News on Screen

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 6th Year

Issue

Issue No.

8

Date Released

Apr 1953

Stories in this Issue:

• 1. THE BIG PUSH
• 2. TIPTOE
• 3. CUT AND THRUST
• 4. OUT COLD

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: the new British tractor, the Vickers-Rolls-Royce VR 180, on opencast sites.
NCB Commentary - Opencast coal continues to play a big part in our fuel supply. With production running at 200,000 tons a week, men and machines are stretched to the utmost.
Here’s a new arrival on the scene which is helping to speed the pace of production. It’s the new British VR 180 tractor, made by Vickers and powered by Rolls-Royce. A big point in the VR 180’s favour is speed - up to 10 miles an hour in high gear, which leaves the orthodox tractor standing.
At low speeds, there’s plenty of power for any job. The supercharged Rolls-Royce oil engine develops 180 horsepower, and as the driver will tell you, she’s easy to handle. The gearbox - or rather, boxes, because there are two - are just like those in a car or truck, and the whole machine is built on the unit principle for easy servicing.
Another innovation is the articulated suspension. The VR 180 takes any obstacle in her stride, and you can see how the bottom of the track is always in contact with the ground.
The VR 180 is going to be a big dollar saver in the field of civil engineering. Up to now most heavy tractors have been American - this new British job, with its set of matched equipment for all duties, is going to be a powerful new force in the world of earthmoving.

Researcher Comments

BFI sources suggest that this story was filmed from the 13th to the 15th January 1953. Commentary recorded 9 March 1953.

Keywords

Vehicles; Mining; Motor vehicles; Engineering

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

Camera

John Gunn

Director

Leslie Shepard

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Camera

W. Donat