Another coal fire question

[MtB]

On the Thames our coal fire ash (and that of everyone we know) goes straight into the river. On the cut that seems less acceptable as someone, eventually, has to dredge it all out again.

 

So, who uses an ashbox and who tips it in the cut?

 

If you use an ash box to collect it, where do you get it please? They don't seem widely available. Googling only seems to return millions of fag ash boxes for fixing to the wall outside your pub or office!

[cereal tiller]

On the Thames our coal fire ash (and that of everyone we know) goes straight into the river. On the cut that seems less acceptable as someone, eventually, has to dredge it all out again.

 

So, who uses an ashbox and who tips it in the cut?

 

If you use an ash box to collect it, where do you get it please? They don't seem widely available. Googling only seems to return millions of fag ash boxes for fixing to the wall outside your pub or office!

we dispose of it thoughtfully.

[bizzard]

On the Thames our coal fire ash (and that of everyone we know) goes straight into the river. On the cut that seems less acceptable as someone, eventually, has to dredge it all out again.

 

So, who uses an ashbox and who tips it in the cut?

 

If you use an ash box to collect it, where do you get it please? They don't seem widely available. Googling only seems to return millions of fag ash boxes for fixing to the wall outside your pub or office!

I reckon you'll get as much response on this as the counsel tax topic did.

[Neil2]

Better to cast it amongst the vegetation. Coal ash (not just wood ash) is great fertiliser. My grandad used to grow his tomatoes in it.

[Guest]

Fill in the pot holes on the towpath.

[Rebotco]

On the Thames our coal fire ash (and that of everyone we know) goes straight into the river. On the cut that seems less acceptable as someone, eventually, has to dredge it all out again.

 

So, who uses an ashbox and who tips it in the cut?

 

If you use an ash box to collect it, where do you get it please? They don't seem widely available. Googling only seems to return millions of fag ash boxes for fixing to the wall outside your pub or office!

On the K & A(I think) recently after restoring a lock they were delighted to receive several tons of ash from a local steam train line, which they tipped into the canal against the lock gates. This apparently was the best way to get a watertight seal, and a common practice in the past.

Brian

[Québec]

Ours (and others) goes into the large can provided by the marina owner/farmer.

[bizzard]

Tip it over the stern of your boat and stop your stern gear from leaking in water.Will also temporarily bung up a leaky hull.

[MtB]

we dispose of it thoughtfully.

 

 

In the cut presumably then!

[FrigateCaptain]

Let it cool, bag it and empty said bag in rubbish point

[mrsmelly]

Let it cool, bag it and empty said bag in rubbish point

 

Ditto............It does take a hell of a long time to cool in the bucket though...........

[matty40s]

What would you do with your Ash??

 

I would burn her at the stake, or drag her behind through the coconuts above Brentford.....

Edited November 17, 2011 by matty40s

[tillergirl]

Ash? We take ours for a walk every day!

 

 

 

Next to the cut of course!

[rgreg]

I keep mine in a metal bucket and dispose of it with the general rubbish when cool.

[Smelly]

I keep mine in a metal bucket and dispose of it with the general rubbish when cool.

 

a bucket full of ash about half fills an empty coal sack and at this time with the dewfall it's usually half solid so no dusty action to peeve the binmen!

[GUMPY]

 

If you use an ash box to collect it, where do you get it please?

We use one of these

 

 

for the ash

 

and one of these

 

 

for the coal

 

available from

http://www.tippyash.co.uk/

[Duchess Omnium]

(Cooled) wood ash is fine in the hedgerows or on the garden. Coal ash is not. Coal ash should certainly not be thrown in the canal.

 

Like Idleness, I use a Mr Tippy amd like Smelly and others, I put it in a coal bag and then in the bin.

[carlt]

Down the side of the boat to fill a few seams.

[mark99]

Coal ash is a pollutant containing amongst, other things, arsenic, lead, cadmium etc and should not be put in the water. These chemicals don't break down and build up over time. It's controlled waste.

 

In quanties it silts up the bottom and kills molluscs, fish and invertabrates.

 

 

Coal ash should be placed in garbage.

 

Wood ash is ok for spreading thinly on vegetation as it helps, neutralise acid soil.

 

Putting coal ash in water is not smart, you are directly aiding pollution of the watercourse.

 

Rgds

 

Mark

Edited November 18, 2011 by mark99

[Theo]

What you don't want to do is put it in a bucket to cool in the engine room. A year or two ago someone on here reported that the CO alarm went off. It was the smoldering wood in the ash bucket in the engine room.

 

Nick

[DaveC]

Before the K & A was restored, by most of the locks there was a depression in the ground near the top gates, generally towpath side. This was where the boatmen used to tip their ashes and the lengthmen used to scoop them up - with a bit of soil when there was not much ash - and use them to stop the leaks in the gates.

 

By the eastern end of the Bruce tunnel it was possible to walk across the canal as a result of the railway sgnalmen in Savernake East signal box tipping their fire ash down the bank and staight into the cut. I have actually walked across at that point - wearing wellington boots - and stayed dryfooted. With no boat movements the ash set like concrete.

 

All the above was before restoration of course.

 

Dave

[David Schweizer]

Better to cast it amongst the vegetation. Coal ash (not just wood ash) is great fertiliser. My grandad used to grow his tomatoes in it.

Coal ash will increse the acidity of the soil which is only a good idea on alkaline soils. Whilst it may improve the growth of certain acid loving plants, it is not a good idea to use it on vegetables particularly those with a high water content, as it contains base metals which will be absorbed by the plant. I would not eat many of your grandad's tomates, for fear of contracting arsenic poisoning.

 

The use of coal ash on certain crops in the US caused an major polution scare some years ago after heavy rain caused contamuinated water to run into the river.

[jonathanA]

Cheap alernative is a catering size tin (A10) which is big enough to take a couple of ash pan contents, but small enough to stand on the hearth next to the stove. I also found a metal lid for it which helps keep the dust in a bit. Guess a 2.5L paint tin would be about the same size and would come with a handle and lid

 

Once its cool into the bin for disposal with other rubbish. It does get hot when the hot ash is tipped in so not too bright to stand it on easily damaged/flammable surfaces like carpet or your polished solid oak floor !

[BEngo]

On the Thames our coal fire ash (and that of everyone we know) goes straight into the river. On the cut that seems less acceptable as someone, eventually, has to dredge it all out again.

 

So, who uses an ashbox and who tips it in the cut?

 

If you use an ash box to collect it, where do you get it please? They don't seem widely available. Googling only seems to return millions of fag ash boxes for fixing to the wall outside your pub or office!

 

 

Find a hole/puddle in the towpath and tip it in. Many towpaths were surfaced with ash from factory boilers- it was a good earner for the small carriers as the factories paid for the ash to be removed and the waterway company paid for the ash to be tipped onto towpaths.

 

Try a google for ash caddy. Or have a look in your nearby fires and wood burning stove emporium. Tippy make quite good ones.

 

N

[Chris Pink]

Cheap alernative is a catering size tin (A10) which is big enough to take a couple of ash pan contents, but small enough to stand on the hearth next to the stove. I also found a metal lid for it which helps keep the dust in a bit. Guess a 2.5L paint tin would be about the same size and would come with a handle and lid

 

Once its cool into the bin for disposal with other rubbish. It does get hot when the hot ash is tipped in so not too bright to stand it on easily damaged/flammable surfaces like carpet or your polished solid oak floor !

 

Top tip (and i leave it to you to guess how I know this);

 

Make sure the paint is removed from the tin first.