National Coal Board



Dates

  /  /1875South Hetton Coal Company Railway
One of Timothy Hackworth's locomotives withdrawn to be used as snowplough. Was taken by the National Coal Board to Philadelphia Works for display.
30/07/1900Londonderry Railway
Sold to North Eastern Railway. Stock, coal wagons, colliery lines and Seaham Harbour pass to the Seaham Harbour Dock Company (not later merged into the National Coal Board). Hall Dene station remains in Lord Seaham's ownership. Bath Hotel (Hendon) and Station Hotel (Seaham) were excluded.
  /  /1903Prestonlinks Mine (Prestonpans)
Opened on site of abandoned mine at Cockenzie, transferred to Edinburgh Collieries Ltd and then National Coal Board.
  /  /1907Smeaton Colliery (Dalkeith)
Opened for A G Moore & Co, closed by National Coal Board.
  /  /1928Lugar Iron Works
Closed, later used by the National Coal Board as headquarters and workshops.
  /  /1932Plean Colliery Company
Plean Colliery No 5 opened to produce coking coal. Originally it had its own coke ovens and, later, under National Coal Board used the Dumbreck Coke Ovens, Kilsyth.
  /  /1943Winton Pit (Ormiston)
Opened by National Coal Board, part of NCB Ormiston scheme, (originally opened by the Ormiston Coal Co as a ventilation shaft, made into a mine by the NCB).
  /08/1946Kingshill Colliery No 3
Sunk by the National Coal Board, originally planned by the Coltness Iron Works.
  /  /1947National Coal Board
Keen to develop Esk Basin.
  /  /1947Baads Mine (West Calder)
To National Coal Board.
  /  /1947United Collieries Ltd, Glasgow
To National Coal Board.
  /  /1947Easton Mine (Bathgate)
Washery added by National Coal Board.
01/01/1947National Coal Board
Formed
01/01/1947Fife Coal Company
National Coal Board
Assets of the Fife Coal Company transferred to the National Coal Board.
01/01/1947Fife Coal Company
National Coal Board
Blairadam Brick Works transferred from the Fife Coal Company to the National Coal Board.
  /  /1948Tillycoultry Mine
Re-opened after National Coal Board re-construction.
  /  /1948National Coal Board
Henderson Mine complete.
  /  /1950Polmaise Colliery Pit No 5
Opened by the National Coal Board for coking coal, but only used for ventilation.
  /  /1950Prestongrange Mine (Prestonpans)
National Coal Board opens pithead baths.
  /  /1950National Coal Board
Over-production as demand drops.
  /  /1950National Coal Board
Medical centre and canteen opened at Dumbreck Colliery.
  /  /1950National Coal Board
Fordell Colliery William Pit closed.
  /  /1950National Coal Board
Established the small Quarter Collieries Knowetop Pit, Quarter Collieries Beatons Lodge Pit and Avonbraes Pit (on site of earlier Avonbanks Pit 1824-1857) in the 1950s.
  /  /1951National Coal Board
Equipment to recover unusable slurry installed at Dumbreck Colliery.
  /  /1951National Coal Board
Torry Mine construction begins.
  /06/1951Kinneil Mine (Kinneil)
Opened by National Coal Board for coal, built on the site of the Furnaceyard Mine.
  /  /1952Kingshill Colliery No 3
Opened by the National Coal Board. Connected by double track cable haulage railway to new preparation plant at Kingshill Colliery No 1. The new preparation plant also replaces the Royal George Washery at the Coltness Iron Works and is used for coal from Branchal Mine and Overtown Mine.
  /  /1952Sundrum Nos 5 and 6
National coal Board opens a temporary pit.
  /05/1952Bilston Glen Colliery (Loanhead)
First Sod cut by National Coal Board.
  /08/1952National Coal Board
Begins sinking pit no 3 at Bowhill Colliery and improves pits nos 1 and 2.
  /  /1953Dalkeith Colliery (Dalkeith)
Coal Preparation Plant opened by National Coal Board, uses existing 5, 6 for ventilation and 7, 8 for access, uses the Smeaton Colliery bing.
16/12/1953Monktonhall Colliery (Millerhill)
First sod cut by National Coal Board.
  /  /1954Polmaise Colliery Pit No 5
National Coal Board plans re-construction.
  /  /1954Manor Powis Colliery
National Coal Board plan to re-build no 3 pit and a drift mine nearby.
  /  /1954National Coal Board
Development of Seafield Colliery begins.
  /01/1954Alloa NCB Workshops
Opened by the National Coal Board to replace smaller workshops at the Whins, Alloa, and Fallin. The works and stores were opened by the railway and could overhaul locomotives.
