BFI

This look at the work of Consett Coke Ovens in County Durham doubles as a more general look at the process of converting coal into smokeless fuel, most of which is then used by nearby Consett Steelworks for their blast furnaces.

As the commentary points out, coal and steel were two of Britain's most important industries in the late 1940s, so this informational film is also a propaganda piece, stressing the importance of fruitful collaboration.

It also makes a point of emphasising the long-term camaraderie of the workers at the coke ovens, citing four of them by name and giving detailed descriptions of both their role and their experience - which in some cases goes back to the founding of Consett Coke Ovens 24 years earlier.

Michael Brooke

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