BFI

A look at the Bestwood Training Centre near Nottingham, designed to give would-be miners a thorough training without subjecting them to the risks of going down the pit before they're ready.

The film shows students learning both the theoretical and practical side of mining. In the laboratory, chemical experiments directly relate to situations they're likely to encounter in real life - the example shown here illustrating 'afterdamp', a deceptively bland term for a mixture of sometimes toxic gases that remain in a mine following an explosion. They're also taught carpentry, and learn about how mining equipment works by making models.

But where Bestwood Training Centre is most innovative is that it's built a model mine under the school buildings. Although conceived on a much smaller scale than the genuine article, it's nonetheless realistic enough for comprehensive instruction in propping-up, studying longwall technique or learning how to use a coal cutter. As the commentary concludes: "By the time they leave, they know enough about the job to give them a flying start, and save months of unproductive work."

Michael Brooke

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