  /08/1954National Coal Board
Valleyfield Colliery no 3 pit sinking begins on reclaimed land to the south of no 1 and 2 pits. No 2 pit is re-built. Spoil is dumped on the River Forth foreshore and ultimately, combined with ash from Longannet Power Station, connects Preston Island to the mainland.
  /  /1955Minnivey Nos 4,5 (Burnton)
Opened by National Coal Board.
  /  /1955Riddochill Mine (Bathgate)
National Coal Board installs first continuous miner system.
  /  /1955National Coal Board
Torry Mine is opened to the north of Valleyfield Colliery to which it is connected by a tramway, partly underground in a half mile tunnel.
  /  /1955National Coal Board
Drilling rig assembled in St David's Harbour to be used to check the under-sea reserves of the new Seafield Colliery.
  /10/1956Allander Scheme
Public enquiry for the National Coal Board's proposed Allander Scheme to mine for coal under Bearsden and Milngavie, no decision reached.
  /  /1957Polquhain Colliery (Rankinston)
Re-built by the National Coal Board.
  /  /1957Cuthill Mine
Opened by National Coal Board.
  /  /1958National Coal Board
The National Coal Board starts sinking a new Airth Colliery mine for coking coal west of Airth station on the South Alloa Branch (Scottish Central Railway).
  /  /1959Douglas Colliery
Re-built by the National Coal Board.
  /  /1959Allander Scheme
National Coal Board estimates Allander Scheme would not be needed into the 1980s and housing is built on the proposed site.
  /  /1959National Coal Board
Bogside Mine opened, to serve the Kincardine Power Station.
  /  /1959National Coal Board
Benarty Mine closed.
  /02/1959National Coal Board
Sinking of the new Airth Colliery mine is abandoned. The NCB was losing £12 million a month and the demand for coking coal had reduced.
  /  /1960National Coal Board
Polkemmet Mine (Whitburn) rebuilt to include a preparation plant. This produced 12000 tons of coking coal per week for the Ravenscraig Steel Works.
  /  /1960Lurgi Gas Plant
Lochore Branch (North British Railway)
Opened by the National Coal Board to utilise low rank coal from Westfield Opencast in a high pressure gasification process. The plant produced the base load of the central Scotland gas supply. The site was served by sidings from the nearby line, next to Kirkness Farm Siding.
  /  /1960National Coal Board
Lochore Branch (North British Railway)
Westfield Opencast opened. A new yard and loading point, Westfield Disposal Point [1st], were built to serve the opencast site.
  /01/1960National Coal Board
Cowdenbeath Colliery closed with production mine Cowdenbeath Colliery Pit No 7 and Cowdenbeath Colliery Pit No 10 (services) closed.
  /06/1960National Coal Board
Dollar Mine Pits Nos 4 and 5 opened, to mostly serve the Kincardine Power station.
  /  /1961Whitehill Pit (Rosewell)
Closed by National Coal Board.
  /  /1961Sundrum Nos 5 and 6
This short lived National Coal Board pit closed.
  /01/1961Gilmerton Pit (Gilmerton)
Closed by National Coal Board.
  /  /1962South of Scotland Electricity Board
Longannet Power Station planned by South of Scotland Electricity Board (SSEB). The National Coal Board (NCB) plans to supply it from Bogside Colliery No 3, Castlehill Mine and Solsgirth Colliery via Longannet Mine at the power station. Longannet will be connected to Solsgirth by a five mile underground conveyor.
  /  /1962National Coal Board
Blairenbathie Mine closed.
  /02/1962National Coal Board
Partial closure of Hassockrigg Colliery.
  /07/1962National Coal Board
Complete closure of Hassockrigg Colliery
  /  /1963National Coal Board
Aitken Colliery (Kelty) closed.
  /  /1963Bilston Glen Colliery (Loanhead)
Opened by National Coal Board.
  /  /1964Burghlee Mine (Loanhead)
Closed by National Coal Board. (Was opened by Shotts Iron Co).
  /  /1964National Coal Board
Construction begins of drift mines to supply the new Longannet Power Station. Longannet Mine (where coal was brought to the surface), a new Bogside Mine (No 3), Castlehill Mine and Solsgirth Mine. The mines will work the Upper Hirst seam.
  /01/1964National Coal Board
Scottish Rexco Company
Plant opened by Scottish Rexco Company at Comrie Colliery to make domestic smokeless fuel.
30/04/1964National Coal Board
Kinneil Mine is connected to Valleyfield Colliery, under the Firth of Forth. Following this, coal is brought up at Kinneil Mine.
  /  /1965Ramsay Pit (Loanhead)
Closed by National Coal Board. (Opened by RBW Ramsay.)
  /  /1965National Coal Board
Torry Mine closed.
  /  /1965National Coal Board
Frances Colliery washery closed, coal was then taken to the Bowhill Washery.
