help me light my smokeless coal fire

[winterwalks]

Im having problems lighting my smokeless coal fire.
I use twigs/kindling and fire lights and newspaper
All this burns well but when I add the coal the fire gradually dies unless I use nearly a bag of kindling
It is a small Victorian fire place and has been checked by the sweep
Sometimes I use the large easy burn expensive logs from the supermarket - then their is no problem and the coal catches brilliantly
But there must be an easier and cheaper way

I have the same problem. You can get 'ma-made'logs in Homebase called Heatlogs which catch quickly and keep burning for a lng time, but which time the coal has warmed up and then keeps glowing.

I use scrunched up newspaper, kindling, fire-lighters and/or tetrapaks and about 10 lumps of smokeless coke. When it is really going I'll put some more coke on. This works 9 times out of 10.