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Review 33rd Year No. 10

Between the power station and the coal mine, British Rail runs a coal train service right around the clock

Cinemagazine 1980 10 mins

Overview

From coal mine to power station, British Rail's merry-go-round trains run a round the clock service to ensure the power stays on. The development of the bulk transport of coal by liner train was a roaring success in the story of British Rail - after all, railways were first developed to carry coal way back in the 1800s. The merry-go-round service has only ground to a halt in more recent times, with the closure of the last collieries, as power stations switch over to other sources of fuel.