Photo - open-cast shale working
code: LVSAV2019.004
Description
B&W negative copied in 1990 from official albums then held at Grangemouth refinery.
This view, thought to be at Glendevon Quarries shows an 8 ton[?] truck being loaded by a tracked excavator. Towards the end of World War II, the demand for shale oil and the shortage of miners led Scottish Oils Ltd to consider the open cast mining shale. Quarries were opened at Winchburgh (near Glendevon shale mines), Niddry Farm, and Hayscraig. In c.1948 a further quarry was opened beside the River Almond in Livingston.
