What kind of coal

hughb Sat 19 Dec 2009, 9:00 pm

Hi all
I was going to use the coal that we ues for the house .BUT I have been toled that I must use Welsh coal ?? Question

It is ment to come in a brick form and of a set size. Exclamation

Is this right and if so were can I get some.....

Please

tef 20 Sat 19 Dec 2009, 9:42 pm

Hi Hugh

I cant really say what is the best coal to use as i havent steamed any of my engines yet but i have just ordered some standard steam coal from Andy holmes "The coal man" this is the link to his website http://www.the-coalman.co.uk/products.aspx?sca=3 you will notice he also does welsh steam coal to.

Mark

Julia Sun 20 Dec 2009, 6:08 pm

Black coal is best!

With a larger 4" engine I burn what ever I am given at a rally. It is not practical for me to take my own coal. Over the season I have had all sorts. Even if a bag says Steam Coal on the packet you don't know what it like until you get a fire box full of it. The worst sort of coal burns with lots of smoke, produces little heat, and stops burning soon after it stops giving off smoke oh and produces lots of ash. Many of the house coals are like this. A good coal burns with little or no smoke and carries on producing heat for a long time. ie you have a glowing bed of coal in your fire box. It will have plenty of life, and when the engine is worked, the fire bed will go from orange towards white hot. As to size I like bigger lumps as long as they will fit through the fire hole.

Given the right technique many of the poor steaming coals can be made to preform and I find part of the challenge is to find the right technique for the coal. If it is really bad it might need some decent coal mixed with it.

Since a 2" engine uses much less you have the luxury of being able to carry your own coal. I have always found the coal supplied by signal fuels excellent and he grades it so you can get the largest size that will fit though the door. When I had a 2" engine I used to pick up a few bags at the Midlands exhibition. Opinions wary on Anthracite but I have used it in all my engines with excellent results. No smoke and plenty of heat. Apart from being smokeless the other plus for Anthracite is that it is available from your local coal merchant and is graded into size and is consistent. The case against is that it burns hotter and your grate may not last as long. You need to be careful how you light Anthracite, it is harder to get going than house coal, and be careful what you mix with it to avoid clinker.

I have mentioned size a bit as it is an issue when it don't fit in the engine. Most steam coal we get at rallies is ungraded and the worst I have had is a bag containing two very large lumps. You always need to have a hammer handy to adjust the size of the coal. Some coal splits easily and others can be a real pain.

Finally if the rally coal is bad I leave it behind, if it is excellent I carry the surplus home.

highpressure Sun 20 Dec 2009, 8:08 pm

I always used Stovesse anthracite from my loacl merchant for my Maxitrak 3" engine I owned to keep the smoke and ash and deposits in the tubes to a minimum but this year having the bigger 4" engine I have used whatever I have been given. I now have 14 bags of the stuff here which I am burning in the workshop as some of it is not so good for the engine. Personally I like a little smoke to create atmosphere but I'm not so sure about the nieghbours, I cant stand stuff that looks like your burning road tar.