I wouldn't normally create an individual report for a small part of a much larger site, but a fair bit of Ferrybridge C has been covered so there's no point in repeating all that. That is, with the exception of the barge tippler. It's quite a unique structure, unlike other tipplers which can be found around the world, as they usually incorporate a lock and drain the water before tipping the barge. This is the only one in existence that I'm aware of (please correct me if I'm wrong) that actually lifts barges out of the water in order to tip them.
The barge tippler viewed from the River Aire
Ferrybridge received the majority of its coal from the nearby Kellingley Colliery, transported on barges along the Aire & Calder canal, via Knottingley and then through Ferrybridge lock. A 2,000 MW station requires a lot of coal, which usually takes a long time to unload. It was announced in October 1964 that at Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power Station a coal discharging installation was to be built to raise and tip 210 ton barges in just nine minutes. Coal would be delivered in trains of three compartment boats, propelled by a powerful tug.
A Cawood Hargreaves barge train approaching Ferrybridge
The barge tippler was a large unloading hoist which raised the boats 12m above water level, discharging the coal into an elevated receiving hopper which fed the conveyor system leading to the power station. By this means an unloading rate of 1,000 tons per hour was achieved.
The system was designed by Strachan and Henshaw Ltd., of Bristol. On arrival at Ferrybridge, the barge trains were led into a channel approaching the unloader. At this stage they were taken in by a marshalling system and the tug moved away downstream to collect awaiting empty trains. After being re-assembled into a train, empty boats were taken back to Kellingley Colliery.
A fully loaded barge train passes an empty boat heading back to Kellingley
The manufacturers claimed that this system of water-borne transportation and handling could make a considerable contribution to industrial efficiency. The use of a tippler enabled barge carriage to compete favourably with, and be independent of, all other forms of transport wherever there is reasonable water access from the supplier to the customer.
After much research had been undertaken into the Ferrybridge installation, the Railway Board attempted to make out a case for delivery of coal to the power station by rail. The CEGB was convinced of the striking superiority of the barge system, which was able to go ahead as planned.
Use of the barge tippler was discontinued in the late 1990s when a new rail delivery system was installed, and all deliveries were made by either rail or truck from then on.
My parking space for the day, below the marshalling winch house
View along the marshalling channel
Lifing gear above the channel
Looking up into the tippler
Inside the tippler we can see the structure that supports the barge during a lift, and the hoppers on the left that receive the tipped coal
Another angle inside
Behind the hoppers, with a huge stop-bar across the top
View down into the hoppers from the floor above
The main winding house at the top of the structure
North winch drum
South winch drum and David Brown gearbox
View down the winch house
Rear of the winches
Motor generator - A 3.3kV motor coupled to a 460V DC generator to supply the winch motor
Down at the bottom we find a paddle feeder and the remains of the conveyors that would have transferred the coal to the stacks or power station
Conveyors to the power station
View from marshalling winch house clearly showing the lifting bed
Marshalling tow system
Entrance to the barge channel
Sampling control booth
Buttons!
One final view from the Aire on my way home
The barge tippler viewed from the River Aire
Ferrybridge received the majority of its coal from the nearby Kellingley Colliery, transported on barges along the Aire & Calder canal, via Knottingley and then through Ferrybridge lock. A 2,000 MW station requires a lot of coal, which usually takes a long time to unload. It was announced in October 1964 that at Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power Station a coal discharging installation was to be built to raise and tip 210 ton barges in just nine minutes. Coal would be delivered in trains of three compartment boats, propelled by a powerful tug.
A Cawood Hargreaves barge train approaching Ferrybridge
The barge tippler was a large unloading hoist which raised the boats 12m above water level, discharging the coal into an elevated receiving hopper which fed the conveyor system leading to the power station. By this means an unloading rate of 1,000 tons per hour was achieved.
The system was designed by Strachan and Henshaw Ltd., of Bristol. On arrival at Ferrybridge, the barge trains were led into a channel approaching the unloader. At this stage they were taken in by a marshalling system and the tug moved away downstream to collect awaiting empty trains. After being re-assembled into a train, empty boats were taken back to Kellingley Colliery.
A fully loaded barge train passes an empty boat heading back to Kellingley
The manufacturers claimed that this system of water-borne transportation and handling could make a considerable contribution to industrial efficiency. The use of a tippler enabled barge carriage to compete favourably with, and be independent of, all other forms of transport wherever there is reasonable water access from the supplier to the customer.
After much research had been undertaken into the Ferrybridge installation, the Railway Board attempted to make out a case for delivery of coal to the power station by rail. The CEGB was convinced of the striking superiority of the barge system, which was able to go ahead as planned.
Use of the barge tippler was discontinued in the late 1990s when a new rail delivery system was installed, and all deliveries were made by either rail or truck from then on.
My parking space for the day, below the marshalling winch house
View along the marshalling channel
Lifing gear above the channel
Looking up into the tippler
Inside the tippler we can see the structure that supports the barge during a lift, and the hoppers on the left that receive the tipped coal
Another angle inside
Behind the hoppers, with a huge stop-bar across the top
View down into the hoppers from the floor above
The main winding house at the top of the structure
North winch drum
South winch drum and David Brown gearbox
View down the winch house
Rear of the winches
Motor generator - A 3.3kV motor coupled to a 460V DC generator to supply the winch motor
Down at the bottom we find a paddle feeder and the remains of the conveyors that would have transferred the coal to the stacks or power station
Conveyors to the power station
View from marshalling winch house clearly showing the lifting bed
Marshalling tow system
Entrance to the barge channel
Sampling control booth
Buttons!
One final view from the Aire on my way home
Last edited:
