There can not be many working coal staith outloaders left in working condition around the country, this one is now used for loading 'crushed glass' about 4 times a year from the old Bates Colliery Wharf.

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.

magoonigal wrote: Plastic Bottles are now stockpiled on Site and the Loader is used three to four times a year.

Hi Paul

Thanks for the interesting history, however last time I was there the pile was definatly broken glass, as I was surprised it was allowed so close to housing because of the winds.

Shows how versatile it can be ))

I've certainly seen them load crushed plastic bottles as well, now they did blow all over the place....

CLIFF QUAY at Bates Wharf, probably to load a mixed cargo of crushed glass and plastic bottles.

Photographer unknown

Note the lack of a GATE!

Mind if you did ride through on your bike you had to be carefull you did not get hit by bits of coal dropping from the underside of the conveyor.

Another view of Bates, with the KING NEPTUNE loading. The Handcock Anti-coalbreakers being used again.

Photographer unknown

Yes, you used to be able to walk round to that spot by going under the belts. As long as you were careful nobody used to stop you.

KING NEPTUNE.

Built by Harland and Wolff, Belfast as Yard Number 762 for Dodd, Thomson & Co's King Line Ltd.
Launched 26th January 1928 and Completed on the 17th April 1928.
She was an early Motorship with a 6Cy Engine of 489 NHP by her Builders giving her a speed of 10 knots.

Gross tonnage was 5224 and Under Deck tonnage was 4807.
Dimensions were 400.7 x 54.8 x 27.2 ft.

She was sold in 1957 and became the WING ON, finally being broken up at Kaohsiung, arriving on the 15th August 1968.