Shows collector of sand or sea coal by horse drawn cart.

Commercial Sea Coal collecting using old army vehicles. The coal is gathered, taken to a yard where sand and other items are removed and it is then sold on to coal fired power stations. Sea Coalers gather their 'crop' up into piles and stick their shovels or something else in it to deter any of their rivals from stealing it.

HHT&N 823

Commercial Sea Coal collecting using old army vehicles. The coal is gathered, taken to a yard where sand and other items are removed and it is then sold on to coal fired power stations.

HHT&N 822

Sea coal is still washed up on the beaches around the town, in particular around Middleton although today gatherers can be seen with tractors and 4x4 vehicles. Although the Durham pits are long since closed, the residue of years of mining is still apparent.

This image shows how important the business was in the past, as to many people in difficult times it was the main source of fuel. Burning seacoal was something of a hazard as it regularly spat out of the fire !

HHT&N 845

Sea coal lorry parked on West View industrial estate. Reeds Corrugated cases to the right. Old army vehicles were used to colect the coal util tachographs were introduced when most sea coalers went over to Landrover Pickups.

HHT&N 688

Sea coal lorry parked on West View industrial estate. Old army vehicles were used to colect the coal util tachographs were introduced when most sea coalers went over to Landrover Pickups.

HHT&N 668

Collecting sea coal from the beach in 1888. This became big business in the 1970s using lorries and four track vehicles and is still carried out on a smaller scale today.

View of sea coal yard where the coal was washed then sent on to Power Stations. The Lord Clyde PH on the right hand side.