The Price of Coal - Part 2

Two linked dramas look at the lives of those living in a Yorkshire colliery community. The first part, Meet The People, takes a look at preparations for a visit by Prince Charles, as management try to enlist the miners help in sprucing up the pithead. Completely different in tone, Part Two, Back To Reality, is set one month later as an underground explosion has disastrous consequences -- above and below ground.

For these episodes of BBC films, Loach was reunited with playwright Barry Hines and producer Tony Garnett for the first time since they worked together on Kes. Filmed on location at the disused Thorpe Hesley pit, Part One saw the unusual casting of several northern comics including Jackie Shinn, Duggie Brown, Stan Richards and Bobby Knutt.

-Oh! What a shot, eh!
-Huh!

Back to old school form now.

I'll be able to lick you, then.

Ey up! Get it.

Just because I'm sending
like that for thee

don't mean you have to
send 'em like that for me.

Thou's born right...

All right.

Thy's had it this time.

Out! Easy out.

-Come on.
-Was it heck!

-Course it were!
-Hit nowhere near wicket.

It hit middle wicket.

Did it heck.

It did. Look,
there's some chalk there.

-Where?
-There. Can't thy see?

-Well, there's only one speck.
-It don't matter, it's still there.

Here, then.

Wouldn't have knocked bails off, though.

Need cannonballs
to knock them bails off.

Thy's a right matchless pillock.

No fast 'uns.

It'll be like a rocket, this one.
Thy better go and get the pads on.

Where are thou going?

I'm taking a nice long run-up
for this one.

Better not, because if I have to
reach out and slog them,

and they go through somebody's window,
it's not my fault.

-Howzat! You're out!
-No chance!

-Yes, go on.
-No chance!

-Hit the wicket, didn't it?
-No chance!

-Thy's not having it!
-Come on, give me the bat.

-It was out.
-No, it wasn't. It ain't fair! No!

Come on, give me the bat.

MARK: I'm not! Get off.

Hey, what's all this about?

MARK: It's him! He's not playing right.

Well, give over fighting and rowing.

TONY: Only having a bit of fun with him.

Well, it's not fun, is it?
Cricket is a serious game.

He's sending 'em up here for me,
and I'm having to go like that.

He don't bowl 'em for you to hit 'em.
That's the whole idea.

Come on,
let's have a look how you're framing.

Bowl him one down, on the length,
but not too fast for him.

What's that, silly?
Look where the bloody wicket is.

He's gonna hit that. Come here.

Thy's got to guard that.
Get the bat here.

KATH: Hey, are you two lads
going to work?

-I'll just bowl this one, Mum.
-SID: I'll just send this one down.

That'd have been caught there,
won't that?

-I didn't hit it.
-Keep thy eye on the ball.

Keep thy head down.

When thy plays it, play ball down.
Thy'll not be caught out.

Come here.

-Corned beef again?
-(LAUGHS)

SID: Here. Cop for that.

-Corned beef.
-What, again?

(LAUGHS)

If we win tonight,
we'll go through to the finals.

At Shoal Lane in Barnsley.

Well, why didn't thy say summat?

If I'd had known it,
I'd have swapped a shift,

and I would've come and seen thee.

(MARK GROANS)

-Who, King Street?
-No, Market Street.

I once got 7 for 8 against them.

They were all out for 16.

-5 of them were byes.
-(JIMMY LAUGHS)

I bet that couldn't have got me out.

Thy'd got anybody out
that day, wouldn't thy, kid?

Yeah, anybody.

Now then, clout-head,
I've got something in my pocket here.

What is it?

(SID LAUGHS)

SID: Can't get it open
fast enough, can he?

TONY: No. Like a gannet.

SID: It's not money.

Oh, great! It's for a test match.
When is it?

Oh, Saturday, 25th of July.

-When is that?
-SID: Week of Saturday.

Is it?

-Did Uncle Artie get them for ya?
-SID: Ah.

Come on, Son, we've got to get off.
Be starting without us.

I'm going round to Linda's
straight after work, Mum.

So, I'll see you later.

-All right.
-Goodbye.

See you tonight.

Thanks, Dad.

They're great...

Take thy time.
Don't be slogging 'em.

Just the first few overs.
Remember what I told you, all right?

Bye!

-Did Artie get the tickets for him?
-Yeah.

-What did he do?
-Who knows? Owt off a lorry.

(LAUGHS) Yeah, he's like that.

-Ey up.
-All right.

-All right.
-Hi.

Hi, young 'un.

These boots,
they get heavier.

The older thy get,
the heavier they get.

They're not gonna have a long left,
Albert.

MAN 1: Bloody hell. They're
bobby dazzlers, aren't they, Sid?

Ah! Thinking of making a comeback.
Wanna get back into training.

(MEN LAUGH)

MAN 1: Get back into bed, thy means.

Could do with thee down at Sheffield.

Need some new players.
Get thee sen down.

No, don't you worry about me, lad.
I can still do it if I want to.

MAN 1: If that's a sample of
what they have in Sheffield...

Fit as a butcher's dog, me.

-See that.
-MAN 1: Oh, my God!

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

That's what thy wants.

MAN 1: What are you doing there?
Checking your pulse?

Dynamic tension, that.

-MAN 1: It's what?
-Charles Atlas.

Him as sent thee thy money back.

(ALL LAUGH)

It's knocking me out just sat here
watching.

Ah, give over, Sid.

What are you doing with them socks on?
They're mine.

SID: Well, thou weren't using them,
were thou?

They've been in that drawer
since you left school.

I thought somebody might as well
get some use out of them.

What if I want 'em, though?

What will thy want them for?

Well, I might start laking again.

(SID CHUCKLES)

SID: Only one thing you are
interested in playing with

and it's not a bleeding football.

(CHUCKLING)

(TONY MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY)

He were a better cricketer.

Ah, he's only interested in one wicket
now, and that's his middle 'un.

(BOTH LAUGH)

-Aren't we all?
-MAN 1: Yeah.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Tom, get me 15 on the phone.

Ken Taylor, tell him I want him
on the phone.

(KNOCK ON THE DOOR)

-Hello. Ken Taylor speaking.
-That's here.

-Is that you, Ken?
-Yes, Mr Forbes.

Have you got that motor mended
yet down there?

No, they couldn't get to it.

What the chuffin' hell are we
playing about at, then?

I want that job done.

We've lost nearly two shifts.
Now, that's six trips.

So, I wanna get something done about it.
Now, get a move on.

Now, it's no use getting on
at me, you know.

We've been chasing
equipment all morning.

And we're not messing about.

I didn't say you were messing about.

But if that motor's not running
before this afternoon,

then somebody's gonna get
a good bollocking down there.

I'm losing enough coal as it is now,
so, get it seen to,

and let me know
as soon as it's ready and running.

I want that face staffing up
this afternoon.

-All right.
-Yeah, right. Get on with it, then.

(MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY)

I'm sorry, Sheila, about that.

Swearing and doing.

-I've heard you often enough.
-I know, love.

But, you know, how it is.
It's gonna be all this...

We're gonna lose production.

And if things carry on as we are now,
they'll get from bad to worse.

And once they get to know the figures
for the area, what will it be?

The phone will never stop
bloody ringing, will it?

And they won't accept no excuses.

