If anyone has photos of the Camroux fleet (other than the 2 on the site) they will be very welcome, I am in touch with a man who has researched the company's railway wagons and may work up an illustrated fleet list, with permissions of course. There are a few more on the shipbuilding site. CAMROUX III was first reg to Q. M. Camroux & Co. before transferring to Newcastle Coal and Shipping Co. who were the owners of I, II and IV (last one was 1938-1942 only). They were all London registered. I suspect that Camroux owned the Newcastle company but if not, must surely have been the manager and main customer. We know they loaded in Blyth (where else?) and I have reports of discharge at Ipswich and also at Fulham, where the company had a wharf and distribution of coal in the London area. Any further info most welcome!

The company had a small fleet of rail wagons, not sure which collieries they loaded at.

The best Steaming Coal B.T.U. wise was Welsh Anthracite which was shipped all over the World especially by the Admiralty, many a Cargo Ship was sank by the Germans during both Wars carrying Welsh Anthracite to Admiralty Coal Depots, when the G.B. Environmental People got their Act together to reduce "Smog" they brought out "Smoke Charts" which were hung in the Stokeholds.
The Black and White shaded card consisted of a Graph with shaded areas from left to right changing from dense Black to virtually nothing, each section had a time limit on it, for the Fireman operating an Oil Fuel Forced Draught installation keeping within in the times was relatively easy but for the Coal Fired Natural Draught installation sticking to these times for the Fireman was difficult especially when there was no visual aids (Mirror/ Cameras) to check his Funnel smoke density output from his position in the Stokehold.
Never heard of a Chief or Skipper being fined for exceeding the time zones as the Buck stops with them.

There was a bye-law in our ports regarding not emitting excessive or nuisance smoke. I can't recall anyone ever being prosecuted.

I don't ever remember the Middlesbrough Port Authority putting out a "Smelly " Chart no matter where you sailed in the World and entered into a conversation with other Merchant Seamen, when you told them that you were from Middlesbrough they either bring up the 'Robin Hood' the ' Captain Cook' (now being refurbished at great expense and looking for a Landlord) or that God awful smell from Schellies Bone/Hoof/Glue rendering Yard which drifted across Middlesbrough Docks when a S.S.W. was blowing, put you right off your Luncheon it did
The last reminents of the Steel River, Ironopalis, Infant Hercules are fast disappearing including the Coke Ovens which gave our football team the name of "The Smoggies", the lowering of the "Witches Hat" which lit up Teesside at night will be missed by Seafarers who were not sure quite where they were on their Charts especially the Greeks who didn't bother with purchasing such trivial things as Charts

Now that's a smell that I do remember, just across the dock entrance bridge, had to hasten past it to get round the back of OME and onto the tug wharf.

Fortunately George there was an 'antidote' to that awful smell, the other awful smell came from the Dorman Long Chemical Works just on the Northern bank of the river when the Pitch Beds went on fire which was a regular occurrence

They should have bottled some of those old smells and released them at half-time in the Stadium, as a reminder of the past and a lesson in history