Initially carried by Newcastle keels to ships at the Quayside or downriver; later from staithes and coal drops on the north bank (which up to 1850 required approval from the Corporation even if they weren't in Newcastle) at places like Northumberland Dock (1857), Whitehill Point and Albert Edward Dock (1884).
There was also a set of staithes to the West of the Ouseburn which was linked to the Spittal Tongues Colliery via the Victoria Tunnel.
Using the Spital Tongues Colliery (STC) as an example - the vast majority of coal produced by the pit was sold to London, as was a lot of the coal of Northumberland and Durham. The Tyne made it possible to transport the coal to London and this is why so many staithes could be found on both sides of the river.
This is the staithes for the STC taken from the 1860 1st Edition OS Map :
Strategically the closest point that the STC could have reached the Tyne with its coal was Elswick but the problem with that was that Collier Brigs could not pass under the arches of the Tyne Bridge. Thus Keelmen had to be paid to transport the coal from the West of the Tyne Bridge down to waiting Colliers lower down in the river. This added to the cost of transporting the coal and therefore the STC originally moved its coal on horses and carts passing through Newcastle Town and onto Keels as the Quayside.
This is a drawing from the Newcastle Libraries Archive Collection which shows the old Tyne Bridge and Keels passing underneath it. Drawing courtesy of
http://www.flickr.com/photos/newcastlelibraries/4077574596/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Owing to complaints from the Town Council and residents the STC were forced to find an alternative route for their coal delivery and this is why the Victoria Tunnel was built - coal could then be transported by rail down to the river, onto Keels and then taken down river to the waiting Colliers.
One of the problems at the time was the fact that the river was not being dredged and therefore in the higher reaches was too shallow for Colliers and thus the need for Keels. This was of course overcome by the creation of the Tyne Improvement Commission in 1854.
This is an example of a coal chute which was probably located in the Wallsend area, here coal could be loaded directly into the Collier without any requirement for the Keels - again courtesy of the City Libraries Archive Collection @
http://www.flickr.com/photos/newcastlelibraries/4077627664/sizes/o/in/photostream/
In the River Tyne Official Handbook of 1925 the Tyne Improvement Commission operated coal staithes at:
Whitehill Point - 5 individual staithes
Albert Edward Dock - 2 staithes
Northumberland Dock - 8 staithes (4 owned by the TIC and 4 privately by colleries)
Tyne Dock Staiths (owned by the London and North Eastern Railway Co but operated by the TIC) - 4 staithes
Dunston Staithes (owned by LNER and operated by TIC) - 6 loading berths
West Dunston Staithes (owned by LNER and operated by TIC) - 3 loading berths.
Private staithes on the Tyne in 1925 were:
Harton Staithes - South Shields
Springwell Staithes - Jarrow
Hebburn Colliery Staith - Hebburn
Wallsend Colliery Staith - Wallsend
Seaton Burn Staith - Wallsend
Pelaw Main Staith - Pelaw
Dean Primrose Staiths - Heworth
Felling Staiths - Felling
Low Elswick Staith - Elswick
Elswick Staith - Elswick
Derwenthaugh Staiths - Derwenthaugh
Montague Staithes - Scotswood
Walbotle Staith - Lemington
Throckley Staith - Lemington
Priestman Staith - Blaydon
Stella Staiths - Stella
A couple of scans from the Second Edition 1897 OS map showing Northumberland Dock, Whitehill Point and Albert Edward Dock detailing the extensive railway lines and staiths.
) to make up the numbers. Imagine their surprise when the quirky one was chosen!!
