LOTHIANS

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 9th Year

Issue

Issue No.

9

Date Released

May 1956

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1CLAYPIT
2. 2LOTHIANS
3. 3BARN DANCE

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 3

Summary

NoS synopsis: a profile of Scottish Division’s Area 2, showing new methods of cutting and loading now being introduced
NCB Commentary - The Lothians are is one of the expanding coalfields of Britain. First coal that was mined in Scotland - perhaps the first mined in Britain - was worked by the monks of Newcastle Abbey, a few miles to the South-east of Edinburgh.
In 1955, for the first time since Nationalisation, 4 million tons were raised from the Area.
The Lothians supply house and industrial coal to the Edinburgh district. Nearly half a million tons a year go to Portobello Power Station, most efficient in Scotland last year. Over and above this, the Area exports coal to the Border country and to west Scotland.
How are the Lothians planning for the future?
New pits are being sunk - at Monktonhall and Bilston Glen.
There have been complete re-organisation of existing collieries - as at Easthouses - and more are in progress.
A wholesale transfer is taking place to power-loading of coal - machines not only to cut the coal, but to get it away without pick and shovel.
They’re mainly using ploughing systems, and an increasing number of Anderton Shearer Loaders, including the biggest cutting disc yet - a 5-ft. diameter giant.
In one year the amount of coal won in the Area by power-loaders has risen from 3 to 20% of total ouput - and it’s still going up.
Power loading on longwall faces is a revolution which needs another to complete it - in methods of roof support.
Even modern yielding props and cantilever bars are on the way out.
Soon hydraulic, self advancing chocks will follow behind the armoured conveyors, and push them in front of them.
And the roof is allowed to fall in behind - to cave.
The more coal that’s won at the face by new techniques the more efficient must become the methods of getting it out of the pit.
Loco haulage underground, Plate Conveyors, and drop-bottom Minecars are some of the means.
And machine-got coal - with its increased dirt content - calls for more efficient washeries, like this new plant at Dalkeith.
What about men?
A few years back, when it was first understood that the Lothians must be an expanding Area, the idea was to attract labour from the dying coalfields.
But in practice enough recruits come forward locally, mainly young newcomers.
Another thing. Increased efficiency at the face and on haulage means that for the same number of men a larger quantity of coal can be raised.
All the same, there’s a great emphasis on training.
Coal-face training has taken on a new look. Men are being specifically trained in power-loading at the face.
But roof control is the real new job that has to be learned, and learned before the new machines are installed.
There are mechanisation squads, who go in to train the teams who’ll work the new power-loaded faces .
And to help in the installation and maintenance of the intricate power supply systems needed for power loading, instructional courses are being run as refreshers for electricians.
The Lothians Area is only one are in the Scottish coalfield which as a whole is looking forward to an effiecient and productive future. What’s happening in this Area is a signpost to the future prosperity of the whole of Scotland.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 9th April 1956.

Keywords

Industry and manufacture; Mining; Inventions and discoveries; Fuels; Energy resources

Locations

Scotland

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.11 No.123 January 1957, p29.
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board