Hi John,
Always interested in hearing about your coal firing tests. I have never
tried either Signal Fuels or Dr Klinker yet. I have been using my small
stock of Anthracite sent from the UK. for special run occasions.
But most recently have been using some California coal discovered and
collected and passed on to me by Steve Shyvers a local fellow steamer in
the Bay Area here. It is a softer coal and looks much duller than
anthracite. It burns cooler than anthracite (which is renowned for high
heat, efficiency, but also brings higher firebox/boiler stress's).
This softer California coal burns faster but very clean, leaves a very
fine sandy coloured ash particles, as opposed to white ash, but with only
two-three larger clinkers after a 45 minute running time. Needs more
frequent re-stoking, but if long term boiler stress's are less, I do not
mind the extra "work". Why run at 1,000 degr. when 750 will do?.
I have no idea as to the original origin of Steve's find. Apparently he
lives near some disused abandoned
railway cutting.
Currently running my Britannia and Dan Leberwitz's U1 on same formula,
and working well.
Regards,
Tony D.
>Hello All,
>
>For over 5 years now I have been tying different coal samples in my
>Shawe JACK. Finally I have coal which is the eaqual of the coal that
>came with JACK in 1996. John Shawe told me at Diamondhead 2002 that
>Signal Fuels coal was supposed to be the same as the Dr. Klinkerr coal
>from N. Hollywood and gave me a sample to compare.
>
>I tried coal from a 20 kg bag bought in 1999 and had marginal success
>since the fire developed clinkers and reqired lots of raking to keep air
>going through the firebed. Steam generation was marginal and really
>caused excessive work for the fireman along with clinkers fouling the
>lower tubes. During my 1999 Wales trip and visiting 13 RR's nobody was
>using Welsh coal because of poor quality and were forced to use Polish
>Coal which clinked a lot and smelled bad. At this time I was told that
>all Wesh coal mines were shut down except one remaining shallow one
>which was on strike!
>
>In 2000 I was passing through N. Hollywood and bought a second bag of
>bean size and left it unopened.
>
>In February 2002 I took samples from the two bags and broke them with
>Visegrips to pass through 1/2 in. holes and ridded the dust with 1/8 in.
>holes. The 2000 coal looked the same as the Signal coal, but in bright
>sunlight the 1999 coal had a greenish sheen.
>
>Firing Trials:
>
>9 scoops of horticultural charcoal soaked in meths with strong blower
>and lighting the 9th scoop. After bed all aglow, 3 scoops of coal, R,
>Center and L. Continue this coaling as each layer lights.
>
>Signal and 2000 coal had identical properties with easy lighting, even
>colored firebed and clean white ash -- excellent!
>
>1999 coal was harder to light, had dark spots in the firebed, had some
>clinking and rquired raking frequently to ensure air to the firebed with
>marginal steaming -- great coal to make things challenging for the
>fireman!
>
>The Dr. Klinker coal was labeled WELSH DRY STEAM COAL - FERN FUELS. In
>the June 2001 Natioal Geographic on Wales, the deep Tower Colliery has
>been re-opened after the miners bought it from the government using
>their severance pay after it's closure in 1994, making it the only deep
>mine operating -- best stock up on the good stuff if avalable!
>
>I still welcome coal samples to to try in my quest for good coal. I
>have many coal stories, but won't bore you any further.
>
>All the best, John Coughran, 310-318-1547, 1525-A Artesia Blvd,
>Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-7160, USA
>
