EMERGENCY WINDER

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 9th Year

Issue

Issue No.

5

Date Released

Jan 1956

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1ALARM
2. 2EMERGENCY WINDER
3. 3SAFETY BELT
4. 4JAZZ

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: Durham mobile diesel emergency winding gear at Wheatley Hill Colliery.
NCB Commentary - In Britain, with an increasing number of collieries switching over to Electric winding, new emergency equipment is being developed to keep the wheels turning in case of breakdowns in supply.
Here is County Durham, a new mobile diesel electric winder, the first in the country, shows off its paces.
The winder serves collieries anywhere in the division should an emergency arise, and it is claimed, can be set up and working in one hour from the time of its arrival at the pit.
First step is for the mammoth truck carrying the electric generator to tow the winding engine trailer into the exact position. Railway wheels are also fitted to the trailer so that it can be used on colliery sidings if necessary.
The trailer is jacked solidly onto firm ground and can also be locked in position by anchoring rings already positioned at the colliery. Power cables from the generating truck are coupled up to the trailer while steel winding cable is paid out and over a spare wheel on the colliery headstock. On to the free end of the cable goes a hoppit in which men will be wound up and down the shaft.
The control cabin on the winding engine trailer is a miniature of its big brother in the colliery yard,
Shaft men climb into the bucket for the ride down. This self contained equipment contains enough cable to be able to reach pit bottom of any colliery up to 2,000 ft. in depth.

Keywords

Mining; Emergency services

Locations

England; County Durham

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