Anyway, see to them, duck.

And, uh, I don't think I
want any copies of 'em.

And anyway, we'll worry about
other job next week

when it comes to us,
when we have got to face it.

(CHATTING INDISTINCTLY)

(COUGHS)

So, whichever way thy puts your finger,
it's gonna turn that way?

That way.

You got a good job.
What you doing sat there?

Look like Butch Cassidy
and Sundance Kid.

We're waiting to go up 15s.

SID: ...if Deputy sees thee.

No, we're waiting to go 15s
to mend that motor on there.

SID: Aye, never!
They ain't got that bugger fixed yet?

-No, not yet.
-Here.

MAN 1: Day shift made a start on it.

Aye, bloody day shift
supposed to be seeing to it.

MAN 1: We're waiting for Ken Taylor.
He's gone looking for a couple of...

-MAN 2: He'll never come back.
-What's up with it?

There's a lump down on it.
Broke fan cowl. Wants a new one fitting.

SID: I'll tell you what, while thy's
not doing owt, come and mend our telly.

-What telly is that?
-SID: That one in gate.

They ain't got one down there, do they?

Forbes won't let us watch it while we're
grafting, but he lets us at snap time.

Wouldn't think it'd work down here.

Well, it does.
It's Japanese, see, a good 'un.

-MAN 1: It's coloured, is it, Sid?
-Right. Not a very big screen,

but it's all right.

Best get it mended. There's some
racing on this afternoon at Thirsk.

-Been watching cricket on it.
-What's up with it?

-SID: It's picture valve.
-I'll get it from stores.

I don't think they have them in stores.
I've never seen it.

I've been in dozens times,
I've never seen any.

Plenty in stores.

(LAUGHS)

Bleeding hell!

Hey, you all pissing on my back?

SID: Oh, no, not yours. No, no.

(ENGINE RATTLING)

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Hello.

Hello, Ken Taylor speaking.

Can you get Frank Morris
to the phone, please?

MAN: Your kids got this bug
that's going round yet?

Aye, our Andrea's had it.

Half of school's been off with it.

-MAN: Aye, Sid were saying.
-Oh.

Hello, Ken. It's Frank Morris here.

Hello, Ken Taylor speaking.

Now, listen, Frank, I've been on to
pit top about a turfer.

Anyway, time they're taking,
it could be all day.

I wonder if you and Steve
could go on to Ten's

and see if you can pick us one up there.

If you can, our kid,
I'll see you at the end gate later on.

FRANK: Yeah. All right, Ken.

-Struggling, lad?
-Struggling.

We shall all be struggling if we
don't get 15's conveyor right.

Forbes. I'm fed up of Forbes
talking to me about this.

You knows what it's like.

Aye, but we'll be joining dole queue.

Forbes got a job to do anyway.

I'll swap thee jobs anytime.

(LAUGHS)

MAN: Don't you ever get sick and tired
of just studying that?

FRANK: I don't.

See, in this book
is a mine of information.

It's gonna earn me a fortune one day.

MAN 1: Yeah, but there's only
mugs who back horses.

Me father says that he's never seen
a poor bookie.

Ah! I suppose that's right, but,
if we're gonna bet 10 pence each way,

or 20 pence each way,

you're never gonna make
any money, are you?

What you need, you see,
we gotta work a system out.

Has thy got one, though?

I've got a good system.

Can't be all that good.

Why's that?

You're still working down here with me,
aren't ya?

Ah! That's because I ain't got
any capital to start with.

You've got to invest
some money in it, you see.

Before you can get owt out.

-Yeah, I suppose so.
-All right.

For all thy knows about horses
thy should be working on Mastermind.

(LAUGHS)

Hi, there, Frank.

-Have we found any?
-Not found a thing.

-Not at all.
-Oh, bloody hell fire.

Anyway, look, come on,
let's go down to 14

and see if we can find
some down there.

What a bleeding pantomime this is,
I don't know.

Can't thy take the strain?

FRANK: Take strain?

Look, me father says,
"While thy're walking,

"thy're not working, are thy?"

KEN: We're walking about like second
hand arseholes and not getting owt done.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Forbes just playing hell with me
about this job down here.

Anyway, Frank, while we're down here,

I wonder if you could repair that
bagging.

I mean, we may as well do it
while face is stood.

Yeah. Have a look at it.

(WHISTLING)

(GRUNTS)

-Looks tight enough.
-Yeah.

Now, I'm gonna leave you to finish
fitting this cowl, Steve,

while I go and attend to that bagging.

-Okay?
-Ah.

Right .

-Don't dawdle.
-Aye. Oh, God!

(COUGHING)

-Frank.
-Yeah?

-Put power on. See if it's right.
-Yeah.

-Should run now.
-Yeah, I'll give it a spin.

Go on, Albert. That'll do it, son.

I've got it.

-How's that?
-All right.

Go for that...

-Where's that key?
-Here.

Don't be so bloody long.

(INDISTINCT)

-Where they gone?
-(COUGHS)

I don't know. Gone for a bath I think.

-Going out?
-Nah, going straight home.

Go to club for one game of bowls
and a quick 'un.

Fucking hell!

(RUMBLING)

(ALL SPEAK INDISTINCTLY)

MAN: Stop it! Stop it!

(INDISTINCT CLAMOUR)

(MEN COUGHING)

MAN 1: What's happened?

Stop that machine.

MAN 1: Where did that come from?

Go on, get to the face.

Come in, Tommy, come in.

Tommy, fetch yourself up here, Tommy.

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

-MAN 1: Get this fucking belt off!
-MAN 2: Stop that belt!

MAN 2: Come on, get going.

-(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
-MAN 2: Go on, get off, quick.

MAN 3: Up here, Tommy.
MAN 2: Come on, Tommy.

Come on. Now, get out of here.

MAN 3: Go on, Tommy.

(PANTING)

-Christ, are you all right?
-(COUGHING)

-What's happened? Who's that?
-It's George...

There's been an explosion.
I think on 15.

I'd better let them know.

-What's happened? What is it?
-An explosion.

-I smell smoke.
-There's an explosion on 15.

There's been an explosion on 15.

(MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY OVER RADIO)

(ALL COUGHING)

So, let's stick together.
Who's going first?

I'm gonna go first.
Come on, come on.

Come on, let's stick together now.

Don't stand there, come on.

(ALL CONTINUE COUGHING)

Contact all the deputies of
all the units, other districts.

Make sure they get
all the men off and out the pit.

They'd be the last 'uns off.

Tell them to make sure that
everybody is off the district

before they leave, okay?

MAN: (OVER SPEAKER)
All right, Mr Forbes. Right away.

(ALARM RINGING)

(SIREN WAILING)

-Where are we going, Dave?
-Milton.

-Oh, great.
-I don't know what's happened.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Hey, Cliff! Hey, Cliff.

There's been an accident at pit.

They want rescue men straightaway.

MAN: Just a minute.
I'll get me coat on.

Got to go to pit.

I know, but took me 2 months
to get you to do it.

What? You see I've started it.
You can get it done.

See you when you come back.

Bloody hell! Wives.

More bloody rattle.

Anyway, Paul, what's up?

All I know, Cliff, is,
there's been an explosion.

God!

(PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Come on, lads.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

(COUGHING)

Are there many more to come up?

