Lady Victoria Colliery

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Lady Victoria Colliery

The Lady Victoria Colliery is a former coal mine in the Scottish town of Newtongrange in the Midlothian Council Area . Today the facility is open to visitors as the Scottish Mining Museum . In 1990 the structure was included in the Scottish List of Monuments in the highest category A. A former classification as a Scheduled Monument has now been lifted.

history

Schomberg Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian and Archibald Hood founded the Lothian Coal Company in the 1890s . This initiated the establishment of the Lady Victoria Colliery, which finally began operations in 1895. Her name is derived from Lady Victoria , the wife of the Marquess of Lothian . The plant reached its peak in 1953 when 1765 people were employed. It was closed in 1981. In 2007, the Heritage Lottery Fund provided funds for restoration. The facility was then opened as a museum.

description

The plant is located in the southwest of Newtongrange directly on the Waverley Line , which provided an important transport route until it was closed in 1969. The plant is considered the best-preserved coal mine from before the First World War in the United Kingdom . The shaft was sunk to 530 m, making it the deepest in Scotland at the time of construction. In 1948 it was limited to a depth of 489 m. Victoria Colliery was one of the first mines in Scotland to use electricity extensively. The company's own power plant was completed when it opened and was expanded in 1924. It is noticeable that, despite its size, the mine only has a single shaft. This is due to their association with the nearby Lingerwood Colliery . The steam engine that powers the headframe is the most powerful preserved in Scotland. A settlement of brick houses was built for the workers, which was under the supervision of the management.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ a b Entry on Lady Victoria Colliery  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  3. ↑ a b Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland

Web links

Commons : Lady Victoria Colliery  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 55 ° 51 '43.1 "  N , 3 ° 4' 3.6"  W.