Sustainability

Figures here

https://assets.publishing.service.g...m/uploads/attachment_data/file/729412/Ch2.pdf

There is still about 500000 tonnes of coal used annually for domestic uses in the UK compared with 15000 tonnes by heritage railways

None it seems used in aviation.

 

The coal-fired aeroplane was not something that took off...badoom-tish

 

I thought the significant risk was not total lack of coal though, but whether it would continue to be available in the large lumps we need. That production is supported to a degree by the use of household coal; if the Government is successful in phasing that out as is their declared strategy, then in may no longer be economical to continue to produce (or import) it in lump form for the sake of a few tens of thousands of tons per year.

Tom

 

Thing is why arent we allowed to mine coal small scale although there is vast amounts still left in our country one of the oldest forms of fuel even romans mined it out of bell pits to heat their hyper courses and roman baths so even why cant we still exploit it on a small scale cos some industries depend on it still. And as 4 air pollution i still think motor cars are the main contributors toward climate change cos its nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide what comes off them and other harmful gases. Compared to the days of when every village in britain burned house coal and steam locos were in every corner of britain and textile mills steel mills bellowing out loads of sulpher dioxide in the 19th and 20th centuries not half as bad now how much we burn coal compared to in the industrial revolution in the world then.

 

Gas balloons used to use the 'first cut' of town gas where available, as it was much cheaper than hydrogen, although didnt have as much lift. Some gasworks even had areas set aside for balloonists to take off.

 

coal under threat
http://www.ntet.co.uk/news/detail/d...BIhYszla6zbFq-PGRnY-qL_8u1kDK7wrAldrbzXb7B4uw

 

I believe certain categories of solid fuel stoves/heaters are also in DEFRA's gunsights. Initially, at least, I'd imagine action would take the form of, if not an outright ban on new sales, progressively more crippling taxation. This latter seems more likly, as it has been HMG's usual m.o. (at the very least) since steam lorries were taxed off the roads many moons ago.

Our little corner of the world isn't the only place where the movers and shakers (and their flunkies in the 'news' industry) really need to get up to speed on the whole hydrocarbons issue. Wait till it all hits the fan over gas supplies. My guess? .... not more than 5 years, tops.

 

Well another nail in the coffin 4 us as ive just seen on look north yorks and lincs at 6:30pm tonights news cottham power station closing due to rising costs 4 sustainability to keep it open more like some1 in the goverments hell bent on ruining the coal industry my opinion with been a yorkshire lad when coal mining round the west riding was rife and alot of villagers round here earned their keep mining coal.

 

As with MellishR I quite agree Sheff. I well remember the Ffestinog collecting and burning old sump oil in their fleet. As with your suggestion with regards to biomass, I was making a similar suggestion as to the potentials of using cooking oil.......

 

The Grand Canyon Railway in Arizona has been using used cooking oil on their steam locos for several years now.
Ray.

 

Taken from the latest edition of Todays Railways - Europe.
Posted without comment.

Cheers, Neil

 

If the cost of coal reported is correct, it makes an interesting comparison with UK prices. Even without the tax, it does seem high when compared to UK prices, even for imported coal.

 

I wonder if that price is affected by the transport logistics of getting coal to the railway - I don't know what the logistics would be in that particular case, but France is a big country and that particular railway is a long way from - well, anywhere really, and in mountainous country. So they may be paying relatively heavily for transport.

Tom

 

Could well be. Coal prices do vary in the UK due to leading costs.

 

The Vivarais is only an hour South of Lyon, France's second-largest city, on good roads. Ironically it's even closer (in distance terms but perhaps not in time) to the former Loire coal mining basin around St Etienne.