There are 40 or 50 down there
that are still coming up.

(COUGHING)

MAN: Get him to an ambulance...

No, it will be all right. It's only
a scratch. I don't wanna go down.

They'll have to go.
If it's only to keep company right.

(INDISTINCT)

(CHATTING INDISTINCTLY)

Coming down, there was
such a bloody thump.

Yeah, we heard the explosion.

-Never heard nowt like it.
-Sounded like explosion.

Well, it were that bad down there.
I thought me light had gone out.

-Dust that...
-Dust.

Where was it? You know?
What did it happen?

Somebody mentioned
that it were 14.

Was any men working 14?

-There shouldn't be.
-No, no.

I mean, what about 15?
That's next door.

My dad works in tailgate.

Ah, he is.

That don't mean there's owt happened
to him.

No, no. We don't know for definite
if it is 14.

(SIREN BLARING)

Another draw coming out now, look.

I'm off for a bath.

Yeah.

-Ah! There's some men now.
-Yeah, see if he's among these.

I'm just gonna go see
if I can see him up here.

All right, go on then.

MAN: Oh, don't worry, Tony, lad.

He's right.
He hasn't come up yet, me father.

There's plenty of men in the pit, yet.

Don't panic yet, Tony, wait and see.

(MURMURING)

NURSE: I'm afraid this is going to sting
a little bit. It's spirit.

-Just to clean it.
-(WINCING)

Sorry.

I'm afraid you're gonna have to go
to a hospital with this, Harry.

I'll be all right.

No, by the look of it,
it needs a couple of stitches.

Well, I'm not shifting till I know
what's happened to them lads in the pit.

(MEN COUGHING)

Well, is anybody still down there?

I'm just going off
to the deployment centre to find out.

I mean, is there anybody else
waiting to come up?

Not that I know of.

Haven't seen me dad, has thou?

No, I haven't, lad.

Well, I'll come with you,
then, over there.

No, you can't.
The manager will have to know first.

Who can't? I can come down.
My father's still down there.

Now, you don't know that for certain.

Look, Tony, why don't you go over
and wait over in Mr Forbes' office?

As soon as we've checked out,
he'll let you know.

All right.

(BELL RINGING)

-Yeah?
-TOM: Ronnie King.

Ronnie King.

Allen Dobson.

God almighty!
Just bloody started there, and all.

Bloody apprentice.

And George Kay.

That's all, that first lot?
That's all 15's tail men.

-Yeah. Yes.
-Innit?

Gate rippers.

Bloody young Dobson, he's just started.
Then there's Steve Oates.

Bloody apprentice.
We are all right here.

Anyway, keep in touch with me, Tom.

Let me know if there's any
further developments, will you?

Right.

PHIL: How many are there?

-Eight.
-PHIL: Eight?

-Eight?
-PHIL: Oh!

FORBES: Eight. And there's all 15...

Who are they, Mr Forbes, please?

There's Sid Storey,

there's Albert Rhodes
there's Ronnie King.

And young bloody Dobson
just started with that lot.

PHIL: Yes, he did, didn't he?

There's Ken Taylor, Deputy Mission.
Frank Morris.

There was another apprentice.
Apprentice Steve Oates.

And George Kay.

-ALF: Bloody hell.
-Oh, yeah, bloody hell.

Uh, Geoff, get that map
out of there quick.

The map's here.

Now the map here shows you...

There, there, and there.

-That's where, isn't it?
-No, no.

-15 gate.
-There. 15's there.

What about others, though?
What were they doing in that district?

Well, they're not forced to be
with Sid's lot, though, are they?

There were mending that motor.

They were deployed
to mend that motor.

What, just today?

Yeah, it were broke down.

SHEILA: Mr Forbes,
Tony Storey is still waiting outside.

What shall I tell him?

FORBES: Don't tell him nothing.
Don't alarm anybody just yet.

Let's find out for sure
what's happening first.

We've got the tell 'em.
When men go home after getting bath,

there'll be rumours
all around the district.

You know, you just can't
keep them in the dark.

You know, it'll be neighbours
telling them a pack of lies,

that's what they'll learn.

You know, it's just
bloody ridiculous, that.

I agree with Alf, actually.

You know, we can't be withholding
information, can we, at this stage?

There's nobody
holding information, is there?

We don't know what's going on yet.

-I'll tell you what, Phil.
-PHIL: Mmm-hmm.

FORBES: You go down to their houses,
and explain to them what's happened.

PHIL: By myself?

No, no. Alf will go with you,
won't you, Alf?

-Yeah.
-Because they know Alf,

and if it's coming from both sides,
it'll stop a lot of panicking.

Yeah, that'll work.

Probably our best plan there, that.

I'll tell you what.
Sheila, get young Tony in.

He might want to tell
his mother himself.

Let me have a word with him.

Can you come in, Tony?

FORBES: Come on, young Tony.

-Now then, son.
-Have you heard of him?

FORBES: We have,
but, it's not very good, lad.

I'm sorry to have to tell you,
there's eight men missing.

-And what about me dad?
-We think he's one of them.

Oh, bloody hell.

FORBES: I know, son, but look.
Rescue teams are just going in now.

So, we do really don't know
how bad it is.

I can't tell you much at all

till they come out
and give me a report on it.

TONY: Oh. How long will that take, then?

Maybe a good couple of hours, son.
Because, you see,

they don't even know what
they're gonna meet down there.

I mean, there could be a fire,
there could be falls. Gas.

I know.

ALF: Listen, Tony, me and Mr Beatson,
we're going out to tell the wives.

Now, do you want to stop at the pit,

or do you want us to tell your mother,
or do you want to tell her yourself?

(MUMBLES) I don't know.

See, I want to stop at the pit, in case
there's anything I can do, you know,

but I think I ought to tell me mum.

-ALF: Are you sure?
-Yeah, I'll tell her.

I'll go home, and then come back.

FORBES: And listen, tell your mum,

if she's so minded
and wants to come down to the pit,

and any others what's missing,

tell her, I'll make sure
I've got a room available.

-We'll give them yours, Phil.
-PHIL: Yes, indeed.

-All right?
-PHIL: Yes.

Make sure, and tell her to come and
stop in Mr Beatson's room.

-That'll be comfortable enough.
-TONY: Right.

Best I can do for you, lad, up to now.

If there's gonna be
a list of volunteers,

you know, to help like that,
can I be on it?

ALF: Yeah, I'll see
to that for you, Tony.

All right, then.

FORBES: Don't worry.
We'll get back to you real soon.

All right, Mr Forbes.

All right, Tony?

(DOG BARKING)

(VACUUM CLEANER WHIRRING)

-(LOUDLY) Mum!
-Oh, Tony!

You made me jump, you dozy devil.

What've you come home for?
What are you doing home at this time?

Are you on strike or something?

There's been an accident.

And, we've all had to come home.

Oh, what kind of an accident?
Tony, where's your dad?

He's still down there.

We've sent a rescue team
down to find him.

Oh! Well, what's happened, Tony?
Tell me, what's happened?

He's not been killed, has he?
Your dad's not dead, is he?

No, Ma, I just...
I don't know what's happened.

It's only rumours what I know,
and that's...

It's no good listening to them, is it?

