National Coal Board 1975 Training Film For New Miners (NCB)

[@GateKommand]

I remember watching this film 40 years ago when I started my training!

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Bet that bought back memories then :)

[@daviddrummerrichards2724]

Yes I remember the film and that guys voice

[@paularkell5589]

I now have so much respect for my Dad who did this for 50 years

[@kevinbird9194]

I was a mining craft apprentice and statedin 1979 at moorgreen training centre. I remember this video very well. Great memories

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Glad you enjoyed :)

[@briansaiditsoitmustbetrue4206]

Good video... My late dad worked at Kellingley in the 1960's and 1970's. He would have loved this video as well.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@briansaiditsoitmustbetrue4206]

@@UKAbandonedMineExplores When he worked at Kellingley it had high-tec machinery .. They used fast spinning blades to cut the coal off the wall and the coal could be mined quickly and many tons could be collected at the same time.. I suspect the vast majority of this coal mined here would have went to power the now closed Ferrybridge Power Station Kind regards Brian Our UK Career politicians want wind-powered this and plug in cars etc etc.. The sad thing is our dumb "Career politicians" here in the UK don't understand that the pollution from coal mining from China and India also effects the climate and the UK closing all of it's coal mining and running it's cars on electric will have a LESS than 1% Effect on the global climate change.. These career politicians we vote into power come and go and they grind the country further and further down into the ground... Then they vanish off into the sunset with all their millions, It makes my blood boil. Just look at the way they have handled the COVID-19 outbreak ..Shocking!

[@andrewbriggs6083]

Welcome old friends, I was an app elec from Brodsworth colliery S,yorks in 75. I am too sad to have seen it all dissappear.

[@yauwohn]

I started my elec apprenticeship with the NCB in 1964 and remember this training film well , it and many others were shown to us during our first year of training, as well as safety films when we attended advanced apprentice training at the training centre.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

yauwohn Ahh, must bring back a lot of memories to see this again.

[@yauwohn]

@@UKAbandonedMineExplores I've seen it before, plus others that are on KZbin. I might add, I think the haulage chain had been phased out by 1975 in favour of the much safer rack and pinion haulage. Haulage chains breaking were no fun, highly dangerous too.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Yes, bit of tension on them, bet they could whip around when that was released.

[@0ldw3lshm4n]

@@yauwohn we were using haulage chains after 1975 I only started in 1979

[@malbrake3313]

yauwohn, did you get to see Isolate & Check ? I have Winning The Coal and 40 other NCB films on 16mm. I did my electrical apprenticeship from 1969 on

[@jacklav1]

I went for a guided tour round the 1980s coal mine replica at the Scottish Mining Museum near Loanhead (can’t recommend it enough). The guy said that the area unsupported behind the mining face might not collapse for several shifts, building up the tension. Each shift would ask the others coming up ‘has it gone yet?’. A job that must involve incredible care and trust.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Yes, there are videos on KZbin of them collapsing worked areas, scary stuff.

[@pauldegnan1982]

I can't comprehend what that must have been like? Imagine starting a job and that was your training video! Holy shit that's terrifying! Those guys were a different breed...

[@johncaven8170]

They are showing the best places

[@adrianparker-e9f]

@@johncaven8170 I was wondering how many men became miners because their dad etc, were miners, and how many came to it without any connection ? ( as far as knowing what goes on before they started )

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Many of them were from mining families and so would have been aware that mining was dangerous.

[@admiralcraddock464]

I remember back in the early seventies regularly seeing adverts for trainee coal miners in the Daily Mirror saying it was a well paid job with a future. The best job to have in the future is one making candles, ad we're going to n ed them

[@seansands424]

Remember seeing jobs in the mines on the tele in the early 70s

[@garethdavies2538]

I remember those adverts in boys comics in the 1950's. "Coal Mining, A Career With A Future." Catch then young was the principle!

[@lordcaptainvonthrust3rd]

Fantastic archive find Thanks for sharing 👍

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Your welcome :)

[@tonyhorsfield3821]

Not just the coal they lost it's the apprenticeship training from all the different underground trades which was largely regarded as one of the best in the country.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

True :(

[@pizzamad3334]

keep voting left wing and you get nothing!

[@davidmaclean2239]

I saw this film when I started as a mining craft apprentice in 1975 at the Barony Colliery in Ayrshire. 20:12

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

I bet this bought back memories :)

[@bobsbits8562]

Fantastic film. Thank you for sharing

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Your welcome :)

[@bigteno4597]

I was a fitter and remember working on all the featuredmining equipment.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

I bet you have a few tales to tell :)

[@bigteno4597]

@@UKAbandonedMineExplores On yes! Some of the things that happened coupled with some of the stories some of the old boys would tell made it a fascinating experience for a young fellow. I miss those times. Take care Dr Paul.

[@davidclark1952]

If you came across someone laying down 9 times out of ten it was a fitter lol used to say that was the first thing they were taught

[@bigteno4597]

@davidclark1952 not on the panels I worked on! Every shift something broke. When you got a minute it was great but as I said something happened every shift.

