The Hand Made Series - Industrial crafts & skills

The craft of the human hand was once vital for industry. These productions show what skilled people can achieve without the help of automated machines. Often, the versatility and experience of individual people can compete sucessfully with the faster but less flexible modern production line.

• Hand Rolling of Steel - The last Black Country hand steel rolling mill.
• Hand Made Bricks - Brick making at Oak Farm Brickworks, Kingswinford.
• Hand Made Hames - Making brass hames for horse harnesses.
• Hand Made Padlocks - Making a pair of English steel padlocks by hand.
• Hand Made Paper Moulds - Making moulds for hand made paper.

The Waterways Series - Inland Waterways history

The canals of Britain are now used for a wide range of leisure activities, yet the modern canal user often gives little thought to the trials and tribulations that the canal builders went through, to give us such a diverse and interesting environment. British waterways, navigable and derelict, represent 4,800 linear kilometres of industrial archaeology.

• Telford's Last Canal - The story of the building of the Shropshire Union canal.
• A Crooked Ditch - A history of the Birmingham Canal Navigation.
• The New Dudley Tunnel - Building the first canal tunnel in Britain for over 120 years.
• Tom Puddings & The last Run - The last run of compartment boats in 1986, and the boat hoist at Goole.
• The Manchester Ship Canal - A voyage from Manchester to the Mersey in 1984.
• Rix Merlin - A day onboard J.R.Rix tanker barge 'Rix Merlin' bunkering on the Humber in 2000.

The Underground Series - Mining history & actuality, underground industry

Minerals have been mined since pre-historic times all over the world. The British Isles are particularly rich in the heritage of mining from the Bronze age to the present day. Many other man-made underground structures have been forgotten and lost with the passage of time.

• A Tour of Clive Copper Mine - Detailed underground exploration of an ancient copper mine.
• Clive Rescue Practice - The Shropshire Caving and Mining Club practice underground rescue.
• Snailbeach - A history of the famous Shropshire Lead mine.
• Glengowla - A tour of Ireland's first show mine.
• Visiting Snaibeach - An introduction for the visitor to Snailbeach lead mine.
• Land of Poets, Scholars and Mines - An introduction to the mining heritage of Ireland.
• Drakelow - From wartime shadow factory to government nuclear bunker.
• A Tour of Carrs Mine - Exploring the Nenthead visitor mine.
• Mining in the Landscape - Fascinating remains around Llangollen.
• 'Mongst Mines and Mine Explorers - Exploration of Cornish mines above and below ground.

Note: The Underground Series and many compilations have been produced with considerable help from the Shropshire Caving and Mining Club (SCMC), and are an attempt to record something of our underground industrial history, before it is too late.

Power - Prime movers, including steam and internal combustion engines

The development of steam and internal combustion engines was an important step in allowing fossil fuels to be used to generate useful work independant of humans and animals.

• On Mighty Arms - Follows the steaming and operating of the Black Country Museum's replica Newcomen engine.

Co-Productions - Productions made in conjunction with other organisations

In addiiton to our own productions we have helped and worked with other organisations to record disappearing crafts, trades and skills, and to celebrate our industrial heritage.

• Spry - the last Severn Trow - Recovering, restoring and sailing an unique trading vessel the historic 'SPRY’ - one of the larger, estuary navigating Severn trows (Co-production with The Spry Trust)

• The Sight Seen Partnerships Collection - A collection of 6 DVDs recording inland waterways skills and techniques, whilst the memories of those who actually worked on the boats are still fresh enough to correct and guide the efforts of the volunteers taking part. (Produced for the Sight Seen Partnerships)