Scottish shale Scottish shale

Pumpherston No.1 mine

Parish:
Midcalder, Midlothian
Local authority:
West Lothian
Seams worked:
Pumpherston Shale
Opened:
c. 1884
Closed:
1901
Current status of site:
Undeveloped land adjacent to Pumpherston golf course
Regional overview:

pumpherston1mine1.jpg

Inclined adit

Serving Pumphertson Oil Works

Pumpherston Oil Company's first mine, sited close to the retorts of the Pumpherston Oil Works. The five seams of the Pumpherston Shales outcropped at this point, dipping steeply to the west. The workings of Pumpherston No. 1 Mine appear ultimately to have linked with those of Pumpherston No. 2 and No. 3 Mines.

  • Location & workings at Pumpherston No.1 mine
    • Show seams:

  • Detailed maps
  • Archive images

  • Plans & drawings

    Recent images

  • Newspaper references
    • As soon as possible we set off a mine from the surface, and this mine is being pushed forward with all possible speed, as we look upon the development of the field as of the utmost importance. We are glad to say we are making satisfactory progress in this direction; the mine is down a distance of fully 20 fathoms, from which we are raising from one of the seams, a shale six feet in thickness, and the quality looks to be first-class and quite up to expectations. We are fitting this mine with powerful machinery, and as the situation commands a large area, we expect to produce a large daily output of shale. This mine is situated in close proximity to where the retorts will be placed, and the shale coming directly from the mine shall pass through the breaking machine, and thence to the top of the retorts, and thereby save intermediate handling.

      Annual general meeting of the Pumpherston Oil Company reported in Glasgow Herald, 1st March 1884

      .......

      At the Pumpherston mines a "creep" has taken place, with the result that No.1 Mine has completely collapsed, while others are damaged.

      Glasgow Herald, 22nd August 1891


  • External references
    • Coal Authority Mine Abandonment Catalogue No. 4183, showing workings from Pumpherston No. 1, No. 2, & No. 3. in the Upper or Jubilee, Maybrick, Curly, Plain and Wee, abandoned in 1901.

  • Related file records