History of Opencast Mining in Coalburn
Opencast Mining at Dalquhandy. 1996.
These photographs from the archived collection in the Heritage Centre were taken by the late Jim Hamilton and the text on this page is based on his description.
In 1988, twenty years after the closure of the collieries, another form of coalmining came to the village. With far fewer men employed, large machines took off the top soil and quarried down until seams of coal were available and, as a result, giant craters were created reaching in places to where the miners of previous years had crawled on their knees to provide for the nation decades ago.
This operation at the time was the largest Opencast in Western Europe and lasted almost twenry years. Other similar projects started up close by.
Mining Operations. 1996
Old Mine Shaft Uncovered. 1996
Washing Plant and Distribution
Washing Plant. 2001
A new washing plant was developed to facilitate the screening and washing of the coal before it was transported by heavy lorries to a rail terminal at Ravenstruther near Lanark and from there it was taken to various destinations throughout Britain and Northern Ireland. A private road was built out of the site to the roundabout at Poniel.
Distribution Point. 2001
Weighbridge. 2001
Another view of washplant. 2001
Plant Control Centre. 2001
Testing Laboratory. 2001