West Cumbrian Mine gets go ahead

[muddythefish]

FT is reporting a £200m project in Cumbria to revive deep coal mining in the UK.

West Cumbria Mining plans to extract high value metallurgical — or coking — coal used for steelmaking rather than the cheaper version used in power stations.

It will use existing tunnels at a disused drift mine to access undersea resources off the coast of St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven. Mark Kirkbride, chief executive, said the mine could open by the end of 2019, employ 500 and and have a life of at least 50 years

More pertinent, six trains a day would take the coal to Redcar for shipping overseas or to the UK’s two remaining steelmaking plants at Port Talbot and Scunthorpe.

Time to reopen the west-east curve at Carnforth for trains to travel via Hellifield........or even (tin hat on) the Stainmore line which carried coke trains across the Pennines from Cumbria to Teesside for decades before its closure ?

 

[6Gman]

FT is reporting a £200m project in Cumbria to revive deep coal mining in the UK.

West Cumbria Mining plans to extract high value metallurgical — or coking — coal used for steelmaking rather than the cheaper version used in power stations.

It will use existing tunnels at a disused drift mine to access undersea resources off the coast of St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven. Mark Kirkbride, chief executive, said the mine could open by the end of 2019, employ 500 and and have a life of at least 50 years

More pertinent, six trains a day would take the coal to Redcar for shipping overseas or to the UK’s two remaining steelmaking plants at Port Talbot and Scunthorpe.

Time to reopen the west-east curve at Carnforth for trains to travel via Hellifield........or even (tin hat on) the Stainmore line which carried coke trains across the Pennines from Cumbria to Teesside for decades before its closure ?

Wouldn't it be better coming out via Carlisle?

 

[edwin_m]

Carlisle would be far easier - doesn't need to cross either the WCML on the flat if that curve is stll there, and there's also a conflict-free route across the ECML at Gateshead if it continues via Sunderland. The entire route is on llnes where the passenger trains wouldn't go much faster on average than a 60mph non-stop freight so the capacity penalty would be relatively small. A routeing via Carnforth would involve the challenge of getting through or round Leeds, and even the four-track between York and Northallerton is pretty busy these days.

 

[Ships]

Wouldn't it be better coming out via Carlisle?

Yup it would

 

[randyrippley]

So what route would you use to get it to south Wales?

 

[Spartacus]

I've heard serious rumblings about the curve at Carnforth being reopened, and crossing Whitehall Jn these days isn't anything like the issue it was due to the collapse of Anglo-Scottish coal. That seems the best bet to me if it were to be burnt domestically.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Carlisle would be far easier - doesn't need to cross either the WCML on the flat if that curve is stll there, and there's also a conflict-free route across the ECML at Gateshead if it continues via Sunderland. The entire route is on llnes where the passenger trains wouldn't go much faster on average than a 60mph non-stop freight so the capacity penalty would be relatively small. A routeing via Carnforth would involve the challenge of getting through or round Leeds, and even the four-track between York and Northallerton is pretty busy these days.

Just the restricted gauge clearance and longish single line sections to worry about then ...

 

[gordonthemoron]

Sounds like Haig/Hague pit (can't remember how to spell it despite living in the are for quite a while)

 

[jimm]

I've heard serious rumblings about the curve at Carnforth being reopened, and crossing Whitehall Jn these days isn't anything like the issue it was due to the collapse of Anglo-Scottish coal. That seems the best bet to me if it were to be burnt domestically.

Not going to happen.

There is a detailed brochure about rail aspects of the project - for the site at Haig - included in the planning application.

The company has been talking to Network Rail for the past couple of years about the project, including route upgrades that might be needed on the Cumbrian Coast. A GRIP 2 study has already been done at the request of Cumbria County Council.

Most of the trains would be going to Redcar (28 or 29 per week), with about 5 per week in total to Scunthorpe and Port Talbot once the mine is at full capacity. The aim to open in 2019 and build up production over the next four years.

