National Mining Museum of Scotland

A visit to the National Mining Museum of Scotland a short walk from Newtongrange station.

The National Mining Museum of Scotland is situated at the former Lady Victoria Pit at Newtongrange, a short walk from Newtongrange station on the line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank. The pit opened in 1895 as Scotland's first "Super Pit". Mining continued there until 1981, in 1984 a museum was established at the site and in 1990 the colliery buildings were given grade A listed status, considered one of the best examples of a large scale Victorian coal mine. Only a small portion of the site has been renovated as part of the museum with many of the buildings still left as they were when mining finished. Some work has been done to stabilise buildings that aren't an active part of the museum, though some buildings have been described as "at risk."

More information and details about the museum can be found at the National Mining Museum Scotland website.

Further details of the listed buildings within the site can be found on the British Listed Buildings website

Google Maps

1933 Map

Below are photographs from my visit in 2012.

Below - A reconstructed mine tunnel, this is actually above ground built for the museum to demonstrate what the mine was like below ground.

Below - The winding engine, built by Grant Ritchie & Co of Kilmarnock.

Below - The lift cage from the pit shaft.

Below - The Coal Screens where tubs from the coal face were brought up, unloaded and graded.

Below - Narrow gauge wagon tipper.

Below - The former coal washing complex.

Below - The headgear constructed by Sir William Arrol. The chimney wound have been next to the boiler rooms containing 7 Lancashire boilers.

The loading bays where coal was dispatched in standard gauge railway wagons.

Below - Andrew Barclay 2284 of 1949 in the loading area. The curved structure on the right is part of the mine tunnel reconstruction.

Below - the overhead walkway does not appear on the above map as it was a later addition. After the mining industry was nationalised in 1947 pit head bath facilities were added at mines across the country. At Lady Victoria Pit these were across the road from the colliery buildings so a covered walkway was provided.

Below - Newtongrange station on the then recently reopened line to Tweedbank and my train back to Edinburgh.