News on Screen

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 11th Year

Issue

Issue No.

4

Date Released

Dec 1957

Stories in this Issue:

• 1. PIER DRILL
• 2. MODEL MAN
• 3. OUT FOR A SPIN
• 4. SEA CHANGE

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: experimental bore-hole tests coal reserves 1,000 feet down under the River Tyne
NCB Commentary - Tynemouth Pier is playing an unexpected part in the expansion of the Durham coal field.
Hard by the lighthouse at the pier’s end, Ronnie Lisle and Bill Dunn operate a drilling rig set up on behald of the Coal Board.
Their purpose, supervised by local rubber-necks, is to drill an experimental bore hole one thousand feet down into the river bed, prospecting for coal.
At the time this story was filmed, the drilling crew had gone down 150 feet and had already passed one 18 inch seam of coal.
What is the purpose of this operation? From Tynemouth pier it’s a two mile stretch across the water to Westhoe Colliery.
This is a reconstructed pit, still in the process of expansion. Mining engineers want to know how far the coal reserves extend under the river bed.
While Westhoe waits for the answer, new Kope winding gear is being installed.
Soon a vastly increased tonnage will flow from this colliery.
Many of the mining engineer’s calculations will depend on the findings of the lonely drilling crew a mile and a half out on the pier.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 4th November 1957.

Keywords

Mining; Exploration and explorers; Energy resources

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.12 No.138 April 1958, p168.
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board