Planning application links are here - you need to open the Documents tab to see all the paperwork, with the Rail Transport brochure and Grip 2 paperwork part-way down the list.

https://cloud2.atriumsoft.com/ePlanningCMB/loadFullDetails.do?aplId=45792

The rail brochure says the following about routes to be used and the only trains that might go via Carnforth would appear to be those heading to South Wales.

In order to move coal beyond Cumbria to the port of Redcar (for coal export), Scunthorpe and Port Talbot (for coal use in UK steel plants), rail route planning was undertaken to ensure routes are available. The route to Redcar includes use of Bog Junction in Carlisle and the Tyne Valley railway via Tyne Yard, then to Redcar. The route to Scunthorpe is via the Settle and Carlisle line, avoiding Leeds station. The route to Port Talbot includes three variations, involving use of the Settle and Carlisle line, the West Coast Main Line and on to Port Talbot via Cardiff and Bridgend.

West Cumbria Mining's website is at http://www.westcumbriamining.com

 

[DarloRich]

sigh - coke exported via Redcar. Imagine if there was a blast furnace there...................

Good news if commercial extraction in the UK can be made to pay. it isnt like we sit on an island of coal or anything

 

[kylemore]

sigh - coke exported via Redcar. Imagine if there was a blast furnace there...................

Good news if commercial extraction in the UK can be made to pay. it isnt like we sit on an island of coal or anything

Yes but using it is evil and baddd apparently!

 

[DerekC]

Yes but using it is evil and baddd apparently!

Depends what for. You need coke to make steel. It's burning it just to release energy in a power station that's dumb. I bet there's a thread for slagging off green energy somewhere else, though.

 

[HSTEd]

Depends what for. You need coke to make steel. It's burning it just to release energy in a power station that's dumb. I bet there's a thread for slagging off green energy somewhere else, though.

Eh, DRI and EAF type mini-mills are probably the future of steel production, at least outside of ultra massive Chinese zombie-mills.

And direct reduced iron can be made with any carbon source available, increasingly including natural gas.

There is even a hydrogen reduction based plant in Trinidad, albiet supplied with petrochemical derived hydrogen - but still.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Re-opening Haig Colliery would be fantastic news for the Cumbrian Coast line, surely?

It would ensure revenue earning traffic flows for some years, and new jobs in the Whitehaven area.

Unless, of course, it caused subsidence to the track ..... where is this coal anyway - is it out to sea or under the land?

I photographed the colliery railway back in 1970, when it was steam worked. Somewhere I have B&W shot of an industrial 0-6-0ST against the IRish Sea.
And with an incline down to Whitehaven harbour. I remember going into the miners' canteen for breakfast (goodness knows where I slept, in some outbuildings, I guess) and I couldn't understand the serving lady or the local miners - and that's with a dad that comes from Durham.
I think they gave me a free breakfast, 'cos they didn't actually serve outsiders!

 

[ac6000cw]

I think I'm basically with HSTEd on this one.

My impression from watching the US railroad scene over many years is that metallurgical coal is a price sensitive and shrinking market. As West Cumbria Mining say on their website, US met coal is very high quality but export volumes are very variable due to currency fluctuations and worldwide supply and demand changes. Note that West Cumbria Mining in the rail transport part of the planning application suggest that majority of the coal is intended for export (roughly 80% export, 20% UK) so they will be up against the long-established US, Russian and Australian producers.

 

[jimm]

Unless, of course, it caused subsidence to the track ..... where is this coal anyway - is it out to sea or under the land?

Undersea, as stated in the first post of the thread.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

It's not the former Haig Pit proposed to re-open.

Rather it is the drift mine at the back (coast side) of the former Marchon chemical works.

The mine was used to extract Anhydrite for use within the works.

The Marchon chemicals plant was the one with the rope worked incline down to Corckickle station.

 

[jimm]

It's not the former Haig Pit proposed to re-open.

Rather it is the drift mine at the back (coast side) of the former Marchon chemical works.

