Brora coal pit, Sutherland, 1899

Brora coal-pit, 0.8 km. west of Brora. Sutherland. Coal-pit and rock exposures (lower part of the Jurassic Corallian and Oxford Clay). The photograph shows the small colliery workings with a row of cottages to the right. The main seam of the Brora Coal was c. 3 feet 6 inches thick within which was a band of pyrites. This greatly reduced its value. Most coal in Scotland is derived from Carboniferous strata, the Brora Coal is unusual in that it is of much younger Jurassic age. The coal had a strong sulphurous odour, was liable to spontaneous combustion both in the mine and on the spoil heaps or even in transit and it had a high ash content. The history of mining of this coal dates back to 1598 when Jane, Countess of Sutherland opened the first pit. Many other records of mining exist since then. In 1910 output was 6000 tons. The coal raised was used in the immediate neigbourhood, at the brickworks adjacent to the mine, in the Brora Wool Mill which also supplied Brora with electric light and the local inhabitants used it as a domestic fuel.

Photograph by Robert Lunn, 1899.

Posted by Bob McIntosh

Oblique aerial view of Blindwells Opencast Site, Tranent, 1996.

BGS image ID: P001315

Oblique aerial view of Blindwells Opencast Site, Tranent, East Lothian, looking from the east-north-east. Working opencast coal site, in coals of the Limestone Coal Formation, showing various stages in the process. The working face is in the foreground; backfilled spoil in the centre - colours of each load derive from different materials, white and pale brown = sandstone, pale and dark grey = siltstone and shale, dark brown = glacial till overburden; black area = coal storage, pale brown areas = restored overburden. Top left is worked area fully restored to agricultural use. Bottom right is undisturbed ground.


Bob McIntosh

Westfield Opencast Coal Mine, 1977.

BGS image ID: P001513

Oblique aerial view of the Westfield Opencast Coal Mine from the north-east Fife Region. Cut to extract the abnormally thick development of coals (Boglochty Beds) in the Passage Group of the Namurian of the Scottish Carboniferous succession. The excavation is about 200 metres deep and has cut through strata from just above the top of the Middle Coal Measures (Westphalian B) down to the Calmy Limestone of Namurian (E2) age. At the top are the processing plants. The Westfield Open Pit was worked by Costain Mining Limited on behalf of the National Coal Board Opencast Executive.

Excavation commenced in 1955 on the site of the former Kirkness Colliery, production started the following year, 1956. It was regarded at the time as the largest opencast in the UK and possibly Europe.


Old photograph number: D02514

Photograph taken 1977.

Bob McIntosh