Mechanical Handling Aspects of the Tilbury Grain Terminal

Abstract

The grain terminal for the Port of London Authority (P.L.A.) began commercial operation in April 1969. It is designed for discharge of ships up to about 45 000 ton dead weight (d.w.) at rates up to a maximum of 2000 ton/h. The installation provides two discharging machines of the marine tower type, 105 000 ton of silo storage capacity and an ability to handle from ships to silo, rail, road, coaster or to adjacent flour mills. It also permits loading out to coaster or barge either by direct trans-shipment or from silo. Many alternative handling routes are provided and a very large degree of remote control has been incorporated. The majority of the routes are capable of handling up to 1000 ton/h over a single conveyor. The marine towers are unique in Europe and probably incorporate a greater degree of sophistication than exists in any similar equipment in the world. This paper describes briefly the background leading to the construction of the terminal and the layout of the whole installation. Some of the more interesting points in the mechanical handling control system employed with particular reference to the marine towers, methods of routing, tripper control and dust suppression are described in detail. Comparisons are made between the installation at Tilbury and the installation at present under construction for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company at Seaforth.