I mean, there's been an explosion...

What kind of an explosion?

-I don't know.
-Near where your dad is?

Well, it must've been,
but he's not in it.

-He's just near where it is.
-Oh!

I mean, we'll know more
when the rescue team comes out.

Oh, my God.

It's no good getting
to a panic just yet, Mum.

I mean, we don't really know
what's happened.

Anyway, I have to go back to the pit.

I've put me name down,
in case they need any help.

I'm coming with you, Tony.

I'm not sitting here
twiddling me thumbs.

But what about our Janet and Mark?

Well, I better stop
until our Janet comes home,

and then I'll her to wait for our Mark.

Well, I think you'll be better off
telling her to stop here, you know.

-Well, our Janet will want to come.
-(STUTTERING)

They'll get all worried.

I mean,
there'll be ambulances flying about,

and police, and everything.

They'll be better off here, Mum.

She can look after our Mark.

Anyway, there's a room
for relatives there.

You know Mr Beatson, his office.

Do you want me to go fetch Aunt Edna
to come and wait with you?

No, our Janet will be home soon.

Do you want a cup of tea?
I'll put the kettle on for you.

Owt you want doing before I go?

No. You go off, love.
There's nothing you can do in here now.

-You sure?
-Yeah.

I'll see you later, then.
All right?

-Be careful.
-All right.

(SOBBING)

MAN 1:
Getting along this vent is not easy.

MAN 2: They're here. Get out.
MAN 3: Right lads. Come on, lads.

-You all right? Everybody okay?
-I'm fine.

Take him up, Tom.

We have a big fall up there.

Fifteen yards in by tailgate junction.

Bloody massive fall. Massive.

MAN 4: Oh, Christ. Well, there's four
men somewhere back of there.

-MAN 3: And it's high as well.
-You took any samples of the air?

Yes.

MAN 5: You found no methane and
you found no oxide on the floor?

MAN 3: Yeah!

MAN 5: So I suggest, then,
if we can't get over this fall,

then our best bet now is
to try the main gate.

-Right.
-MAN 5: Which could be gas free.

Okay. Well that's what we'll do.

It's good travelling
down that main gate.

Well, look, while you're
travelling main gate,

can I get a fan installed
down this tail gate,

and get someone down to
start clearing this dirt?

(CAR ENGINE REVVING)

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

-Hello, Mrs Dobson.
-Hello.

Hello, Jean. Christine.

(INDISTINCT TALK)

I don't want her to
get too worried, you know.

Yeah, I know.

I can't believe it.
Kath, I can't believe this.

Oh, we'll just have to hope nowt
has happened.

MRS KING: When Alf told me,
it just wouldn't sink in.

When I saw him I thought he'd come to
bring me eggs from the gardens.

I buy a dozen off him every week.

Well, I was talking to Mrs Price

down on the corner
of Dennison Road there.

I knew there was something up
when I saw him with that other bloke.

(PEOPLE TALKING)

(SIGHING)

Right carry on, isn't it?

I say, they've had gas
in 15's before, haven't they?

Fella on about it this morning.

You're jumping to conclusions
again, aren't you?

There's nobody knows
where it's happened yet.

I know, but, it looks odds on
according to Alf.

I suppose it could have been
a blowout of gas from old workings.

You know what it'll be, don't you?
An Act Of God.

MAN: That's what I said as well.

Oh, that's what they usually try
to make out, isn't it?

It's more like somebody
slipped up somewhere.

That's what I think.

There's no wonder,
with the pressure we're under.

No.

Coal Miner's Act...

If we worked to rules, we wouldn't get
a spoonful of coal a day.

That's it.

I'm surprised it doesn't happen
more often, this.

It's all production, innit?

Get the production
and bugger the safety.

-That's what happens.
-It's handed down.

Handed down from one to another.

If deputy don't shortcut,

-he gets sacked.
-That's it.

If he shortcuts,
it's us that suffer then.

I would've thought Scargill
would be here, wouldn't he?

Have you seen him?

MAN 1: He's at a conference at Douglas.
He'll be here, don't worry.

-He went to the last one, didn't he?
-MAN 1: He'll be at this one.

TONY: Well, I can't stand
all this waiting about.

I mean, they'll know summat now.

We've a right to know, haven't we?

I mean, bloody hell,
my father's down there.

We have the right to know
what's going off.

MAN 1: They'll let you know as soon as
they know, don't worry about it.

ALF: Listen, lads,
let's have your attention, please.

There's been a fall
at 15's tailgate.

So, I'd like some volunteers, please.

Now, I don't know how many they want.

But Tommy Clark will
tell you.

Can you tell us what
the situation is at the moment?

Mr Meakin, what is the situation?

ALF: I can't comment, but, I'll tell you
this Geoffrey Boycott is 177 not out...

Excuse me. Radio Sheffield.

Can you tell us what the situation is?

Not at the moment.

-I'm sorry, I cannot comment.
-What is this...

We understand that some men are trapped.

Anything at all.

Why can't you tell us anything
at the moment?

(CLAMOURING)

(INDISTINCT)

No comment.

Can you tell us what...

No comment.

MAN 1: Ah, here you are.

Ain't as bad as what they said it was.

MAN 2: Bloody hell, aye.

(INDISTINCT)

(MAN CALLING OUT NAMES)

(INDISTINCT)

MAN 1: Come on, lads.
Do your best.

Pass it back.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

MAN 4: We'll get to it.

We licked 'em easy, though.
What a beauty.

Can't get over that stroke I did.

-See you around.
-See you, Tim.

We won, Mum.

Mum?

She's not here now.

(GROANS)

She said she'd come to watch us.

We won 'em easy.

They only got 25,
and we passed them in two wickets.

She said she's sorry
but she can't come.

Dad said he'd give me a penny for
every run I got and I got 11 not out.

That's two matches that
I've not been out.

Look, there's been an accident
at the pit, Mark.

And that's why me Mum's gone,

'cause they thought that
me dad might be...

She's gone to see what's happening.

-I'm going there now.
-She said you've to stay here.

You have to stay here, right.
Till she comes.

I just want to go. I've got to go.

Yeah. Now, look,
you'll only get in trouble,

and me dad'll give you a good hiding

if he finds out
you've been, won't he?

You going to have some tea?

You can have...

Ravioli, or spaghetti hoops.

I don't want any tea. I'm going out.

I know, but you'll be hungry later on.

So, why don't you have some tea,

and you can tell me about
your cricket match.

I don't want to.
I want to go out and play.

Where are you going?

Just out here.

Oh. Okay.

Don't go too far, will ya?

(WATER DRIPPING)

MAN 1: Looks like pump
knocked out of action.

MAN 2: Oh! My God.

(ALL TALKING)

Might be deep. Be careful!

Stay down there.

MAN 2: Be careful.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

Take it.

Here I come.

Mr Forbes, there's a Mr Ackroyd
to see you from Barnsley NUM.

FORBES: Oh, come in, Brian.

-How are you?
-Hello.

Lovely. How are you?

Geoff Harrison.

-Mines Inspector.
-How do you do?

Well, it's a bit bad this, isn't it?

-What do you got?
-We've had an explosion.

In that area. 15's face.

Along there.
I know there's three men there.

And we'd four men on the lip.

Now, one man we don't know about yet.

