DIGGING DEEP

Series

Series Name: Mining Review 4th Year

Issue

Issue No.

Date Released

Aug 1951

Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 4

Summary

BFI Summary - shaft sinking in Lancashire.
BFI synopsis: Lady Balfour, wife of the Scottish Division’s chairman, cuts the first sod for two new shafts at Kinneil Colliery near Bo’ness.
NCB Commentary - Kinneil Colliery, near Bo’ness, greats Lday Balfour, wife of the Scottish Division’s chairman. She’s come to start the sinking of two new shafts to tap the 50 million ton coal reserves lying deep beneath the Firth of Forth. Her speech is heard by distinguished visitors as well as by local miners and their families who turned out in force. One young visitor had a good try at stealing the show. But nobody stole the shovel - the traditional silver-plated job - and the first cut was well and truly made.
All over the country, as the drive goes on for increased production and the tapping of new seams, men are working deep down sinking shafts and driving levels. When these pictures were taken in Lancashire they were 750 feet down, with over a third as much again to go.
Now the same job is under way at Kinneil, as the first bucket swings down. Get cracking, fellows, you’ve got 3,000 feet to dig, and the finishing date’s 1960.

Researcher Comments

bfi sources suggest that this story was filmed on the 25th June 1951. Commentary recorded 6 July 1951.

Keywords

Mining; Ceremonies

Locations