The mine was used to extract Anhydrite for use within the works.

The Marchon chemicals plant was the one with the rope worked incline down to Corckickle station.

Slightly confusing as Haig is the address given at the top of the application form - may be that the mining company is using it as an office base.

 

[eastdyke]

Slightly confusing as Haig is the address given at the top of the application form - may be that the mining company is using it as an office base.

Indeed the Company is based at the (former) Haig Museum.
For locals or those just passing through there is an open event this coming weekend.
http://www.westcumbriamining.com/

WCM will be hosting three public open days in our offices at Haig Museum:
Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th June 10am-4pm
All members of the public are invited to come along to view the final design plans for the mine and related buildings.

 

[thenorthern]

Carnforth to Settle Junction I think would need to be upgraded as at the moment there are no intermediate signals so its already quite busy. I think Network Rail is going to do it anyway though.

The single line sections between Sellafield and Maryport I think could pose a problem.

 

[muddythefish]

Carnforth to Settle Junction I think would need to be upgraded as at the moment there are no intermediate signals so its already quite busy. I think Network Rail is going to do it anyway though.

The single line sections between Sellafield and Maryport I think could pose a problem.

Is Carnforth to Settle Junction "busy" - really?

 

[thenorthern]

Is Carnforth to Settle Junction "busy" - really?

Its not busy in the sense that there aren't a lot of trains but I think its about 24 miles without a signal and passenger trains need quite a large headway already.

 

[ac6000cw]

But it's double track and the passenger trains take about 45 minutes to run Carnforth to Settle Junction, so you could easily manage 1 tph in each direction without doing anything to the signalling (and the current service is roughly one train every 3 hours, so it's hardly at capacity...)

And overnight there are no timetabled passenger trains, so there is plenty of capacity for freight already.

 

[Ploughman]

And what is the state of the track?
I seem to remember a lot of the line was jointed FB 98lb on timber sleepers more than likely with spikes as well.
May be ok for Pacer / Sprinter type of service with the odd special working but not for regular freight loads.

 

[billio]

And what is the state of the track?
I seem to remember a lot of the line was jointed FB 98lb on timber sleepers more than likely with spikes as well.
May be ok for Pacer / Sprinter type of service with the odd special working but not for regular freight loads.

Upgrading this line might bring in a few more passengers. It is such a contrast, riding smoothly to Settle Junction and then clackety-clack, bang and roll.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

The single line sections between Sellafield and Maryport I think could pose a problem.

As discussed in the GRIP study. OK for four trains per day but for six trains per day (the number expected when fully up and running) the long Maryport section would required two intermediate blocks.

Also depends upon other proposals which may require line capacity such as the new nuke at Sellafield (passenger services) and the Drigg facility.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

And what is the state of the track?
I seem to remember a lot of the line was jointed FB 98lb on timber sleepers more than likely with spikes as well.
May be ok for Pacer / Sprinter type of service with the odd special working but not for regular freight loads.

Again, covered in the GRIP report. OK up to a certain weight / length, but DRS (the authors of the GRIP study) see an opportunity to challenge the Network Rail categorisation i.e. their assessment covers what uses the line now, not what could use it.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Whilst it would be great to see more freight on our railway I'll believe it when I see it. My immediate thought is that if the mine was indeed viable someone else would already be down there extracting coal.

 

[RichmondCommu]

And what is the state of the track?
I seem to remember a lot of the line was jointed FB 98lb on timber sleepers more than likely with spikes as well.
May be ok for Pacer / Sprinter type of service with the odd special working but not for regular freight loads.

This reminds me of all the work that was done to upgrade the S & C to enable coal trains to run. By all accounts the track and infrastructure were in a bad way and millions were invested and yet where have all the trains gone?

 

[najaB]

My immediate thought is that if the mine was indeed viable someone else would already be down there extracting coal.

The price of coking coal has increased significantly over the last few years. It wouldn't have been profitable to operate the mine five or ten years ago, but it is now (and likely will continue to be for the next five to ten years).