Learning on ScreenNEW DRILL
Series
- Series Name
- Mining Review 7th Year
Issue
Story
- Story No. within this Issue
- 2 / 3
- Summary
- NoS synopsis: testing of American Cardox Auger Miner at Hucknall Colliery near Nottingham. Its aim is to win coal below towns without the risk of subsidence
NCB Commentary - Like many of Britain’s cities Nottingham is built on coal. Coal that up to now hasn’t been worked because of the fear of causing subsidence. But to-day at Hucknall Colliery outside the city an American machine is being tried which drills out sections of coal rather like a carpenter’s brace and sugar-bit, which may make it possible to capture some of the coal which has to be left under built-up areas.
The first step in setting up the machine is to connect the 2 ft. diameter cutting head to the hydraulic churck which drives it. The whole machine - called a Cardox Auger Miner - can be tilted and banked at any angle to line it up fair and square against the coal face. Hydraulic jacks lock it into position against the roof and the Auger’s ready to start drilling.
The 25 h.p. motor starts the drill biting into the coal. The holes are drilled a few feet apart to leave a honeycomb of coal standing strong enough to support the roof. Further up the face you can see the holes previously drilled by the machine. When the drill has gone in as far as it can, new sections of scroll are coupled into place. Two men can handle them quite easily. An air-pipe is connected up to blow fresh air through to the back of the hole the machine is drilling. The cut coal cascades out along the curves of the scroll and down on to a conveyor belt.
It’s hoped that this machine will be able to reach much of the coal under British cities and still leave enough to support the buildings on top in safety. - Researcher Comments
- According to bfi records, this story was filmed on the 5th April 1954, with a budget of £178 8s 2d. Commentary recorded 2 June 1954.
- Keywords
- Industry and manufacture; Mining; Inventions and discoveries
- Locations
- England; Nottinghamshire; Hucknall
- Written sources
- British Film Institute Databases Used for Synopsis
Film User Vol.9 No.104 June 1955, p302.
The National Archives COAL 32 /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956
- Credits:
-
- Production Co.
- Documentary Technicians Alliance
- Camera
- Kenneth Reeves
- Sponsor
- National Coal Board
- Director
- Peter Pickering
- Camera
- Wolfgang Suschitzky
Record Stats
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