Expensive coal vs cheap coal

[Victor Vectis]

Not entirely true. There are private mines still producing moderate amounts compared to the old days but still mined and available to buy.

 

Welsh Steam Coal is mined at Ffros y Fran near Merthyr for example.

 

There are few reliable sources of good UK mined Welsh Steam or Anthracite coal and can be expensive quite a lot of coal on the railway also comes from eastern Europe and Russia.

I don't think there are any deep, ie below ground, pits still working.

 

Ffros y Fran is an opencast where the sunshine miners have taken the top off old, underground, workings and are digging up what the old men left behind.

The coal is recognisable as it is very bright and soft. It breaks easily into small bits and dust.

I believe the Chinese have copied it and are exporting it to us

And the last statistic I saw said they were killing 3 or so men per day to produce it. (400 fatalities per year)

 

[churchward]

I don't think there are any deep, ie below ground, pits still working.

 

Ffros y Fran is an opencast where the sunshine miners have taken the top off old, underground, workings and are digging up what the old men left behind.

The coal is recognisable as it is very bright and soft. It breaks easily into small bits and dust.

And the last statistic I saw said they were killing 3 or so men per day to produce it. (400 fatalities per year)

 

Ffros Y Fran is open cast for sure but it makes no difference it is still producing coal in Wales.

 

From what I have seen we didn't do much better with deep mine deaths in the UK. Stats show that over 300 people on average died each year in UK mines 1950-2000 (most likely front loaded to the first 25 years) In the previous 50 years the UK average was over 3000 per year which was around half the total of all work related deaths in the UK average.

 

Deep mining is a dangerous occupation and although we can lament the social change that the disappearance of mining has caused in the UK the risk to life and limb should not be missed.

Edited January 20, 2016 by churchward

[Mrs Trackman]

In Nottingham we have a brilliant coal man who comes from Derbyshire every two weeks in winter. He delivers to the car park at the pub by Sainsbury's {The waterside?} at 9 and Beeston canal side at 9.30 delivering to individual boats then to the queue that forms at the lock. We pay £9 for 25kg of 'Newburn' which suits our stove.

That said, we have found that whatever sort we use, we go for ages with no problem then get a bag which produces masses of ash and the stove chokes very quickly. The worst we ever buy is when we miss the coalman and buy from shops or garages, typically costing the same price for a 10kg bag and getting a lot of ashy rubbish.

[Starcoaster]

I use Homefire Ovals, it's one of the more costly ones but I have a new stove this year so I want to be nice to it. I used to love Stoveglow for a cheap but good coal, til it changed, now I won't use it.

[patty-ann]

hi patty you dont need anthracite small you need doubles, the small will put it out. you can download from rayburn what fuels are suitable. but for the last year mine has been going great, and the fluebox only needs cleaning every couple of months. whereas with the coal the other week it was sooted up in the week. peter

Thanks peter, I do get very muddled over what best to burn..trouble with me is I read so much and then try to work out what's best from the limited availability around me in places like BM's and garden centres. Once I get coal bin it will be easier..well if can get coal merchant to deliver near house.

[peterboat]

Thanks peter, I do get very muddled over what best to burn..trouble with me is I read so much and then try to work out what's best from the limited availability around me in places like BM's and garden centres. Once I get coal bin it will be easier..well if can get coal merchant to deliver near house.

no probs patty, john v has had his rayburn for years and burns the same as me with great success. have a look around at other coalmen mine is very good and so is his anthracite more to the point

[MtB]

The very BEST coal of all though is of course, whatever the coal boat is selling when they arrive - when you've just run out of whatever you bought last time!

[peterboat]

or in my case the cash and carry in donnie when trapped there

[DHutch]

Churchward, as every pit in Wales has now closed, how is Welsh steam coal sourced? Is there still some opencast mining?

 

Miller Argent have an opencast mine at Ffos-y-fran near which is producing good quality welsh coal, mainly for power station consumption, but available from a number of outlets including Andy Holmes which is where we get out coal for the boat from.

 

http://www.the-coalman.co.uk/index.php/products/steam-coals

 

 

Daniel

*Knew I should have read page two before posting! But yes, very plausible welsh steam coal.

[bigcol]

To follow up

 

Was given a bag of Tay bright coal by Pycloud next door neighbour to try.

 

Being baged as economy coal, it certainly is burning hotter, and staying in original lump better and longer

Than the cheap £3.99 brazier, I am using.

 

Will try out, homefire ovals and Phurnacite And Anthracite doubles! Will have to enquire if marina supplier will get this in.

 

But big difference between taybright economy, and the £3.99 brazier/pure glow.

 

Col

Edited January 22, 2016 by bigcol

[Dave_P]

To follow up

 

Was given a bag of Tay bright coal by Pycloud next door neighbour to try.

 

Being baged as economy coal, it certainly is burning hotter, and staying in original lump better and longer

Than the cheap £3.99 brazier, I am using.

 

Will try out, homefire ovals and Phurnacite And Anthracite doubles! Will have to enquire if marina supplier will get this in.

 

But big difference between taybright economy, and the £3.99 brazier/pure glow.

 

Col

Taybrite burns ok, but the ash!!!

[Loafer]

I'm surprised no-one's mentioned StoveGlow. The stuff with the greenish clumping ash.

 

Superb, both in the tiny 'Premier' back-cabin range and a Squirrel up front, with very slow burn capability and lasts for hours.

[patty-ann]

Well Im ok ATM..lovely warm glowing fires and no excess smoke..still need to track down the double anthracite but for now all well.

[bigcol]

Well I've tried homefire ovals,last long time, hardly any ash

Tried taybright burns very hot, ash was a lot,a lot more than homefire ovals

Supertherm. This seems to be a good all rounder, clean big lumps

 

Now I'm trying Anthracite big lumps

Which when opening the bag, not what I expected

And if these ar the big lumps, like to see the small

Will be trying this now for a while

Edited February 12, 2016 by bigcol

[bizzard]

Well I've tried homefire ovals,last long time, hardly any ash

Tried taybright burns very hot, ash was a lot,a lot more than homefire ovals

Supertherm. This seems to be a good all rounder, clean big lumps

 

Now I'm trying Anthracite big lumps

Which when opening the bag, not what I expected

And if these ar the big lumps, like to see the small

Will be trying this now for a while

The sizes of Anthracite lumps in small, medium and large tend to be inconsistent. The small is usually about the size of Brazil nuts, not including the shell.

Excel doesn't leave a great deal of ash.

Edited February 12, 2016 by bizzard

[bizzard]

Well I've tried homefire ovals,last long time, hardly any ash

Tried taybright burns very hot, ash was a lot,a lot more than homefire ovals

Supertherm. This seems to be a good all rounder, clean big lumps

 

Now I'm trying Anthracite big lumps

Which when opening the bag, not what I expected

 

Well I've tried homefire ovals,last long time, hardly any ash

Tried taybright burns very hot, ash was a lot,a lot more than homefire ovals

Supertherm. This seems to be a good all rounder, clean big lumps

 

Now I'm trying Anthracite big lumps

Which when opening the bag, not what I expected

And if these ar the big lumps, like to see the small

Will be trying this now for a

And if these ar the big lumps, like to see the small

Will be trying this now for a while

Well I've tried homefire ovals,last long time, hardly any ash

Tried taybright burns very hot, ash was a lot,a lot more than homefire ovals

Supertherm. This seems to be a good all rounder, clean big lumps

 

Now I'm trying Anthracite big lumps

Which when opening the bag, not what I expected

And if these ar the big lumps, like to see the small

Will be trying this now for a while

Nice lunch, try a little coaleslaw with it.

Edited February 12, 2016 by bizzard

[Dave_P]

The sizes of Anthracite lumps in small, medium and large tend to be inconsistent. The small is usually about the size of Brazil nuts, not including the shell.

Excel doesn't leave a great deal of ash.

Excel leaves less ash than anything bar Calco/Long Beach. Certainly less than Homefire and far far less than Taybrite, Supertherm etc. Presumably because excel is also petrocoke based.