So what have we done.

Wakefield Rescue Teams are searching
that area there.

BRIAN: Okay.

FORBES: We've Doncaster there.

And then we've Barnsley
going around there.

-Are you with me?
-BRIAN: Yeah.

FORBES: Now we know to a fall here.

So we got us own lads
clearing this fall up.

-There, in that area.
-BRIAN: I see.

-What about fire?
-FORBES: No.

We're lucky about that.
No reports of fire anyway.

All right. Good. Gas?

FORBES: We're showing a percentage
up here so we are pulling through.

Because we are showing
a percentage at this fall.

What we've done,
we've put a booster fan in here.

BRIAN: All right.

And we're diluting all that,
so they can work

at the fall, us own lads.

And we've got a rescue team stood by
just in case anything happens.

BRIAN: Have you any idea
what caused this explosion?

None whatsoever. Not at the moment.

Not at the moment, we haven't.

Mmm-hmm.

FORBES: We're in the dark as you.

How about I get down there
as quick as I can. I think.

Make it as soon as possible.
Is it convenient?

FORBES: Well, look.

Give us another hour.

And then we shall have some report
from the rescue team, here.

All right.

Hey! Who put the press and
TV people in the chief clerk's office?

I have. I thought they'd have
more room to work. Why?

ALF: Why?
They're a bloody nuisance, that's why.

It's a wonder they haven't taken

the building over and shoved us
into the yard.

Hey, look, they've got their jobs
to do, Alf, like everybody else.

It's better them being in one room
where we know where they are,

rather than running around everywhere?

ALF: If it were left to me,
they wouldn't be on the bloody premises.

Pestering you every time
you make a move.

They're bloody vultures, they are.

That's all they are. Look.

If news came in of a bigger accident,

a plane crash, 200 people killed,

they'd pack up and
they'd be off like a shot.

They don't care a bugger, really.

They've been told that if they harass
any of the relatives,

then they're out on their backside.

Settle down.
Everything's under control.

Okay, then.
No, that's all right, then. Hey.

Does anybody know
if any tea's been sent in to 'em, yet?

-Yeah. I think Sheila's doing that.
-You think?

You should be bloody sure.
I see you've had yours.

Look, we are working here, you know.

I'll just go and check and
make sure everything's all right.

GEOFF: Okay. All right.
PHIL: All right.

He's on his high horse today.

Yeah.

He's got a point though, you know.

What do you mean he's got a point?

Well, they're gonna milk every
last drop out of this, aren't they?

-Well, I suppose you are right in a way.
-Headlines tomorrow it will be,

"Disaster At Royal Visit Pit"

No use panicking like that.

Folks will be saying good job he came
a month ago and not yesterday.

Exactly.

I can't do it.

He's done all the painting.

I can't do anything like that.

Hopeless.

Well, if he don't like it,
he'll have to change it, won't he?

Well, that's men all over,
though, isn't it?

(PEOPLE CHATTING)

Why didn't you tell me?

Didn't mean to scare you.

Could have rang me or something.

I thought, you know...

I got to know from
one of the lads at work.

Heard it on the radio.
Having me snap.

I wanted to know if you knew for sure.

Here we are.
Compliments of the NCB.

MRS KING:
Do you want me to clear up this table?

No. Just a move that file
from over there, please,

I'll put them up there.

There's tea or coffee,

and some sandwiches,
if anybody wants some.

Just come and help yourselves.

-Do you want tea, Mrs Kay?
-MRS KAY: Yes.

Come on, Mrs Taylor.
Come on, Mrs Oates.

Come on, help yourselves.

That's tea and this is coffee.

Do you want a sandwich, Paul?

PAUL: No, no.
I couldn't even finish me snap,

never mind a sandwich.

(INDISTINCT MURMURING)

I don't want owt to happen to our Tony.

It'll be all right.

The fellows down there
know what they are doing, you know.

It's only natural for him to go there
when his Dad's missing.

I know that, but it's just that
when owt like this happens,

-you get nervous, you know.
-True. True.

Your mind wanders.
You start to think all sorts.

MAN: Alf?

Can I have a word, please?

Just hang on a minute.

All right, Tom. Come on.

MRS DOBSON: Our Allen and your Tony
were in the same class at school.

Aye, they were.

MRS DOBSON:
Right from infant, right up to leaving.

You know, we should have never
let him come to the pit.

I were against it all along.

MR DOBSON: That's it. Blame me.

No point in blaming anybody now.

We both agreed that if he did
an apprenticeship in engineering,

he'd be better qualified for
when he'd come out later.

I know, but he didn't get an
engineering apprenticeship, did he?

That's not my fault, is it?

Not much chance with
his qualifications.

No, 2 CSEs in Rural Studies and Art.

I don't know. Makes you wonder
what it's all for.

You know, you talk to him
till you're blue in the face,

and still go and please
them sens in the end.

They are all alike though, aren't they?

(DOOR OPENS)

Excuse me, Mrs Kay.
Would you mind coming through?

Something important.

Is it him?

Well, there is some news
and we'd like you to...

Tell you next door.

-Doesn't sound very good, does it?
-No.

Must have found someone.

Yeah.

MAN 1: Oh, dear. Bloody hell.

Take him straight to the medical centre.

-Okay.
-Here.

-What did you find him?
-Main roadway.

It's George Kay.

(RINGS BELL)

(FOOTSTEPS PATTERING)

REPORTER: Is this Mrs Kay?

No comment.

Come on, lads. Keep away, keep away.
She's upset, you can see.

Excuse me, fellas.

And I was just getting up,

and, these two blokes come.

I didn't know who they were.
They were shouting.

I had to shout and ask them
who they were.

That's how bad it were.

You know,
and no matter how close we got,

we just couldn't see each other.

And we decided what we were gonna do,
it were Stan and George.

We decided what we were gonna do.

And then, Stan said he'd go first,
and I went in the middle.

And old George were at the back.

And we were coming up
to 7's main gate.

And we... We could smell smoke.

So, we went that way,

and when we finally got to face
I looked around, like, 'cause I...

As we got to face,
Stan started to come into vision, like,

when smoke started to clear.

And I looked around,
and George weren't there.

I had the shock of my life,

because I know that George
was behind us up to a certain point.

But, after that, things got
a bit confusing. It got worse.

-Yeah.
-What about your self-res gear?

Well, we put 'em on.
That's the first thing we did, you know,

and got together.

(SIGHS) I had to take mine off.
They're bloody awful, those things.

Rescue team said that
when they found George,

that he'd got his around his neck,
but his mouthpiece weren't in.

So he must've been overcome
with fumes and dust.

'Cause they checked it afterwards

and found there was
35 minutes' life left in it.

Have you seen his missus?

GEOFF: Yeah, she's gone.
Phil took her home.

Jesus wept.

GEOFF: It's a bad job.

(SIGHING)

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

MAN 1: What's happening?

MAN 2: Let's get that out of the road.

MAN 3: Bring it out this side, mate.

Go on.

MAN 1: Go on, lads.
Let's have a rest.

Come on.

-Are you ready?
-ALL: Aye.

How many on yer?

Come on, Tony, pack it in, lad.

Come on.

You're gonna be buggered. Come on.

Come on...

You're gonna be bloody knackered
going at that pace, you.

