28th June 2010

I thought a few words of explanation about the Seaham Harbour Coal Drops would be of interest to readers of this blog – to perhaps make sense of why we’re making a big fuss about them!

Below: This photograph by Frank Atkinson was taken at the point of the drops being prepared for removal. Frank recognised their value and importance and whilst there was nowhere for them to be displayed, initiated their rescue. Such action showed the need for a museum like Beamish and the dismantling and recovery of the drops would make a book in themselves! The view is taken looking South, across the South Dock at Seaham. If you look at Google earth you can identify the stone headland upon which they were built, not to be confused with the North Dock, which is earlier and smaller. In this view the deck and track upon which the chaldrons would reach the cradle has been removed, giving a clear view of the beam.

Frank commissioned this model and it serves well to explain how the drops work. At Seaham the harbour is against a series of cliffs, so the height was available for the drops, but also a problem in causing breakage of coal. As a result, William Chapman (1749 – 1832) a noted engineer, patented (in 1807) a means of ‘Putting coal on board ships, lighters and other vessels so as to prevent breakage’. In 1820 Chapman became engineer to the Londonderry family who owned a number of collieries around Seaham and were developing a harbour there. John Buddle was chief viewer for the Londonderry family (essentially their engineer) and he oversaw a lot of the Seaham Harbour works – dying in 1843. It is therefore possible that these two initiated the construction of the forerunner of these drops – originally a timber construction but later, perhaps in the 1845 – 1850 period, upgrading these to iron construction.

Below: A chaldron arrives on the top of the drops and is positioned onto the cradle.

Below: Lowering the cradle by means of gravity, speed being controlled by a band brake running over the brake wheel, concealed within the structure.

Below: A view without the boat, to make the whole thing a little clearer. The chaldron would discharge through its bottom door, the brake holding everything in place. The now lighter chaldron would rise once the drops brake was released, counterweights fitted to the rear of the beams ensuring it will rise.