Coals to Newcastle

More than sad, glassortwo. I am not from a mining family, but live in a former mining area. The power stations were built in or close to the mines and pits to facilitate transportation, often straight from pit to power station on a dedicated rail line. Very eco friendly. Now, as you say, 'Coals to Newcastle' at what cost to the environment, particularly when, with carbon capture, power stations are less polluting.

The really annoying thing though, is that the closure of our own coalfields was based on entirely political considerations. To use another cliche, Thatcher 'took a sledge hammer to crack a nut', destroying whole communities at a stroke. The leaders of the miner's union were not without fault too, putting political objectives before the welfare of their members. One of the worst debacles of the 20th century, whose ripples are still affecting us today.

And, like all the branch lines closed by Beeching, it would cost a fortune for the mines to re open...foreign countries now have us over a barrel when it comes to the things we have to import. So shortsighted. And soon [sorry to be boring about this] we won't be able to make trains in this country either. My son in laws family are from Tyneside with some members of the family still living in the area.

Northumbria water is being sold to a Chinese billionaire,our electricity is owned by the French-at least when our miners were on strike we knew who they were and why it was all happening but all our services now seem to be run by people who can run for the hills with the profits and don't pay any tax

Good point about the tax. Surely all of these services should be non profit making and everything should be ploughed back into the service itself. We just seem to be paying more and more...to the shareholders. Can't the 'powers that be' see this.