[@davidmccabe3054]

Interesting to hear it was the nationalisation that modernised the mines and improved efficiency. Politicians are never done telling us privatisation makes things more effective. I guess the problem is nobody can get filthy rich from a nationalised industry.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

That is true!

[@danyalullah5856]

well considering the industrys now extinct

[@Conquer..-]

Samme is happening in India, Current Government is doing privatisation of all Nationalised ( Government handled) mines.

[@BlackRose-vi2yg]

I don't know about that just look at British Leyland

[@bluebukkitdev8069]

@@danyalullah5856 It's really not at all

[@carltonholmes8061]

How very interesting. I have talked to some Ex Coal Miners in my last job and found it interesting too. 😊

[@Bobt98]

We went down a local coal mine in Derbyshire when they were actually coaling we helped to move the big jacks forward after a cut as they moved forward there was a low rumble and a cloud of dust came as the roof collapsed behind a bit scary fair play to the men who did this everyday

[@AndrewBooth-q8j]

Nice film, takes me back to my 22.5 years as an electrician for NCB then British Coal. Didn't realise how much I missed the camaraderie and friends I made there😢

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Yea, guys I know said they hated it, but would go right back :)

[@Nalski2007]

Thanks, very informative. My Dad was an ironstone miner and later worked for British Steel making pit arches.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

You’re welcome, you may enjoy the series where we are looking for the underground Blacksmith’s shop as that is in a huge ironstone mine :). More ironstone videos to come too.

[@kipper.northernmonkey4505]

I don't think I blinked...as good as your last one like this..it just makes me more gutted I'll never see one in action 😭

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

There is actually a working private colliery near Alston that takes tours down from tome to time.

[@malbrake3313]

I have this one (plus a quite a few more) on 16mm film. Most of my collection was saved from a skip. I am a former mining electrician

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Yep, I have quite a few 16mm stuff from the second world war I rescued that was being sent to a skip.

[@bobsbits8562]

Please share more films . Thank you

[@martincowling6562]

Will always remember the true experience of a deep coal mine as it was my favorite interest when growing up as my Dad as a shafts man working 7 days a week down the pit, and watching video by the NCB, Then NUM of telling kids not to play on pit tops, now all this spectacular industry has gone, as life will never be or feel the same again, kids today don't even know what a coalmine looks like, or a piece of coal, UK in it day employed over 3 MILLON miners as it was a job for life, as to the best year of 1984-85 when everyone got out and met up in pubs and social clubs in the strike, as I remember that year big style when in my days of going up playing on the streets, still can't take our memories away and dignity that the men works in dangerous conditions, now they blame everything on coal because of this rubbish of climate change, haven't seen life these people,

[@MattyEngland]

Really interesting film. Cheers for the upload.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Welcome :)

[@neilfurby555]

Fantastic video, made in the days that coal was not a dirty word!

[@PunkRockOilOi]

My late Grandfather was a coal miner starting when he was 15 in late 40s just near end of the war before and after the pits were nationalised at Little Mill and the Killick pits in Ayrshire Scotland .

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

It was a hard life but lots of friends for life made down them.

[@PunkRockOilOi]

@UKAbandonedMineExplores Aye it's a shame they are all gone I did time in the open cast had good times

[@allenhanley2359]

Took part in an NCB training film in 1964 at Norton Colliery in Stoke on Trent. Only ever saw the finished film once and always wondered what happened to it. I know it was used at the Kemball traing centre for a number of years but after that, no idea.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

This is the only one I’ve seen so far, and this was after quite a bit of work on it as it was in a right state

[@sheilawalker7190]

Amazing

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@SaranganiBob]

I started in the pits In Australia in 1962 when I was 19y/o as a clipper changing the coal skips from one steel rope to another and on Friday afternoon I'd go get the pit ponies and take them to the surface for the weekend. It was only in 1977 about the time I got my Deputies ticket that there was a big push to wear safety glasses at all places on the minesite and deputies were less popular for enforcing the mine managers rules.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Yes, I bet yhere was a lot of initial pushback.

[@5thnorth]

King Coal, I'll be back.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Hopefully not ;)

[@sharmanbullimore2113]

@@UKAbandonedMineExplores hopefully not ? Why

[@kevjones3632]

Saw this in 78 at moorgreen training centre

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Bet that brings back memories :)

[@philglover2973]

I did my training at Kemble in heroncross in Stoke on Trent happy days 😅😊 all gone now 😊😅😢

[@davidbostock4145]

Same here Phil in 1963. I’m 77 tomorrow, no better men than miners.

[@philglover2973]

@@davidbostock4145 happy birthday to you sir have a great day

[@philglover2973]

Hope you have a great birthday 🎂🎂

[@davidbostock7326]

Cheers Phil

[@windymiller6908]

I was working underground around this time. No serious accidents but was off work for 6 weeks with, of all things, a nasty dose of bacterial jaundice thanks to having worked for a week in a district infested with mice!

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Oh, not nice.

[@windymiller6908]

@@UKAbandonedMineExplores Not nice at all...I lost almost 2 stone in weight. I hated those meeces to pieces!

