Pictures from Drax train action

thecoalhole | 13.06.2008 12:19 | Climate Camp 2008 | Climate Chaos | Sheffield

Protest halts Drax coal train as summer of discontent against coal continues…

Protest halts Drax coal train as summer of discontent against coal continues…

Media - Interviews are available with protestors: call 07944 367755
Photos from the protest at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sitefeed/

Protestors have halted a coal train carrying fuel for Drax power station in Yorkshire, the single biggest source of CO2 in the UK. The protest comes six weeks before the 2008 Camp for Climate Action at Kingsnorth power station - which will also highlight how using coal to supply energy will be a disaster for the planet.

Dressed in white overalls and canary outfits, they used safety signals to stop the train on a bridge overlooking the power station, before climbing on board and dumping coal off onto the tracks.

The train has been stopped on a branch line used exclusively for delivering coal to Drax. Protestors have used a network of climbing ropes to suspend themselves under the bridge from the train - meaning any movement while the protest continues is impossible.

thecoalhole
e-mail: media@thecoalhole.org
Homepage: http://thecoalhole.org

Additions

Today

13.06.2008 15:42

Great show guys! The power station is just across the fields from our school, so we've seen all the rapid response units from the police an everything, they even had the cheek to use our car park!
Not that it makes a difference but I had a row with several teachers who think this is a stupid idea, and i'm pretty sure I got my point across, but some people ar so damn stubborn.
That said I've seen plenty of support as I spread the news, so way to go all of you, wish I was there.

Beth

info on campaign to stop new open cast coal mines in the UK

13.06.2008 17:35

Absolutely brilliant action! For further info: this links in with a new direct action campaign "Leave it in the ground! " to stop the proposed massive new open cast coal mines to open up all over the country.

Actions have started to take place at a new coal mine in Derbyshire and at UK coal headquarters. More are certain to follow. Check out

http://www.leaveitintheground.org.uk and

http://www.earthfirst.org.uk and contact Derby Earth First! (

http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/derby) for how to get involved.

Action reports
Noise Demo at UK Coal headquarters 9 June

http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20879

Mass Trespass at coal mine 26 May

http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20727

well done
Homepage: http://www.leaveitintheground.org.uk

Next public event - noise demo at UK Coal, 14th July

15.06.2008 18:12

Following our last successful noise demo, there's another one on Monday 14th July - details the same as for last, but meeting outside Doncaster train station at 3:30, or outside UK Coal at 4pm.

More details to follow...

Check out our website

make coal history
Homepage: http://leaveitintheground.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

Damn

13.06.2008 13:02

No one told them the wagons have their own unloading chutes below, think you just turn a wheel that releases them, saves shovelling. That said, nice effort!

Nobody

good training

13.06.2008 16:57

fucking beautiful. More of this sort of thing.

chuffed

:-)

13.06.2008 17:11

you nutters! well done!

moose

Respect!

13.06.2008 22:31

Absolutely fucking wicked guys!

its ironic

14.06.2008 00:55

its somewhat ironic that the sort of people protesting against Drax power station burning fossil fuels to generate electricity would probably 22 years ago have been protesting in support of the striking miners.as an ex employee of the NCB/BRITISH COAL i always had in the back of my mind a certain unease about what the industry i worked in was doing to the environment....clean technology allegedly exists in the STATES although no one has yet convinced me that it works.

josh
mail e-mail: premiermaple@hotmail.com

absolutely brilliant

14.06.2008 18:25

SO MUCH RESPECT FOR THESE GUYS!!!!
Attention to the severity of climate change is essential and these people are putting their necks on the line to do so. my hat is firmly off to you and all peaceful, intelligent, empassioned protesters who use direct action. You carried it off with military precision.

To the people who seem to be against this action, i'm baffled to know why you don't see that without people who are willing to break the law to try and improve ours and our grandchildren's lives, we would be a lot worse off than we are.
Please don't slag off the 'criminals' and activists that similarly stood up years ago to create your freedom to sit in your cosy home on the internet on your day off with a computer in front of you. If we all did that we'd have consumed the planet and each other a long time ago. And to the pigeon who doesn't believe CO2 causes climate change, i'm sure Bush would employ you to spread the word for him once he's finished in the white house, provided you can breath the air in Washington.

rant over.
WELL DONE GUYS!
EVERYONE I KNOW AND HAVE TOLD ABOUT THIS THINK YOU ARE AMAZING!

keiros

re: its ironic

16.06.2008 22:55

not really - we can't shut all coal (& nuke) power station tomorrow, for a host of reasons. it's about a just transition, and that includes for miners or power-station employees - meaningful employment and training provided, choices and the other things that go with equal investment in renewable energies - read the news today about the German sector that employs many many, and the British that's tiny, and why.

anti-scab

we need the coal and the jobs

21.06.2008 11:48

coal is not always just burned to produce energy/electricity.it is often used to produce things like plastic/tar/bitchumen and so on.how many wood fired power stations do you think it would take to replace Drax...how do you think the public's (and that includes you) energy requirements are to be met do you think it is right that we have to buy our energy from abroad and pay inflated prices investing in coal again helps make Britain more energy self sufficient.

ex NCB/BRITISH COAL employee