General view from North East of headstock and surrounding steel framed brick buildings containing car hall and man-winding level. Note the small, winding engine house for shaft repairs and maintainanc ...

Description General view from North East of headstock and surrounding steel framed brick buildings containing car hall and man-winding level. Note the small, winding engine house for shaft repairs and maintainance to left of picture.

Catalogue Number SC 369015

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of B 56197

Scope and Content View from north east showing headstock and surrounding steel-framed brick buildings containing car hall and man-winding level at Frances Colliery, Dysart, Fife Frances Colliery was opened in about 1850 by the Fife Coal Company. It was almost totally reorganised in the 1940s, after which it employed over 1,100 people. It was connected to Seafield Colliery on the other side of Kirkcaldy in the 1980s. Unlike most collieries, Frances has only one headframe (above the car hall) and shaft. Ventilation and access to the underground workings is provided by a surface mine dug at an angle from ground level. Nearby Michael Colliery provides the drainage. Most colliery winders are manually operated. This is because the load varies; the shaft's depth changes as the mine expands; and for safety reasons. Until recently, only a human could be trusted to control and monitor the winding machinery. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/369015

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap