A film giving a complete record of the construction of the cargo ship M.V General Guisan which began construction at William Gray & Company Ltd yards at West Hartlepool on the 5th September 1946 and was launched into Central Dock on the 19th June 1947. The film also shows the manufacture of its marine engine by Sulzer Bros. Ltd and its subsequent installation by the Central Marine Engine Works at West Hartlepool. The final part of the film shows the ship during its sea trials on the 17th...

A film giving a complete record of the construction of the cargo ship M.V General Guisan which began construction at William Gray & Company Ltd yards at West Hartlepool on the 5th September 1946 and was launched into Central Dock on the 19th June 1947. The film also shows the manufacture of its marine engine by Sulzer Bros. Ltd and its subsequent installation by the Central Marine Engine Works at West Hartlepool. The final part of the film shows the ship during its sea trials on the 17th February 1948 and ends with views of the handing over ceremony. Title: M.V. “General Guisan” for Suisse -Atlantique Soc de Nav Maritime SA. The film opens on a man in an office marks out lines on a model of a ships keel. He then pins strips of thin wood to the model. Title: Keel laying 5th September 1946. General view showing an empty dry dock. The film cuts to a crane loading steel plate onto the back of a small railway waggon.  At the empty berth another crane unloads it. Two men use large wrenches to bolt sections of steel plates together along the spine of the keel. A woman removes a heated rivet from a small furnace or brazier and carries it away in a shovel. Two men control a large machine that is punching holes into a section of steel girder. The film cuts to an overhead view of the dry dock showing the keel now in position. Inside the shell of the ship a crane carries another section of steel towards the partially completed spine. Standing above two workmen help to manoeuvre the steel section into position. Another overhead view of the keel under construction in the berth. The film cuts to show a section of white hot steel girder being pulled from a furnace onto a honeycombed steel floor. A hydraulic press bends the girder which is held in position by steel pegs. The film cuts back to the dry dock where a man uses an acetylene torch to cut steel plate. General view from inside the now completed frame of the ship. A crane and a number of men can be seen working in the distance. Two men manoeuvre a section of steel frame through a machine that is punching holes into it. Along the side of the frame is written the word ‘Camber’. Three men manoeuvre another section of steel plate through a machine that trims the edges. There is another view from inside the frame of the ship. In the distance a man is using an arc welder.  The film cuts to a close up of the man as he welds two sections of steel plate together. A crane carries a section of girder towards two men who are sitting on a high steel girder. They begin to bolt it into position. Inside a workshop a man controls a machine that is scouring a section of steel plate. The film cuts back to a general view do the dry dock with a now partially completed hull. A crane carries a section of steel plate onto the deck of the ship where it is moved into position by a workman.    In unison two men hammer rivets into the deck of the ship watched over by a third. General view of the portside of the ship showing wooden scaffolding and ladders.  Two men mechanically bolt two sections of steel plate together. Below them on another level two other men are seen using a large mechanical drill to drill holes into the hull plate. The sequence ends with a man in a flat cap using a pneumatic riveter on various sections of hull plate. Title: Launch 19th June 1947. An overhead view of crowds standing around the dry dock. On the dock side Madame Guisan uses a riveting machine on a section of steel girder watched over by a crowd of people.  A flag flies from a mast on the bow of the ship. Madame Guisan accepts a bouquet of flowers from a woman. She speaks with her and a man stands next to her.    The film cuts to underneath the stern of the ship where a number of workmen knock out the supports holding up the ship. From the deck of the ship a view of crowds standing on the dockside including a group of children. Madame Guisan holding the bouquet leads a group of dignitaries onto the launching platform. Back under the stern of the ship men carry away the large wooden support blocks. The film cuts back to the viewing platform where Madame Guisan is presented with a bottle of Champagne which is attached to a long line of rope. She and a man in a smart suit pose for a camera. Back underneath the ship a workman waits to be given the command to knock out the final block. Title: Christening by Madame Guisan wife of General Henri Guisan.  Madame Guisan smashes the bottle of champagne against the bow of the ship. A man quickly appears and cuts the rope attached to the broken bottle.  General view of the portside of the ship showing a flag flying from the mast on the bow. The name ‘General Guisan’ can also be seen written along the side of the ship. Underneath the ship the workman knocks out the final support using a large hammer and the ship begins to slowly move down the slipway. General view of the crowd on the quayside and then of the ship slipping down into Central Dock. Several men can be seen standing on the bow watching the crowds below. General views show the ship entering the water. The film cuts to the viewing platform where the dignitaries stand watching the launch. General views of the ship in the water. As the dignitaries climb down from the viewing platform another man can be seen changing the ship number plate from 1209 to 1218. The dignitaries walk away from the platform. Title: Construction of Machinery by Sulzer Bros. Ltd. General views show men working to prepare a mould for a new engine. A concrete section is lowered into place over the mould. Steel is poured into the mould from a number of ladles watched over by a number of men. The partially cooled engine section is lifted from the mould by a crane. It is placed inside a large mechanical lathe which is moving slowly up and down. A man uses a brush to sweep the exterior of the cast section.  The film cuts to show a large triangular section of lattice metalwork being lowered by crane and put into position by a workman. Using an industrial drill a man works to bore a hole through a section of metal. On the table beside him is a metal can the content of which he pours over the smoking drill-bit. At another drill a section of tubing is bored out . It is then lowered into position over the drilled hole seen previously. A man paints lubricant around the sides of the tubing which is smoking. The film cuts to a man standing beside a large lathe. The machine is working as stands only a few feet away from a large section of metal. General views showing different parts of the engine being turned on various types of lathes. Men stand beside the machines either measuring sections of painting on lubricant. In a large workshop space the various section of marine engine are brought together and lowered into position by cranes. Men work to position each section into its correct location.   The film cuts to a man working a set of control for then engine. There are general views of the engine in operation. Title: Machinery installed by Central Marine Engine Works. General view of a large crane along which is written: ‘Central Marine Engine Works’. A crane lowers the completed engine into position inside the General Guisan watched over by a number of men. Title: Trials 17th February 1948. In the engine room of the ship a man pulls a number of levers. A dial on a display begins to change. There is a view of a clock. A man opens a hatch to show an engine piston in motion. He closes the door. The film cuts to an exterior shot of the General moving slowly out to sea. A small flag flies from a mast. General view of the ship at sea. Filmed from the ship a view of vessel turning in the water. At the stern of the ship two flag, including the Red Ensign, are lowered and a Swiss flag raised. On the deck of the ship a crowd of men watch as another flag is raised. They begin to cheer. General view of the ship at sea. Filmed from a second vessel the film ends with a view of the stern on the ship and the propeller turning. End credit: Ship built  and film produced by William Gray & Co. Ltd West Hartlepool