You got to look after yourself.
You know that, don't you?

We could be here two hours,
we could be here all bloody night.

We don't know.

-Yeah.
-MAN 3: Watch his head.

TONY: Do you think we will be?

There's no telling. Just keep going till
we get a road through, that's all.

TONY: What's happening there?

We're making us way down that gate.

-Can't see moving, can they?
-No.

TONY: What I can't understand is,
how it's affected this cave in.

I thought the explosion were
in the main gate.

When you get an explosion,

it whips coal dust up,

and that leads to more violent
explosion with coal dust.

This travels.

More damage done a long way away
from the explosion,

than within the actual explosion area.

It could keep travelling
and set pit afire.

Good thing about this, there's no fire.
Well, fire's been snuffed out here.

-I can't smell owt burning.
-No, no.

Think there's any air
getting through there, then?

MAN 1: Yes, I would say so.

MAN 2:
Falls like this, it gets pockets of air,

they'll probably last out on that.

Oh, they must've been there
five hours now.

Has there been any sign of gas
down there lately, anywhere?

MAN 1: There were a gas build-up
in 21's, and we got to withdraw men.

There was that incident on 10's,
when that cable were damaged,

and they kept talking,

and they couldn't care less
about the safety of the men.

There's things happening...

There's things that nobody
hears about, ordinary.

Nobody gives a bugger
as long as coal keeps coming.

Yeah, but as far as
I'm concerned, Arthur,

there isn't anybody working on 15.

That's what we were told.

-MAN 2: That's what I understand.
-Hey, you're wrong there.

The deputy sent two fitters down
to mend the motor.

MAN 2: Well, I didn't know about that.

I bet the bugger didn't test for gas...

Oh, don't start jumping to conclusions.
We don't enough about it yet, do we?

No, but we know enough
about previous incidents.

-MAN 2: We do.
-Men scuffling about,

disregarding the safety laws,
just for the sake of production.

Bloody management's sitting there,

turning a blind eye,
and hoping for the best.

If we were responsible
for everyday running of things,

we then,

could emphasize
the importance of safety,

and the fixing of targets,

because safety and production
goes along with one another.

Safety and production
doesn't go together.

If we can get cooperation of the men.

BRIAN: Well, yeah.
Well, that's gonna be my main issue.

That's gonna be another main issue,
after the £100 a week.

We're going after industrial democracy.

-Well, that's got to come.
-BRIAN: Yes, it is.

-We've got sense to force that now.
-We want to force it.

Who were the fitters
down there, anyway?

Well, one was Frank Morris,
the other was an apprentice.

I think it was Steve Oates.

Yeah, I know him well.

Ah! But were they working together?

-We don't know, do we?
-Well, I suppose so.

You know what happens.

I mean, they get started on a job,
and something happens somewhere else.

-Brian...
-Yeah, well, the deputy...

Wait a minute,
the deputy comes along, right?

He pulls the man away, and leaves
the apprentice to finish up on his own.

Now, I know it shouldn't happen,
but it does.

Well, Frank Morris
is a conscientious fellow.

I don't think for one moment

he'd leave young Oates on his own,
to do a job.

-No, he were under pressure.
-In my opinion, though.

Well, Ken Taylor is an engineer, Arthur.

ALF: Manager were on to
Ken Taylor this morning,

played hell over Tannoy.

I heard that myself this morning.

BRIAN: Well, what exactly was wrong
with the motor, then?

(ALL CLAMOURING)

It's up to your two
to find out now, isn't it?

Yeah, we will...

-MAN 3: If I were you...
-It's on reports, is it?

MAN 3: If I were you,
that's what I'd do,

because I'll tell you this.
Ken Taylor has been under pressure.

BRIAN: We'll be back.
ALF: We'll be back, lads.

Let us know.

He doesn't know what's gonna happen now,
if they don't get owt out of there.

BRIAN: We're gonna need to know
a bit more about this faulty motor

that these fitters were
looking at, you know.

Well, it needed repairing.

BRIAN: Yeah, I know it needed repairing,

but, I mean, you know,
but give us some, like, details.

What was wrong with it?

Well, it was damaged.

I mean, that's all I know about it.

It was damaged
and we sent somebody down to fix it.

Geoff's got the report.

It's all written down here, okay.

What happened was
a cowl got damaged in a fall,

and we had to have a new one fitted.

-Cowl?
-Forbes played bloody hell about it.

He said there was always something
going wrong with that face.

Well, fitting a cowl is
a straightforward kind of job, isn't it?

Aye, it is, if it's done right.

-GEOFF: What do you mean by that?
-Exactly what I said.

I just hope everything's
gonna be in order,

when we come to this enquiry,
that's all.

PHIL: Hey, now, hold on, Brian, hold on.

Let's not have the insinuations,
if you don't mind, all right?

We do our job, you know.

-BRIAN: Oh, do you?
-Oh, yes, we do. And we do it well.

Look, you know as well as I do

that it's impossible
to make a pit 100% failsafe.

-Now, isn't it?
-BRIAN: What you talking about.

Look, there's always
that element that creeps in.

There's bound to be an accident.

BRIAN: Accident? I'm not
talking about accidents, man.

You know what Arthur Machin
said at one enquiry, don't you?

He said that most of the improvements
to the safety regulations

over the past 100 years,

they came about
because of bloody disasters.

PHIL: What're you trying to say, Brian?

Listen, if we're not careful,

somebody's gonna be saying
a little bit too much here.

-GEOFF: Yes, I agree with Alf.
-(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Excuse me, Mr Carter,
Mr Johnson's just arrived.

GEOFF: Oh, thanks, Linda.
Would you show him through, love?

Mr Johnson, would you like to come
this way, please?

-Hello, Mr Johnson.
-Hello.

Pleased you could make it so quickly.

-You remember Phil Beatson?
-Oh, yes, how are you doing, Beatson?

-And Alf, and Brian.
-Hello, Alf, and Brian.

I was told in the House.
So I caught the first plane up.

Well, this is a terrible business.

ALF: It is indeed.
BRIAN: It's a real bad job, Eric.

What are the latest developments?
I haven't heard anything since I left.

Well, so far, there's been
one man brought out, dead.

So that leaves seven unaccounted for.

Well, let's hope
they can be recovered safely.

Well, is it possible
to see Mr Forbes, or...?

GEOFF: Shall I show you across?
It's just over here, Mr Johnson.

(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

That's Scargill's mate, ain't it?

Oh, he's no mate of Arthur's.
A wonder he knew his way here.

He were here last month for the visit.

-Was he?
-Hmm.

Yeah, well, that's two disasters
in a row, then.

(WHISTLING)

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

MAN 1: Watch your heads as you
go through, lads.

MAN 1: Watch this here.
MAN 3: All right, then.

MAN 1: Follow me.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

MAN 3: Here! Over here.

I'm over here.

MAN 4: All right.
MAN 3: I'm here.

MAN 4: What's the matter
with you, fella?

Me leg, and me face.

MAN 4: Get them legs here.

(ALL TALK INDISTINCTLY)

-MAN 2: Listen. Can I take your...
-What time is it?

It's twenty to ten.

What? In the morning? Night?

-Ooh.
-MAN 4: Wait a minute.

When you're ready.

