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Bilston Glen Colliery
Colliery (20th Century)
Site Name Bilston Glen Colliery
Classification Colliery (20th Century)
Canmore ID 72676
Site Number NT26NE 77
NGR NT 2718 6514
NGR Description Centred NT 2718 6514
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/72676
- Council Midlothian
- Parish Lasswade
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District Midlothian
- Former County Midlothian
NT26NE 77 2718 6514
Bilston Glen Colliery, visible from a vertical air photograph (vertical photograph OS 75/293, 250).
Information from RCAHMS (KB) 4 September 1998.
(Location cited as NT 2714 6510 - Shaft No.1). BILSTON GLEN Colliery
Location: Loanhead
Previous Owners: National Coal Board
Sinking Commenced: 1952
Production Commenced: 1963
Year Closed: 1989
Year Abandoned: 1989
Average Workforce: 2,154
Peak Workforce: 2,367
Peak Year: 1970
Shaft Details: No. 1 shaft (NT 2714 6510) 7.3m diameter, 751m deep, with 2 ground-mounted AC 1082KW friction winders hauling 4 10.7-tonne skips, No. 2 shaft (NT 2725 6507) 6.1m diameter, 733m deep with 746KW AC double-drum ground-mounted winder hauling 2 double-decked cages each carrying 72 men simultaneously. Winding engines by Fullerton, Hodgart & Barclay of Paisley. The coal preparation plant (a Baum-type washer) was completed in 1960, and was designed to treat 640 tons of coal per hour.
Other Details: One of the National Coal Board's (NCB) most successful superpit developments, and designed to go much deeper than neighbouring mines into the Midlothian coalfield basin, exploiting the limestone coals, with an intended output of 1 million tons per annum. The scheme, which was one of NCB architect Egon Riss's projects and included baths, canteen and medical facilities, was inaugurated on 19 May 1952, production commencing in 1963. Prior to closure, 45% of output was consumed by electricity generators (South of Scotland Electricity Board, or SSEB). Bilston Glen witnessed some of the most bitter scenes of unrest in Scotland during the miners' strike of 1984. Demolished shortly after closure in 1988.
M K Oglethorpe 2006.