  /01/1965National Coal Board
Lindsay Colliery Pits Nos 4 and 5 closed.
26/01/1965Monktonhall Colliery (Millerhill)
Opened by National Coal Board.
01/03/1965National Coal Board
Construction begins of Solsgirth Colliery Pit No 2 of the Longannet Mine complex.
15/04/1965National Coal Board

Construction begins of Solsgirth Colliery Pit No 1 of the Longannet Mine complex.
  /07/1965National Coal Board
Bowhill Colliery closed, but the Bowhill Washery remains open.
  /  /1966National Coal Board
Quarter Collieries Knowetop Pit closed.
  /  /1966National Coal Board
Production begins at Seafield Colliery.
  /  /1966National Coal Board
Lochore Colliery Mary Pit closed.
  /  /1966National Coal Board
Kinglassie Colliery closed.
  /  /1966National Coal Board
Lumphinnans Colliery Pits Nos 11 and 12 closed.
  /  /1967National Coal Board
With Wellesley Colliery worked out, staff are moved to Seafield Colliery.
  /  /1967National Coal Board
Dysart Workshops closed.
  /  /1967National Coal Board
Cowdenbeath Central Works becomes the principal Fife workshops when Dysart Workshops and Alloa NCB Workshops closed.
  /01/1967National Coal Board
Dumbreck Colliery and its Dumbreck Coke Ovens closed when the Mossend ICI Ammonia Plant closed (coke ovens need ammonia). Demand for coking coal had reduced with the closure of Gartsherrie Iron Works.
  /  /1968National Coal Board
Dysart Colliery Randolph Pit closed.
  /  /1969National Coal Board
Scottish Brick Company
Blairadam Brick Works transferred from the National Coal Board to the Scottish Brick Company.
  /05/1969National Coal Board
Blairhall Colliery closed (alternative date 13/06/1969). Coal preparation plant remains open.
  /08/1969National Coal Board
Comrie Colliery reaches peak output of 3260 tons in a week.
  /  /1970Harviestoun Drift Mine
Opened to the east of the former National Coal Board mine.
  /  /1970National Coal Board
Coal reached at Solsgirth Colliery of the Longannet Mine complex.
  /  /1970National Coal Board
The two drifts of Castlehill Mine, of the Longannet Mine complex, in production.
  /06/1970National Coal Board
Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
Bringing coal to the surface at Bogside Mine ceases. Sidings closed.
  /04/1971National Coal Board
Blairhall Colliery coal preparation plant closed.
29/11/1971Taff Vale Extension
Middle Duffryn Junction to Mountain Ash sold to the National Coal Board.
  /05/1973National Coal Board
5 men killed in a roof fall at the Seafield Colliery.
09/01/1977Rumney Railway
Bargoed to Britannia Colliery closed, coal worked by the National Coal Board over their private line to Bargoed Washery connected to the Rhymney Railway at Bargoed Pits Junction.
  /  /1978National Coal Board
Plan authorised for new mine, which was to be called Castlebridge Mine, for the Longannet Mine complex, to the south of Forrestmill. This extended the workings west.
  /  /1978National Coal Board
Valleyfield Colliery closed.
  /  /1980National Coal Board
Comrie Colliery open day held.
  /  /1980National Coal Board
Cowdenbeath Mine Rescue Team privatised and moved to Crossgate. Now specialise in training and to respond to Longannet Mine complex emergencies.
  /  /1981National Coal Board
Approximate date of underground connection between Seafield Colliery and Frances Colliery.
  /  /1984National Coal Board
Polkemmet Mine closed. The mine was flooded as pumping ceased during the Miner's Strike. Mine completely abandoned in 1986.
  /  /1984National Coal Board
Frances Colliery effectively closed following underground fires during the Miner's Strike.
  /  /1986National Coal Board
Castlebridge Mine, the new mine of the Longannet Mine complex, opened.
  /  /1986National Coal Board
Becomes British Coal Corporation.
  /  /1986National Coal Board
Comrie Colliery closed.
  /07/1987National Coal Board
Plan to link Polmaise Nos 3 and 4 Colliery with Longannet Mine complex abandoned.
  /  /1988National Coal Board
Solsgirth Colliery, of the Longannet Mine complex, driven through to Castlebridge Mine.
  /  /1988British Coal Corporation
Cowdenbeath Central Works and offices closed by British Coal Corporation (formerly National Coal Board). (Seafield Colliery closed in 1988.)
  /  /1988National Coal Board
Frances Colliery officially closed.
  /  /1988National Coal Board
Seafield Colliery closed.
  /  /1988National Coal Board
National Coal Board Central Works Fife closed.
  /  /1989National Coal Board
Barony Colliery Pits Nos 1,2,3,4 closed.