This is one of a collection of promotional films made by the large crane manufacturers, Priestman Brothers of Hull.  This is the first part of a film focusing on different kinds of grabs in different uses, with intertitles. The film begins showing grabs in action in Birmingham, excavating shale, and clearing a large site, loading onto railway carriages.  One of the workers takes a ride on a mechanical McAlpine shovel.  Concrete is then being laid as a foundation, possibly for a canal or...

This is one of a collection of promotional films made by the large crane manufacturers, Priestman Brothers of Hull.  This is the first part of a film focusing on different kinds of grabs in different uses, with intertitles. The film begins showing grabs in action in Birmingham, excavating shale, and clearing a large site, loading onto railway carriages.  One of the workers takes a ride on a mechanical McAlpine shovel.  Concrete is then being laid as a foundation, possibly for a canal or road. Intertitle - The Priestman System A ship is shown discharging, or unloading shale in Middlesbrough docks, using a large grab.  The unloading is from a ship onto railway wagons.  Then coal is being handled at the Royal Albert Docks, with a sign for Corys Tarmac Ltd., Deptford.   There are more examples of coal being unloaded from ships: one a “level cut” grab handling 14” slag.