Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Wingham - yes Andrew there were railway lines lines from the East Kent Railway (that ran from Shepherdswell to Richborough) to Wingham and I beleive that there are some buildings at Grain Harvesters that were for the anticipated mines. Also I think Hammill Brickworks were for another possible attempt at coal.
Imagine the landscape of East Kent if they came to fruition !!
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
So there we go, Whitfield is sitting on a coal reserve! The potential economic value of the green belt in this area seems to place Kent high on the agenda for future energy resources.
The increasing costs of imports of gas weigh down on the British economy, and North Sea gas is evidently running out. Something to bear in mind.
If a coal mine is used to extract gas following Gary's technology, then the gas could be used to generate electricity too.
This would imply a whole set of facilities, as well as supply routes to transport gas and electricity as far as London!
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Alex, please look again at the diagram Gary posted, you will perhaps notice a wee electric power generation plant on it.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
That completes the puzzle, Peter. We'll have coal. gas, electricity, electric trains and buses, a rail link to Marine Station.....
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
I still want to run my offshore opencast mining idea past Boris Johnson.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
along with an airport hub.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Plans were drawn up, for 27 pits, 1 giant Steelworks and either modernising the docks at Richborough or building new docks north of Sandown Castle at Deal. Jim can fill in more details about those plans and more info can be found on
http://doverdc.co.uk/kentcoal/intro.asp
If all of these plans had come to fruition, how would that have changed our towns and villages, how would it have changed our communities and our history and today, how much more devastating would losing it all, have been?
Alex.
Follow the link below for more info on UCG, it also includes differences between it and fracking, quite a long read but very interesting and should answer all your questions.
Paul.
Talks are underway to restore some of the track but I don't have much info, at this time. I can say that EKR are very excited about restoring another Engine that was used in mining, you will have to visit them to get more info on that. View their History Page to see full track layout in Kent.
http://www.eastkentrailway.co.uk/"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Having read the link, it seems UGC is in the initial phases of development.
Perhaps in 10 years it may be less of a theory. Until then, at any rate, we should keep Dover District as an energy reserve area, of vital strategic importance to Britain's economy.
Worth mentioning to the War Office
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Alex.
It won't belong to us in 10 years time.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
When the oil stops the public will be saying what bright spark shut the pits!
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Keith.
Betteshanger will never open as a colliery, ever.
Apart from the shafts being filled in, the nearest coal to the shaft, was about a twenty minute train ride away.
Our coal was specialist coking coal used in steal works and foundries, tests are still being made to see how it could be used in the future, but I personally, cannot ever see it being mined in the same method as our miners had used over the last 100 years.
But if it did, it would not be via a shaft near Betteshanger.
More like Ripple, Oxney Bottom or St.Margarets Bay area would be my best guess.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
Hi Gary
The shafts wore filled in not destroyed, you effectively have an intact concrete shaft with modem sinking machine it woodent be to difficult to get to 1500 feet
And a 20 minute travel time underground is not to bad
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Keith,
With today's technology there would be no need for shafts or trains.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
When the oil stops, the public would be asking what bright spark built a T2 at Western Docks for road-traffic and not rail.
Apart from that, I guess the Government has ear-marked Kent's coal reserves just in case oil does stop sooner than previously thought.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
The complete lack of a 20 year energy policy and privatisation of the energy sector will cum back on all us big time
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
keith
(not another one lol)
your right keith ref pits
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Keith's.
I have been saying for a long time that it is not "if" but "when" will our coal reserves will be needed again.
The problem remains the same, the short sightedness of this government means our coal stocks will not belong to us when we need it most.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
like most things gary sadly
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS