FOuR YEARS ON

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 9th Year

Issue

Issue No.

8

Date Released

Apr 1956

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Tip-tilt
2. 2FOuR YEARS ON
3. 3PINT FOR PINT
4. 4KEN JONES

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: progress at the new Kinneil Colliery, Scotland
NCB Commentary - Around Bo’ness, on the brink of the Firth of Forth, the land covers shallow seams of coal which have been exhausted, by many old pits.
Coal working has been arried out in this locality for hundreds of years.
Typical of the older collieries is Furnace Yard pit, near Kinneil House on the hill, often visited by James Watt of Steam Engine fame.
4 years ago, in Mining Review, we showed the first steps in the establishment of a bold new enterprise to drive down and reach the rich 75 million ton reserves of coking coal, which lie deep below the channel of the Firth.
Today, these early plans approach completion in the striking headgear of the new Kinneil colliery rearing 180 feet skywards.
Up top inside the towering No. 1 shaft, German designed Koepe balanced winding equipment is being fitted into place.
Here the 20 ton roto of a D. C. motor is being pressed into its shaft by hydraulic jacks.
German engineers work together with Scots on its delicate installation.
This is part of the 20 ft. diameter main Koepe pully. 7 1/2 tons of steel sails through the air, to be brought down on to its matching half. Acetylene burners are used to heat-press the locking rings which secure it to the shaft.
The stator for the winding motor is slung down into place. The power behind the Koepe winding system, the motor will wind 29 ton loads from the 930 yard level when Kinneil swings into production at the end of this year.
On a job of this size there’s a multitude of equipment to be installed, checked and double checked.
140 feet below the winding room is the car hall, where mine cars will be decked and their loads tipped.
Operations in the Car Hall will be under the control of only two men.
down on ground level 400 2-ton capacity mine cars are stacked before they are sent down the shaft, with the locomotives that will haul them.
In the background is No. 2 man winding shaft. Again a Koepe shaft, the winding house is ground mounted and already complete, comprises the first twin rope Koepe winder to be installed in Great Britain.
The 400 tons an hour coal preparation plant is rapidly taking shape too. In the newly built offices mining agent Ovens, engineer Dalrymple and manager Hunter check over plans and progress. Their’s is a big job. When Kinneil starts winding, at the end of 1956, it will be their task to build up output to the 3,000 tons a day figure. Under them will be 1,500 men to bring to life one of the most forward looking coal producing units in the reconstructed and expanding Scottish Coalfield.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 5th March 1956.

Keywords

Industry and manufacture; Mining; Fuels; Energy resources

Locations

Scotland

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board