THE WAFFLER

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 6th Year

Issue

Issue No.

11

Date Released

Jul 1953

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1CIVIL DEFENCE
2. 2THE WAFFLER
3. 3TRAMP’S BALL

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 3

Summary

NoS Summary - new coal-cutters
NCB Commentary - Here at Brockhill Colliery in Notthinghamshire a new system of mechanised mining and power loading is working, and they don’t have to use any explosives.
Down in the Piper seam, a mile and a half from pit bottom, one of the daily shifts moves in to start the job. In the 2 ft. 6 in. coal face, the men first pre-cut the coal with this ordinary cutter fitted with a turret at the end of its jib. As the cutter works its way along the face - it takes 2 1/2 hours to make the complete journey - it cuts into the coal to a depth of 2 ft. 8. When the cutter reaches the end of the face it is turned round in a stable, ready to cut its way back again.
Meanwhile, 20 yards behing the cutter, follows the Waffler. This was a coal cutter, but it now has scoops instead of picks whirling round to load off the coal. Watch how it shoots a steady stream of cut coal onto the conveyor belt. One man shovels the small coal gunnings onto the conveyor.
The Waffler operator kneels on a platform built onto the machine, while his mate goes ahead to clear the way and fix the staker props by which the Waffler hauls itself along.
Wherever the shift stops, the next team of men can take over without further preparation. The adaptation of two everyday machines has cut out hand loading altogether. With the Waffler working on the face, coal production has risen by over a third, from 85 cwt. in the old hand-loading days to 120 cwt. per face-shift. And it’s the kind of machine that can work equally well in many other collieries. The Waffler looks like a machine with a future.

Researcher Comments

BFI sources suggest that this story was researched by Ingham from the 14th to the 16th January 1953. It was filmed from the 9th to the 12th March 1953. Commentary recorded 8 June 1953.

Keywords

Science and technology; Mining; Engineering; Inventions and discoveries

Locations

England; Nottinghamshire

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases
National Film Archive Catalogue
Film User   Vol.8 No.87 January 1954, p32.
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Director

Basil Somner

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Support services

John Ingram

Sponsor

National Coal Board