Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 20th July, 2010)

I agree Brian, we still have plenty coal at our pits, some where just capped, remember that silly woman Thatcher in the 80s. What I would like to know, do we reopen the pits when oil and gas runs out???
As for the train we should still see that at Springs Branch today.
Many thanks Brian.

This is something I feel so very strongly about. There must be millions of tons of the stuff under this country. Surely with all the scientific knowledge about, ways could be found of mining it & using it safely? They prefer to say we are bamkrupt than do anything about it.

Does anyone know what fuel is used today, to fire the power station at Fiddlers Ferry, in Widnes?

Theres a link here john Fiddlers Ferry coal fired.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddlers_Ferry_Power_Station
its only coal dust they use it burns better thanks Brian.

Where's the coal dust from??

I think the coal is crushed to smaller pieces and dust as it burns better when blasted into the furnaces mike as you can see in the wagons I read it somewhere.

I wish the pits would open again i need a sleep

I think Fiddler Ferry uses coal.

The coal is crushed to a very fine dust using huge roller ball bearings and blown into the furnace and ignited. There is coal still gettable for another 150 years that we know of in Lancashire. Parsonage Colliery in Leigh was closed in 1992 and there was enough gas down there to last for ever and ever to give power to the whole of Leigh. The same applies to Parkside Colliery in Newton-le Willows which could have powered Warrington for ever, but they just filled the shafts in and left it there. Using this gas could have saved millions of pounds.

COAL ITS ALL about who makes the money.Never noticed much money around in Wigan even when the coal mines were going full blast,my fatherinlaw worked in the mines and to be quite frank it was poverty street.he have been better of on the dole in assie/or canada

Neil, Are you the one that sleeps on the job.

I believe the foreign coal is instead of money to pay off debts , what will happen when the debts are paid off or the coal runs out.

fidlers ferry power ststion has 4 furnaces, 2 fired on coal dust, and 2 fired on gas.