-Ooh! Ooh!
-MAN 4: All right. All right.

Any straps with
that stretcher?

(GROANING)

MAN 2: Hang on.

-MAN 4: What's your name, old lad?
-Ken. Ken Taylor.

MAN 2: Shall I get a bandage?

MAN 4: I'll be all right.
I've got one here.

What about Frank Morris and Steve Oates?

They were working on face
on that motor.

MAN 4: Ah, we'll see to them.
Don't worry yourself. They're all right.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

-What was it? Any more?
-Yes.

-Is that stretcher nearly ready?
-Yes.

Are you ready? All together.

Up. Steady as he goes.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

-Something here.
-What is it?

It's like a racing form book
or something.

Just a minute, lads, summat here.

Looks like a racing form book
or something.

Just have a look down here.
Might be somebody else down here.

Pass us the canaries.

-Well, where're we going?
-Stay up there, will you?

-Keep yer eye on him.
-All right. Okay.

There's more here.

-There, racing form.
-Yeah.

Let's go further in the back.

(METALLIC THUD)

-Right beside you...
-Look at this.

(INDISTINCT)

(METALLIC CLANKING)

-Poor soul. Poor soul.
-Wouldn't have known much about that.

(INDISTINCT)

Turn him over.

Oh, bloody hell.

His clothes are all together.

-There's not much left of 'em.
-Can't find owt in his pockets.

Best bet's to leave him here.
Take other bloke out.

-Yeah. All right.
-Nothing we can do for this 'un.

All right.
Get off out and leave it.

-Is it all right, Mick?
-Yeah, yeah.

All right, old pal.

MAN 1: Move out of the way.
MAN 2: Stand back, all you lads.

(CROWD CLAMOURING)

REPORTER 1: You were the recent...
You've been down there.

What are the conditions like down there
at the moment?

REPORTER 2:
Are there any more down there?

REPORTER 1: Now, there's one man out.

That means there are six people
still trapped, sir, underground.

What chance have they got?

REPORTER 3:
Are you going down there right now?

Who is going down now?

(INDISTINCT CLAMOUR)

(AMBULANCE SIREN BLARING)

REPORTER 1:
What's the condition of this man?

REPORTER 2: Get a shot there, lad.

MAN 1: Are there many more
left down there?

(ALL CLAMOURING)

MAN: Get out! Get on...

(ARGUING INDISTINCTLY)

I'm the one who's gonna
face his wife tomorrow.

-Get him out of here.
-That's enough.

Give over.
He's not worth it.

Look, get off.

-Get him out of here.
-Kick him out of here.

Get him out.

(FIGHTING AND ARGUING)

I'm the one to face his wife tomorrow.

-All of you.
-Get him out of here.

Get about your business.

-Get him out of...
-Stupid...

MAN: Get off! That's his best mate.

Come on, come on.

You wanna change them birds?

-One of these has gone down.
-You what?

-He's gone down.
-What's up?

-One of the birds is down.
-Let's get some fresh air.

(UNCLEAR VOICES)

(METALLIC CLANKING)

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

(METAL CLANKING)

MAN: Now then, Dave.

We're about 15 yards off it
when one of the birds went down.

-So you found gas?
-Yeah.

-All right. Have you found anybody else?
-No, no.

-It's...
-Can you, can you get over the lip?

I don't know, it looks a bit rough.

So, what we'll have to do is
go back in under oxygen?

-Yeah. Yeah.
-Okay?

-You're all all right?
-Yeah.

-Okay, get your lads...
-Get your oxygen and couple up.

MAN 1: Has anybody seen young Steven?

MAN 2: No, I haven't.
It's a bit of a mess on the face.

-We getting number 11 30.
-MAN 3: Is that right?

MAN 1: All right. Okay.

MAN 4: Right then,
Dave, have a look at the time.

It's now five to ten,
I want you back by 11:30 at the outside.

(METAL SCRAPING)

(METAL CLINKING)

MAN 1: Oh, Jesus! Jesus Christ!

MAN 2: Steven. Steven.

Put him down, put him down.

Now then, Dave, what are we looking for?

-We found him near face motor.
-Oh, yeah?

Near face motor, there.
Big fall up there.

-And can anybody get over the fall?
-No. It's a big fall. Bloody mess.

Well, if another team went down,
they can get over, do you think?

-Could try.
-All right.

What I'll do then,
is organise another team...

MAN: Okay, Captain.

He were only 18.
Everything to live for at that age.

Christ, I wonder what
the hell caused it.

(INDISTINCT)

Poor sods.

(TAP RUNNING)

You know, Geoff, I hope nobody
has done owt bloody daft here.

-GEOFF: What do you mean?
-Well, it's not...

Common enough
in this industry, in't it?

To drop a bollock.

Aye.

There'll be a public enquiry, you know,
if anybody gets wind about it,

you know what Scargill's like.

Aye, I know what it's like.

And I know who they'll try
and bloody blame for this.

That I do.

He can't blame us though, can he?

I mean, we knew nowt
about it, did we?

Nothing to do with us.

Of course we should know something.
We're the bloody management.

It's our job to know
something about it, isn't it?

It's our bloody place.
That's what we're there for.

We're supposed to know everything.

You know what it's like, they'll bloody
crucify us given half a chance.

You know, the way it looks now,

it looks as though that motor has
been the cause, doesn't it? Up to now.

And if there's gonna be an enquiry,

that's the first thing
they'll be on to is

Frank being so far away from machine.

Looks as though he's
left the lad to do the job.

I hope he bloody hasn't
because he's under supervision.

That's what I mean.

He don't want to
have bloody left him.

Mind, the way you've had 'em running
about this last bloody month,

can't put their head
on their arse.

So, what can you expect?

I'll get my arse kicked
for no production.

I've got a breakdown,
got to get them ready.

But I didn't think
it would lead to this.

MRS DOBSON: He's booked
to go to Spain and all next week

for a fortnight with his mates.

He was really looking forward to it.

Never been abroad before.

Always scared of flying.

There're a gang of them going.

We thought it would give him
a bit of courage.

And none of them have flown either.

Oh, Shaun Davis has, I think.

He went to play football in Isle
of Man at Easter and he flew there.

Well, I wish he'd have
gone this week.

Then he'd be sat in a pub
somewhere, huh,

brown as a berry.

Getting a few pints down.

Red as a beetroot, more like.

-You know how the sun affects his skin.
-Aye.

Can't believe it really, can ya?

It just don't seem real.

MRS DOBSON: Well, I know one thing.

If our Allen comes out of this all right
he's not going down that pit no more.

That is a certainty.

And all the talk about £100 a week.

I don't think I'd let him go
back down there after this

if they give him £1,000 a week.

It's just not worth it.

I don't care what you say.

KATH: I'm going out for a breath of air.

MR DOBSON: Yeah, it is warm in here.

It gets you down, doesn't it,
all this waiting?

MAN: Yeah.

MRS DOBSON:
But I think I'd be sooner here

than badly in bed,
like poor old Albert's wife.

Almost drive me crackers, would that.

You know what they say,
"No news is good news."

-Don't you start with what folks say.
-You what?

I said don't start with
what folks say.

-It gets on your nerves.
-(SIGHS) Wrong again.

(PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

WOMAN:
Would you like a cup of tea, love?

