I wish to get some coal to make wagon loads and also to cover the grotty plastic efforts in loco tenders from the manufacturers. My bro-in-law has gorn and changed to a wood burning stove so that supply route has gone . Can anyone recommend a supplier of reasonably sized packs please?

Find your nearest coal merchant go over with a couple of jam jars and something to scoup the dust up with, you'll probably get it for free or just a pint...

I was going to suggest exactly that. Then I realised my nearest coal merchant is probably in 1982.

Sadly I don't happen to have a Time And Relative Dimension In Space machine and can't even find a coal merchant in the phone books, so a packet looks on the cards.
I think the likes of Peco and Carrs do some

I used the Peco fine grade (PS-330) in most of my wagons and coal bins, plus a few wagons with medium grade (PS-331). It can be crushed to make it finer if required, of course. Seems odd, though, having to pay for something that was thought of as rubbish when I was a kid!

@Newportnobby
Aren't you near a preserved railway? I'm sure I recall posts of you visiting a 12 inches to the scale railway. If so, you can usually ask them if they would mind giving you a lump of coal. I know at my local preserved railway (the NYMR at Goathloand) you can walk round the sheds anyway and pick it up off the floor. You would still have to ask though, otherwise its stealing. Then youve got to crush it, and get it fine enough to be N scale coal.
Which reminds me... I experimented with sand. I used the really fine stuff that is sold as terrarium sand which has often been suggested as ballast. It worked ok for very fine coal found in modern coal wagons, but it needs painting of course. I guess a coarser sand could be used for coal lumps.
Cheers
Kirky

I used sand and a bit of black paint. mixed it all up, don't make it too wet, just enough to cover the sand, then I threw is in a pan and heated it gently on the stove for a few mins to dry it off, stirring it as you go stops it sticking together.

Quote from: kirky on May 10, 2018, 11:49:24 AM
@Newportnobby
Aren't you near a preserved railway? I'm sure I recall posts of you visiting a 12 inches to the scale railway. If so, you can usually ask them if they would mind giving you a lump of coal.

Thanks Kirky,
Many moons ago I used to work in Bridgnorth so was next to the Severn Valley Railway. We have a local one so I'll give them a try............
https://ribblesteam.org.uk

Quote from: cjdodd on May 10, 2018, 12:38:47 PM
I used sand and a bit of black paint. mixed it all up, don't make it too wet, just enough to cover the sand, then I threw is in a pan and heated it gently on the stove for a few mins to dry it off, stirring it as you go stops it sticking together.

Have you got a CCTV in my house? I had that for dinner last night with some oven chips!

A quick look on the net finds coal merchant in,
Rossendale,
Lancaster, (2)
Preston,
Blackburn,
Chorley,
Ormskirk,

http://www.locallife.co.uk/lancashire/coal-merchants-services.asp

there are probably others..

Guess who has a coal burning open fire?  . I could put some in the post for you Mick and if you could wait a week or so, I could post in Enniskillen when I go next Saturday, (post is cheaper in the North - like most things!).

Hi Mick,

Like Roger, I used the Peko medium coal.

When you see pictures of coal or ballast online it is difficult to visualise how it will look on a layout as there is no reference, so here's how the medium grade looks being shovelled.....



All best wishes
Kevin

Thanks all, although Lindi seems to think I'm made of money ( )
@dannyboy That's a very kind offer and I'd like to take you up on it please. I can then vent my spleen on it avec my lumphammer next time I do something wrong/stoopid.

@Newportnobby
PM your address Mick and will sort sumfink out.

I should of thought of that Dannyboy, there' s about a ton and a half sat outside.
Make sure its wrapped well, you don't want visits from plod,  about posting strange substances