Coal

[Michael CallaghanParticipant @michaelcallaghan68621]

Hi all. Yesterday I went to buy some coal from my local coal merchants here in Somerset. Along with the beans I ordered I asked for some house coal. Sorry he said, unless you are a pub we can’t sale it to private individuals anymore. He also stated that in two years they will not be able to sale any type of coal at all to individuals, unless you live in Wales or Scotland.
what effect will this have on our hobby. Is there a work around?

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Work around, go to one of the Steam Loco Preservation clubs, find out where their base is and ask if you can have a few picking off of their coal heap. Take a few photos of your model with you. Worked for me.

Bob

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Look at it as an investment, as I’m sure it will be and buy may be 10 or 20 bags from Signal Fuels. I have 5 bags in the yard now. May well get more just in case.  I can always resell it, might even make a profit. Noel.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

What about “smokeless coal”? Or does the future ban apply to anything with “coal” in its name?

[Michael CallaghanParticipant @michaelcallaghan68621]

Nigel, it looks like anything with coal in its name.

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

The Guidance says that

“Coal suppliers and retailers can continue to sell:

anthracite coal
semi-anthracite coal
low volatile steam coal”

Not being a steam person I have no idea what this might mean for steam raising.

[Nigel Graham 2]

On Nigel Graham 2 Said:

What about “smokeless coal”? Or does the future ban apply to anything with “coal” in its name?

Nigel may be on to something.  Did Michael ask for ‘coal’ and the merchant assumed he needed the dirty old stuff that’s been banned for years in smokeless zones?   A simple misunderstanding.

Smokeless alternatives to coal, including Anthracite, are widely available.  Big long list here of what’s legal.

Incidentally, if steam coal really is being banned, how well do locos run on smokeless fuels?

Dave

[ChrisLHParticipant @chrislh]

In 1830 all the locos at the Rainhill Trials had to run on coke so that they were “smokeless”. This carried on until the invention of the brick arch in loco fireboxes enabled coal firing to be called smokeless although it often wasn’t. But I have no idea if coke is widely available these days.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

A quick check on .gov.uk found this … which clarifies the definition a little:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-solid-fuels-rules-for-local-authorities-in-england#traditional-house-coal

As a non-steam participant, I would venture to suggest that Bituminous Coal  might be inappropriate for use in model boilers anyway !

… So is there really a problem ?

Don’t know … and not knowing, can’t say … but I thought I would just chuck that into the discussion.

MichaelG.

.

[Michael CallaghanParticipant @michaelcallaghan68621]

I was told by the merchant that unless sold to a business like a pub with an open fire, all types of coal are to be banded within three years. Unless again you live in wales or Scotland. This did include anthracite.
like most of the green nonsense, it’s all very silly.

[Hugh Stewart-Smith 1Participant @hughstewart-smith1]

Does anyone remember Nutty Slack, or are you too young to have heard of it? It was inexpensive and composed of coal dust and small lumps of coal. I recall it being delivered by horse and cart in the 1950’s when living in Woodford, to the east of London. It was responsible for the awful London smogs which of course led to smokeless zones.

Hugh                                                                                                          Amadeal Ltd

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

And there was me thinking it was peanuts in hard toffee!!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

You have just got time to build an American loco, they tended to burn wood. Or convert to gas.

[Hugh Stewart-Smith 1]

On Hugh Stewart-Smith 1 Said:

Does anyone remember Nutty Slack, or are you too young to have heard of it? It was inexpensive and composed of coal dust and small lumps of coal. I recall it being delivered by horse and cart in the 1950’s when living in Woodford, to the east of London. It was responsible for the awful London smogs which of course led to smokeless zones.

Hugh                                                                                                          Amadeal Ltd

As in “Don’t go down the mine Dad there’s plenty of slack in your pants”

🥴

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

You have just got time to build an American loco, they tended to burn wood. Or convert to gas.

Clockwork? could always go back to that eco form of propulsion

Hugh

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