News on Screen

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 6th Year

Issue

Issue No.

7

Date Released

Mar 1953

Stories in this Issue:

• 1. KENSINGTON COLLIERY
• 2. COMIN’ ROUND THE MOUNTAIN
• 3. MIGHTY MARIETTA
• 4. REPORT ON RHEUMATISM

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: a new American mining machine installed at Wellesley Colliery, Scotland.
NCB Commentary - From the old to the new. On the surface at Wellesley Colliery, Fife, a 29 1/2 ton monster waits to be put through its paces.
Originally invented in Scotland, this is the business end of the Marietta Miner, now being made in the United States. Some of the Colliery Consultative Committee have come along to see the monster demonstrated. Electric motos drive the hydraulic pumps which give pin point control over every movement.
The two 7 ft. diameter arms at the front will cut concentric circles into the coal and load it away on the built in conveyor. Behind the arms an endless belt of razor sharp picks flails around to square off the road the machine cuts.
In top speed, the Marietta can move forward 15 feet a minute, cutting her own path and spewing out coal or rock into shuttle cars or on to a ground level conveyor. They’re going to take the Marietta underground at Wellesley for experimental work in driving roads. In Mining Review soon we hope to show you how she works in details.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 2 February 1953.

Keywords

Science and technology; Mining; Engineering

Locations

Scotland; Fife

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.8 No.87 January 1954, p32.
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board