cut in on the profits, which could make a coal/fuel boat unviable.

<SNIP>

 

That's pretty much the conclusion I came to, shame really!

[FadeToScarlet]

There would probably be potential customers at Cambridge as that probably has the largest number of riverside moored liveaboards, although I am not sure what the Cams conservators and the City council would feel about commercial trading on the river. The other potential problem is that probably the vast majority of boats would be on marina owned moorings and I think that it would be unlikely that marina owners would allow independant commercial trading to their moorers unless they were cut in on the profits, which could make a coal/fuel boat unviable.

 

I'm sure the idea would have supporters but I can see it being difficult to implement.

 

Roger

 

I dream of one day doing this. Buying Gosty Hill or similar and doing a route Cambridge-Bedford-Northampton.

[markb]

I dream of one day doing this. Buying Gosty Hill or similar and doing a route Cambridge-Bedford-Northampton.

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one!