Coal Research Establishment
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The Coal Research Establishment was set up in 1950 by the National Coal Board (NCB) director of research Jacob Bronowski. To investigate alternative technologies to improve the value of the energy produced from burning coal along with completely new methods of using the coal taken from the countries coalfields.
One of the CRE's most notable breakthroughs was a coal Liquefaction process which produced a synthetic oil. Which could be used to power motor engines. However despite rising oil prices's in the 1970's. The process was deemed to expensive it never went beyond the research stage.
The CRE was a pioneer in coal gasification. Initial studies were successfully concluded in the 1950's using coal seams at Newman Spinney, but the the project was abandoned by the NCB for economic reasons. Improved gas control systems and processes developed for the North sea oil and gas fields lead to further research. Which proved the thin deep coal seams found in Britain could be economically exploited for coal gasification.
One of the CRE's major projects in its later years was the pursuit of clean coal which would trap carbon in a usable form that could be exploited in other chemical processes, or as a fuel itself.
In 1987 the National Coal Board was re-named to the British Coal Corporation. Their assets were subsequently privatised after the re-naming.
When the government decided to privatise the coal producing divisions of British Coal in 1994. CRE was left in a difficult position. The newly privatised and in many cases cashed strapped operators, were unable to fund the CRE's research and the government was unwilling to spend public money on supporting the coal industry. Less than a year later the research operations at Stoke Orchard ceased.
The entire front section of the site is now in use as small industrial units and offices. Whilst the rest of the site sits almost untouched from when it closed.
Its an odd site really. Steeped in history and pioneering technology, a lot of which is still visable. Yet at the same time it lacks character.
another thing we were a little disappointed at was the lack of documentation left, most sites tend to leave everything behind but sadly we only found paperwork from a previous company which had rented one of the buildings.
Considering CRE`s past the site is relativley dull and not quite what you would expect.
