Slates (1940-1949)

British Instructional Films presents a Classroom Film. Landscape - pan down to a slate quarry. Slate is lifted by a winch. A small train carries barrows of slate along. Men at work splitting large pieces of slate. Man drills a hole in the slate and inserts explosives. Man rings a large bell and man abseils down side of quarry. C/U of fuse of explosive burning. Explosion takes place and slate falls to the ground. Man stands on a large slab of slate and splits another with a hammer and chisel. Large nails are driven into the slate to split it into layers. Pieces of slate are stacked on to a barrow and moved along on wheels. A mechanical cutting wheel cuts the slate into smaller pieces. A man uses a hammer and chisel to split the slate into finer pieces. Another man works a tool with his foot on a plank. This tool cuts the slate rather like a guillotine. Slate is trimmed. Slate is stacked in rows. Men load barrows full of slate. Man on roof carries slates on his head. Another man drills h