Building A Sewer

This film is several films joined and shows many of the stages in building a sewer.

The film shows men cementing and laying bricks in the inside roof and walls of a tunnel. Above ground we see the crane lowering hoppers of cement into the entrance. There are further shots showing the lining of the tunnel. There is a brief shot of the men having a tea break and then a long sequence of the tunnel lining being put in. The second part of the film shows more of the tunnel linings being put into place. Above ground a grab is working, removing mud from a part dug tunnel. A steam rail crane is shown and some river works. A plumbing engineer empties water from small pipes in the ground. A sewer pipe is in a trench with men sealing the joints. There are many shots of the site, equipment and general activity. Houses are seen in the background in the above ground shots. A lengthy sequence shot below ground shows men working on the face of the tunnel. They drill through rock where necessary, putting in supports and the tunnel lining as they progress. Rail wagons move material and spoil out of the tunnel. Above ground we see a grab at work hauling mud out of the river. There are steps descending into a tunnel and in another a man descends down a wooden ladder. A section of pipe is lowered into the sewer. There are further shots above ground.

Keywords

Construction; Sewers

Background Information

The north-western intercepting sewer was built from the Norwich City boundary at Hellesdon Road to Trowse pumping Station between 1956 and 1959. It served the north western part of the City as well as Upper and Lower Hellesdon, Catton and Sprowston. It involved building a two mile tunnel under the City to a maximum depth of 124'. A later contract involved building four branch sewers from Earlham, Boundary Road, Baker Road and Colegate.