Oh, no thanks, love.

If I have any more,
it will come out of me ears!

It's Kath, isn't it?

That's right.
Don't know you though, do I?

Oh, Maureen. (CLICKS TONGUE)
You know, I never recognised you.

I'd have walked straight past you,
if you hadn't just spoke.

-It's been a long time.
-Fancy, eh, after all these years?

I see you stayed in Army, then?

-Well, it took me fancy, you know?
-Yeah.

We only went to their dance
that night

because Roger Marshall
was gonna be there.

-Remember him?
-Oh, I do.

Yeah. What's happened to him?

He went to University,
didn't he?

Ah, yes, I think he did.
Yeah. Yeah.

-And you married Sid?
-Yeah, I did. How did you know?

Oh, I keep in touch, you know.

My mother still lives
over on the East Bank.

-I come over now and again.
-Yeah.

Do you know,
I've not seen your mother now

since you worked down
at school, you know.

Our Janet were...
What, she'd be only about nine then?

That's a long time, yeah. Yeah.

He was a nice lad, your Sid.

He once give John Mundy a black eye
for calling me Specky Four Eyes.

I know he's still down there, Kath.

Let's hope to God everything
turns out all right.

Thanks, love. I'll see you later.

-Excuse me, but you're Mrs...
-Storey.

Mrs Storey, I wonder if I can
have a quick word with you?

What about?

Your husband. I think he is still
trapped underground, isn't he?

-Are you a reporter?
-Yes, I am a reporter. Yes, I'm with...

I don't care who you're with.
I've nothing to say to you.

Possibly tomorrow,
when it's all over,

could I come around to your house then
and have a word with you?

You've a cheek.
I don't know how you've got the nerve.

I would make it worth
your while, obviously.

If you'll speak to me, you wouldn't
have to speak to anybody else.

Yeah, come around to our house.

I've got a son big enough
to take care of you.

You met me poorly,
you lot, you come up here

writing your sob stories,
reckoning to sympathise,

but you don't care a damn
really, do ya?

-I understand...
-Just wait until it all dies down

and we're putting in for a pay rise.

It'll be "Greedy Miners",
"Communist Conspiracy".

We'll be holding
the country to ransom.

You weren't writing sob stories about
us in '72 and '74 Strikes, were ya?

You were putting people against us.

You just tell lies, that's all.
And I don't want nothing to do with you.

-I'm sorry.
-Excuse me.

(EXHALES)

(TAP RUNNING)

Go on. Go get some sleep. Come on.

-What time is it?
-Around a quarter to one.

Go to bed.

(MEN TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

I bloody hope they're making
better progress than we are.

That takes it out.
Coming back down, aren't they?

-Bob.
-What?

Come and take Tony for a spell.

These lads are back early.

(ALL CLAMOURING)

Right, lads, what's brought you back?

We've managed to get through fall.
Make our way through the fall.

So, it don't look too bad on face.

-You've not seen anybody?
-I can't see nobody, no.

-If you can get down face...
-Not too bad at all.

How much have you got left?

'Cause you've only been away
for half an hour.

Oh, I've got a little bit left.

Right. What I want you to do now,
is to couple up, again.

-Yeah.
-And go back in, and go down the face

-as far as you can. Okay?
-Yeah.

It's gonna be a long time yet.
Long time yet.

-They went down face.
-Yeah.

They broke through?

-Broke through, aye.
-Yeah.

(AIR HORN SQUEAKS)

(HONKING AIR HORN)

(HONKING)

(CONTINUES HONKING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Forbes here.

(MAN TALKS INDISTINCTLY OVER PHONE)

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah?

-They've got all four?
-Yeah.

How are they?

There's two dead, and two alive.

Hold it a bit, hold it.

Just a minute, just a minute.
Go on. Two dead.

And two alive. Yeah.

There's no checks on those others?

No.

Yeah. Okay.

Leave it with me now,
and I'll sort it out from there.

Okay. See you. Keep me in touch.

They found all four.
There's two dead, two alive.

And them what's alive,
they're in a bad way.

They're gonna need an emergency
treatment with a doctor down below

-before we shift 'em any further.
-BRIAN: Mmm-hmm.

Now, one of the dead men
is Albert Rhodes.

And young Allen Dobson, he's alive,
but he's in a bad way.

Now, the other two,
we don't know what's what.

There's no checks on them.

And before asking anybody
to come and identify 'em,

or anything like that,

I want to check up,
find out who they are.

So, you'll have to excuse me, won't you?

-I'll have to go and see about this.
-All right. Good luck.

(SIGHS)

(DOOR CLOSING)

I'll leave that with you, Phil.
You got everything?

-Yes, yes. Okay.
-Right. Okay.

Mrs King, have a word, please.

-MRS KING: Any news, is it?
-Yes, I'll just...

Well, we found them.

But we're not sure
of their identities yet.

-We're just trying to find out.
-Is he all right?

Look, was your Ronnie wearing a pair
of green football socks?

No, no, he's never played football
in his life, so he couldn't...

No, it couldn't have been.

I see.

What about a signet ring?

-Did he wear a gold signet ring?
-Yeah. Yeah, why?

Was it a square one with sort of
a crisscross pattern on the side?

Yeah, yeah.

His mother bought it for him
for his 21st. Yeah, it would've been.

Yeah.

I think I've got some bad news
for you, Mrs King.

Look,

-I think we ought to go downstairs...
-Oh, no!

...to Mr Carter's office and sit down.

-All right? Steady.
-No!

(DOOR OPENING)

-Mum?
-Yeah, I'm here, love.

-Where's me dad?
-They're gonna take him to hospital.

-Hospital?
-Yeah, he's okay.

He's alive, anyway.
That's the main thing.

Is he gonna be all right?

Um. They said he's got a broken leg.

Broken pelvis.

They said he was, you know,
burned on his chest and on his arms.

I didn't see him. (SNIFFLING)

Unconscious and all
when they brought him out.

-Don't get upset, love.
-(SNIFFLING)

What you roaring for?

He's all right, isn't he?

He's better off than five
I could name, anyway.

JANET: Well, what, has
some being killed?

There's five been killed.

-KATH: Our Mark's here.
-Dad home yet?

-Come here, I want you.
-Where is he?

Come here a moment.

You know your dad... You know
there's been an accident at the pit.

Well, they've had to take
your dad to the hospital.

But he's gonna be all right.
Don't worry about it.

MARK: Will he be better in time to
take me to that test match next week?

JANET: Can you only think about cricket
when he's in hospital?

MARK: No, I didn't know.
KATH: No, he didn't.

I'll go to that test match
with you, Mark.

Me and your Uncle Harry will take thee.

KATH: You'd like that, wouldn't you?

-Prefer it if me dad could come.
-Oh!

We best go tell Albert's wife, eh?

Aye, somebody should be up by now.

FORBES:
She's not in house on her own, is she?

No, no, the daughter looks after her.

Look, come on, then.

Let's go and tell her, and then I'm
going home for a bit of sleep.

I could do with some of that meself.

ALF: See you later.
GEOFF: See you later.

Yeah.

ALF: If anybody's asking, Sheila,
I'll be back in about an hour.

-Okay?
-SHEILA: Okay.

(YAWNING)

These telegrams
have just come, Mr Forbes.