[@scifidesign2]

I work on the factory floor. Have to admit these men had guts. I couldn't do it.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

No, nor I, I know a guy who did it, says working conditions were bad.

[@philglover2973]

@@UKAbandonedMineExplores the job had to be done 👍

[@billmmckelvie5188]

Just to think nine years after this video the start of the NCB reduction or whatever else you want to call it started!

[@eliotreader8220]

how was lump bituminous (steam coal) dug up for the heritage steam market exactly?

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Sorry, don't know the answer to that.

[@dedgeroo4665]

Only certain types of coal were suitable for steam customers. The cobbles would have been screened out depending on size, calorific value, etc. The coal was often blended with higher or lower quality coal to suit the customers needs as some coals burned hotter than others.

[@eliotreader8220]

@@dedgeroo4665 I don't know what Cobbles are exactly are they the actual lumps of coal. last year I decided to learn about steam coal due to whats happening with the steam heritage movement.

[@Rockdoc2174]

Shearers produced mostly small coal suitable for power stations. When house coal was still a thing trepanners were used in suitable seams because they produced larger pieces. When steam was at its height I’d imagine a lot of that was hand got to make sure they didn’t produce small stuff. Remember they mined the older put heaps towards the end of the NCB/British Coal to extract all the small coal dumped there because, at the time, it was unsaleable.

[@РАССЛЕДОВАНИЕАВИАКАТАСТРОФ-в5с]

Это. Наши. Герои. !!!

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Да, безусловно, тяжелая и опасная работа, которая, вероятно, резко сократит вашу жизнь.

[@TheGhost-gx5vd]

My farther wanted me to go into mines I chose the RAF instead

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

@@TheGhost-gx5vd I was in the raf too

[@aredi8955]

What is the best explosive types to use in coal u.g mines?..

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

I'm no expert on that sorry, but found this: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2130507/

[@stevewilkin3977]

I remember we used 3 different types but the best one by far was called Ajax if my memory serves me correctly. - early eighties.

[@terryhart643]

Did my Underground Training here Training for work and Life in a oner

[@mutley23able]

I wonder if all those machines, and trains etc have just been left down there, or were taken out and scrapped?

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

@@mutley23able probably a mixture of both

[@lewisner]

All of the investment in machines and buildings was thrown away when the mines were closed.

[@cameron1975williams]

Amazingly brave and strong men. Not the snowflakes we have today. All that effort should have been spent building nuclear reactors though.

[@golfr604]

My dad spent his working life in the mines , I was destined to be there until they closed.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

That could be a good or bad thing depending on perspective.

[@coalfacechris1336]

Was most longwall mining in the UK advancing face? Aussie here, all retreating face.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

I couldn’t say myself, but plenty of uk miners watch this so maybe one will know.

[@metalworker007]

They were all retreat faces when i started in 1980, those advance faces looked like a lot of work and the roads leading to them would be constantly under stress and crushed, another perhaps 10 or 12 years later, we, stopped retreat faces and mined USA style, we were then mining "piller and stall" with USA made "Joy Continuous Miners", they stopped using girders to hold the roof and were using your Aussie made Wombat machines to to drill and roof bolt.

[@waverleyrocker]

Not an ear defender in sight. These guys must have all gone deaf.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Likely, yes, no mouth protection either.

[@johnwillis9534]

Sorry, can you repeat that please.

[@peterrear2864]

First day ar seaham colliery training centre we watched this

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Bet that brings back memories then. We also have a documentary on seaman on the channel from 1989.

[@MobileNakhaei-kd7jx]

بعدازسی وسه سال تدریس در دانشگاه دیدن فیلم برایم سرشار از خاطره بود

[@marcnews75]

A lost world and lost skills

[@adrianneill5014]

There is still millions of tons just sitting there... Leaving money on the table IMHO..

[@JonathanRoberts-u7y]

Polar ajax and penobel if i remember correctly

[@JonathanRoberts-u7y]

In reply to explosives used

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

@@JonathanRoberts-u7y ahh, I was wondering what that meant

[@PhilHarvey-yg3jf]

I’m told that even the preserved steam railways have to use imported coal and all that black gold beneath us. Surely a just few pits should have remained for our own use.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

@@PhilHarvey-yg3jf There is an active colliery at Alston with a deep coal mine opening too.

[@PhilHarvey-yg3jf]

@ Thanks for the info, I’ll look that up.

[@bespoke500]

I really enjoyed watching this 😆

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@bespoke500]

@@UKAbandonedMineExplores if we still had these mines open and apprentices on offer maybe we wouldn’t have the generation we have now ….

[@seaham3d695]

pERFECT!!!!

[@derekgourney]

Grass more train ING centre,1980,1991,, UK for miners, for good job we, do not have to day,2025,, Shafer Gurney MTB Cross country 😮😮😂

[@seaham3d695]

Thats not seaham colliery

[@orderlychaotic-dl1gg]

which colliery is it? Just curious

[@papabits5721]

Just hotter chicks on the subway

[@mikewatt8706]

you wouldn't get me donwn there for £1000 a day