by magoonigal » Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:31 am
In 1934, The Cowpen Coal Company established a new berth for Shipping Coal from Bates Colliery and this berth helped Blyth become Europe's biggest coal Port in 1961 when shipments reached a peak of 6,889,317 Tons.
In 1990 shipments were still running at 500,000 tonnes so it was decided to Upgrade the Bates Facility at a cost of £2.6 m .
At the time Coal was supplied from Widdrington, Butterwell and Wardley disposal points via a Rail Link to a stockpile on the site of the Old Bates Pit.
Trains hauling 36 wagons unload on the move and a full train can be unloaded in 21 minutes via Bottom Doors. The coal is then transferred via a conveyer and 'Didcot Tube' to a stockpile to await shipping.
Ship Loading at a rate of 1,200 tonnes an hour can be achived using Mechanical Shovels to transfer coal from the stockpile to the loading hopper and belts.
Vessels of up to 20,000 tonnes could be accommodated and the Lord Hinton and Sister's were regular callers for some time. The Official opening was performed by the Minister of State for Transport, Roger Greeman on the25th July 1991. As the Coal Fired Stations closed down the Terminal was used less and less and eventually the Rail link was taken up. Any export Coal now comes in by road.
Plastic Bottles are now stockpiled on Site and the Loader is used three to four times a year.
Paul Hood. + WSS Tyneside Branch Hon Sec.