Felling Radio Masts Aka Radio Masts (1960)

M/S of three men walking through the wreck of a large radio mast that has been pulled down by the GPO in a field in Somerton near Yeovil in Somerset. Commentator says the masts are being felled "so that they can be replaced by more attractive ones that will blend more easily with the countryside".
M/Ss and C/Us of two men hammering at the bolts out of the base of a mast so it can be dismantled; and levering out one of the steel girders. Commentator says "Short of using dynamite it was found the simplest method of dismantling them was to physically pull them over - having, of course, first removed a few nuts and bolts!".
Commentator tells us the masts were used for receiving radio telegraph traffic from different parts of the world. M/Ss and C/Us as a man hammers out a bolt on a large metal chain attached to one of the concrete base holders; some large cables for the tractor are carried into the work area; a tractor is seen winding cable onto a drum which pulls the 290 foot mast off balance; L/S as we see the mast falling to the ground.
C/U of a man in a suit standing by the tractor who is beckoning for it to start operating. Good L/S as the second pylon is pulled over; it falls away from us and crashes to the ground; two men watch it go. L/S as we see a group of men walking along the length of the mast; we pan left and down to show the mast has fallen 8 inches from a marker the men had put down, calculated distance of where the tip would fall; C/U showing the marker and top of the mast.
Note: There is a press release from the General Post Office about this operation and a small photo from a newspaper of a mast being felled.
Cuts exist - see other record.
FILM ID:109.12
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