tarboat's photos with the keyword: prestongrange

In 1952 the Pithead Baths were built at Prestongrange Colliery. The architect was J.E.Webster and this was probably a standard National Coal Board design. It was the 100th pithead baths to be erected at a Scottish colliery. The cost was £63,578 and the building provided bathing and clothes storage accommodation for 969 men, including a well-equipped canteen and a cycle store which had space for 50 bicycles and six motorbikes. Sadly its working life was short as the colliery closed in 1962 and the now building stands empty as part of the Industrial Heritage site.

This cast pulley is on the side of the continuous brick kiln at Prestongrange. A close look shows the frayed end of a steel cable and I can only assume that it was associated with raising and lowering a damper on the kiln. The London Electric Firm was established in Croydon in 1904 and specialised in winches, wire ropes, guide pulleys and lowering gear.

The Prestongrange engine is of the Cornish type and was manufactured by J. E. Mare & Co of Plymouth to the design of engineers Hocking & Loam. This 70 inch engine was brought to the Prestongrange Colliery second hand in 1874 having been used previously on three Cornish Mines, the last being the Great Western Mines from 1869 to 1873. It was bought Harveys of Hayle who sold it on to Prestongrange complete with a new Beam of their own manufacture. The engine pumped the pit until electric pumps took over in 1954. The colliery closed in 1962 and the engine is now preserved as a feature in the Industrial Heritage Museum on the site. Access to the enginehouse is available on request at the visitor centre.

The brickworks at Prestongrange once comprised eleven round downdraught kilns and a 24 chamber Hoffmann kiln. Today only the disused Hoffmann kiln survives.

The Prestongrange engine is of the Cornish type and was manufactured by J. E. Mare & Co of Plymouth to the design of engineers Hocking & Loam. This 70 inch engine was brought to the Prestongrange Colliery second hand in 1874 having been used previously on three Cornish Mines, the last being the Great Western Mines from 1869 to 1873. It was bought Harveys of Hayle who sold it on to Prestongrange complete with a new Beam of their own manufacture. The Harvey name cast into the beam has lead to confusion as to the manufacturer and it was Kenneth Brown who discovered the truth ( www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Prestongrange-Industrial/Prestongrange-a-Myth.pdf ). The engine pumped the pit until electric pumps took over in 1954. The colliery closed in 1962 and the engine is now preserved as a feature in the Industrial Heritage Museum on the site.