Cost of solid fuel

[Retardedrocker]

I've recently been converted from Taybrite to Supertherm.

 

I pay £8.90 for 20kg delivered by water (when it's not frozen.)

 

Cheers,

T.

[pearley]

Which boatyard in Tottenham, please? I'm not far from there.

South Island Marina at Ponders End. Diesel as well but price a bit out of date now. Very helpful boatyard when repairing my exhaust.

[Richard10002]

£8.20 - £8.50 for 20kg of Excel from either Stretford Marine, or Liam coal boat.

 

Nice to have it delivered, but the marina is a nice short trip to get some boating in in the winter.

[monkeyhanger]

 

About 100 miles from you as the crow flies in Norton Canes

A bit too far for me to travel, I'm afraid. Thanks, anyway.

South Island Marina at Ponders End. Diesel as well but price a bit out of date now. Very helpful boatyard when repairing my exhaust.

Yes, of course, I wasn't thinking! I know the people there. Thanks very much.

[b0atman]

Interesting that knock on effect of petrol and diesel may reduce price of other fuels .

So Calor dropping ?

Bags of coal price dropping ?

Maybe marina electric price Nah

[Liam]

Excel (the most popular I stock) is £8.20 for 20Kg, supplied direct to your boat from the good ship Ariel. This works out at £10.25 for those of you who normally deal with 25Kg bags.

[floatsyourboat]

£17.90 for 50 kg of Supertherm loose.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

 

About 100 miles from you as the crow flies in Norton Canes

Whereabouts in Norton Canes are you getting it? I've been looking for Excel since I got to Brum but all I've been able to find has been Multifuel and Blaze from B & M. I Googled for the coal merchants out at Norton Canes but on the Street Level photos they just looked like private houses. Are you getting it at the boatyards?

[madcat]

Let me know when you find out. I've tried some of the others but Exel is my favourite.

[MarkHez]

I personally still think the coal boats are a better bargain, all things considered

 

Some of us don't have much choice - no coal boats on the Lancaster canal!

[sarahavfc]

Sabcat keeps his boat at our yard in Norton Canes. We just tend to sell Excel at £10 to our moorers. If you wanted to buy a quantity I could arrange to get some in for you.

[Liam]

What about John Jackson on coal boat Roach ?

 

http://www.coalboat.co.uk

[madcat]

Thanks Sarah , Might just take you up on that , what quantity ?

[Nightwatch]

We have tried, Stoveglow. Okay, smells,very smokey funny ash in the pan.

 

We have tried, Excel. Good price,£10.20. Burnt well. Average ash.

 

We are currently trying Supertherm. Bought from Midland in Braunston, £11.50 (25 k bag). Burns well, stays in good over night like the others, but with vents virtually shut, just the top one open 3/4 turn bottom 1/4 turn. Seems more ash.

 

In summary, I have no idea which is best. On price the excel, the others very similar.

 

I would prefer to buy from a passing boat,no question, unless it's too good a price from land based.

 

Martyn

[Wanderer Vagabond]

Sabcat keeps his boat at our yard in Norton Canes. We just tend to sell Excel at £10 to our moorers. If you wanted to buy a quantity I could arrange to get some in for you.

Thanks for the info, I'm only tending to buy half a dozen bags at a time so I'll look out for the coalboat Roach. I think he has been offline for a bit for a paint job or something but from his blog he seems to be underway again (I may be completely wrong on that but his blog shows a gap for December 2014 and I haven't seen him since I got here!).

Edited January 23, 2015 by Wanderer Vagabond

[bigcol]

Col, Home bargains and B & M home store in Bletchley both sell 10 kilo bags of smokeless nuts at £3.99. Its not bad stuff.

Thanks for this Yep they are going to be my next stop

10kg bags are easier for us to use.

 

 

When was out and about, you can't beat the service recieved from the 2 coal boats we used.

Was well chuffed with boat suppliers.

 

Col

Edited January 23, 2015 by bigcol

[alan_fincher]

Just make sure you check bag size when comparing prices. Many coal merchants only sell 20kg bags as opposed to coal boats and canalside sellers who sell 25kg bags.

 

I paid £10.50 last month off a coal boat in Cheshire.

 

If that was Brian on Alton, then, unless he has switched back again, he told me a while back all his bags are 20Kg not 25Kg, (less damage to their back, I believe!).

 

In the South our coal boats currently seem to still do the larger 25Kg size.

 

As an aside Wickes are still doing a 3 bags for price of 2 bags on Homefire in 10Kg bags, giving 30Kg at £12, so equivalent to £8 for 20Kg or £10 for 25Kg, which seems a fair price. I have been quite impressed with the Homefire, which seems to stay in lumps in the bag better than most, and hence there is not lots of powdered dust as a bag comes to the end.

[frangar]

If that was Brian on Alton, then, unless he has switched back again, he told me a while back all his bags are 20Kg not 25Kg, (less damage to their back, I believe!).

 

In the South our coal boats currently seem to still do the larger 25Kg size.

 

As an aside Wickes are still doing a 3 bags for price of 2 bags on Homefire in 10Kg bags, giving 30Kg at £12, so equivalent to £8 for 20Kg or £10 for 25Kg, which seems a fair price. I have been quite impressed with the Homefire, which seems to stay in lumps in the bag better than most, and hence there is not lots of powdered dust as a bag comes to the end.

I have been using the wickes home fire...and you can get it delivered for free if you spend over £50.

 

It comes from a distribution centre using a pall ex type courier..and next day...all was good for me apart from the taillift being broken on the truck which meant hand balling 300kg!

It's one of the cheapest suppliers I have found around leicestershire.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[matty40s]

I settled for Excel over the last few years after trying taybrite, supertherm and others.

It is easier to keep in for long periods without attending to it, and doesn't quite produce as much ash as the others.

 

However, after trying a bag off Towcester of Winterblaze just before Christmas- I have changed.

1/2 the ash of the others, stays in for longer (was away from Friday lunch to Monday lunch last weekend and the ash was still warm to the touch when I returned to boat) and yes, it's cheaper. Although it states not suitable for smoke control areas - once it's got burning, it is smokeless.

[Liam]

I paid £10.50 last month off a coal boat in Cheshire.

 

This would have probably been from John Jackson on Roach who supplies 25Kg bags.

 

Brian and Ann Marie on Alton supplies 20Kg bags like myself.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Liam

[onionbargee]

Col, Home bargains and B & M home store in Bletchley both sell 10 kilo bags of smokeless nuts at £3.99. Its not bad stuff.

Both been sold out of smokeless for a while now.

[Emerald Fox]

Does anyone have any experience of KG Smith's 'Anthracite Large Nuts' in yellow 25kg bags?

 

Also, as everyone is giving "glowing" reports on the fuel boats, I hope everyone here is slipping them a five-Pound tip on top of purchases? It's a tough and dirty job, and probably not much fun in the rain and cold.

http://www.coal-merchant.co.uk/images/products/59_Anthracite_grains_-_1_x_25_kg_Bag.jpg

[onionbargee]

Just burnt 5 bags of that same Anthracite.

 

It needs more air than manufactured nuts, you can't close it right down or it will go out. Keep it going at a steady rate. Very little ash. But otherwise good stuff. If you mix in a few ovals its better.

 

The picture shows grains, forget burning that in a stove, its boiler fuel.

Edited January 25, 2015 by onionbargee