pedrgogh
  • pedrgogh
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14 years ago
Many years ago, like late 1950's, there was going the rounds of clubs two films made, I think by Shell, which were of the last two working Beam Engines in Cornwall.
I have asked of the Trevithick Society, of which I am a Member, I have looked at a number of web sites but can't find any trace.
Does any one out there know if they are still around, if so can they still be viewed and if so it what format.
Morlock
14 years ago
If you type "Cornish Beam Engine" into Utube a lot of stuff comes up. May be worth a try.
There's also a company that deals in historic industrial video, name escapes me at the moment.
Peter Burgess
14 years ago
I have these on VHS but would be good to get a DVD so I can watch them in the future.
Morlock
14 years ago
These people may have something.

http://www.iarecordings.org/ 
JohnnearCfon
14 years ago
Have you tried contacting Shell?

You could also try British Film Institute in London, they have loads of IA films.
pedrgogh
  • pedrgogh
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  • Newbie Topic Starter
14 years ago
Thanks to those who have commented.
I have already tried IA Recordings the BFI and Shell Web sites all to no avail.
I have found some ref to a 1948 film which may be one of the ones I remember but thats all.
May be I should try contacting Shell the old way by letter.
Darran Cowd
14 years ago
The Shell film unit production archive was transferred in its entireity to the British Film Institute by Shell a number of years ago. I'm not sure if its been listed and catalogued like the Coal Board fim unit archive...

As BFI's main stores aren't actually in central London it would be worth getting in contact before visiting...in case they haven't got anything imeadiately to hand. Their library and reading room is about 5 minutes walk from Tottenham Court Road tube station

BFI
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Tel: +44 (0)20 7255 1444

As an aside I remeber seeing some 1940s or 50s film of beam engines at work in the china clay industry, for some reason Rostowrack sticks in the mind...it may be worth contacting Wheal Martyn in case they have something that was transferred from ECC/Imerys.
sougher
14 years ago
Slighty off subject, but the University of Leicester now houses the collection of the Media Archive for Central England (MACE), which contains over 25,000 items from 1897 to the present day, along with the East Midlands Oral History Archives.

MACE is part of a network of 12 public sector national and regional image archives that collectively care for the United Kingdom's moving image heritage.

If you contact Leciester University they should be able to tell you who houses a similar collection for the South West of England. The contact email address for MACE is:-

[email protected]

Telephone number:- 0116 252 5066

Trust this information helps in your search
Peter Burgess
14 years ago
"Darran Cowd" wrote:

As an aside I remeber seeing some 1940s or 50s film of beam engines at work in the china clay industry, for some reason Rostowrack sticks in the mind...it may be worth contacting Wheal Martyn in case they have something that was transferred from ECC/Imerys.

I think that IS the Shell film.
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