SANDS OF DEE

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 8th Year

Issue

Issue No.

7

Date Released

Mar 1955

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1LAND OF HIS FATHERS
2. 2SHEARER LOADER
3. 3SANDS OF DEE
4. 4DEEP WATERS

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: point of Ayr reconstruction
NCB Commentary - Point of Ayr Colliery, most northerly in Wales, comes into the headlines as its million pound reconstruction scheme nears completion.
From this colliery on the mouth of the Dee much of the output is loaded on to coastal ships for export to the Isle of Man and Ireland. The new screens are handling the present output of nearly 5,000 tons a week with capacity to spare.
Point of Ayr’s new shaft will go deeper than the existing sinkings and horizons are being driven far out under the sea which will boost output to 6,000 tons. The reorganisation will bring new jobs to many of the present personnel.
Idris Salisbury, in charge of the present 80-year-old steam winding engine, will switch over to electricity in the new power house. To-day he brings up the coal in small tubs. In the new shaft big mine cars will take over the load.
Apart from coal, methane gas has been drained off from Point of Ayr for a long time. The Lancashire boilers at the colliery are partly fired with methane, helped out with coal at times when the underground supply tapers off.
The big new gas-holder to accumulate and store methane gas drained off from the pit will supply the new plant being installed in the recently completed power house. Five 1100 horsepower engines will each generate 750 k.w. of electricity. These machines are a new departure in fuel technology, capable of running on Diesel fuel or on the gas drained from the colliery workings.
As the benefits of the reconstruction scheme make themselves felt and work at Point of Ayr swings into high gear, nearly a quarter more coal will be turned out for the same man-power.
At Point of Ayr the tide of prosperity is coming in again.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 7 February 1955.

Keywords

Buildings and structures; Industry and manufacture; Mining

Locations

Scotland; Ayr

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board