	Norwood Coking Plant	Index	Norwood Coking Plant

Norwood Coking Plant

Location:	Dunston 2 miles [3 km] SSW of Newcastle
Map Ref:	(Sheet 88) NZ238611, 54° 56' 38" N, 1° 37' 42" W
Opened:
Closed:
Output:	1961 - Coke. (260,000 tons)
	1964 - Coke. (253,000 tons)
	1965 - Coke.
	1972 - Coke.
	1979 - Coke.
	1980 - Coke.
	1981 - Coke.
Employment:	1961 - 330
	1964 - 294

Description

The plant consists of 66 Simon-Carves underjet silica ovens (20½ mean width) completed in 1947. The 130 ovens which the new battery replaced were dismantled, but the old by-product plant was retained and partially renovated. Renewals of this section of the plant are now in band.

At a coking time of 29½ hours the plant has a throughput of 330,000 tons of coal per annum formerly washed at the coking plant. Since 1960, coal from the Morrison washery has been carbonised.

In order to reduce maintenance and labour costs, it is proposed to modify the coal handling plant and utilize four existing 500 ton bunkers for coal blending in place of a number of small brick drainage bunkers.

Crushed coke breeze is added to the coal and all large coke, amounting to 80% of the total coke produced, is sold for foundry purposes and there is a landsale depot for domestic and industrial coke.

6 million cubic feet of unpurified gas are sold daily to the Northern Gas Board and a new gasholder and compressor have been installed to reduce the loss of gas at oven reversals. Crude benzole is sent to the Board’s refineries and tar is distilled by Ness and the Northern Gas Board.

When the existing battery was built, new gas coolers, steam exhausters and an extra boiler were installed. The old sulphate of ammonia plant was replaced in 1964 by a concentrated liquor plant and improvements to the benzole recovery plant have been made.

Steam is raised in four Lancashire boilers fitted with mechanical stokers and also equipped for firing with gas or tar fuels. Three of these boilers have been renewed.

Two test ovens, a test room for coke heating appliances, and the Divisional Sampling House are located at Norwood.

Coking Plants, 1964

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None found.

Names of those killed at this colliery

No names found.

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Norwood Coking Plant

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Norwood Coking Plant

Gallery Images:

Credits

Sources:

1965 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1972 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1979 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1980 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1981 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
NCB - Coal Products Division, Northern Region: Details of Coking and Briquetting Plants, June 1964
NCB - Durham Division: Details of Coking and Ancillary Plants, January 1961

Pictures:

Picture from NCB Information Booklet