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Seafield Colliery

Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Generic reference to Seafield Supermine. Massive colliery complex on the shore south of Kirkaldy. Underground workings extending under the Forth.

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Preparatory work on sinking a shaft to mine coal under the Forth began in 1954; production started in 1965 and ceased in 1988. Buildings by Egon Riss. [Trove.scot]

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One of Scotland's successful superpits, and famous for its prowess at incline mining (1 in 0.8). Spontaneous combustion problems were tackled by nitrogen injection into the 'wastes extracted area. Equipped with its own dense-medium coal preparation plant. Tragic accident in 1973 when a face collapse killed five and injured four men. Linked underground with Frances [Frances Colliery, Dysart](NT39SW 25) by 1981. Just survived the miners strike of 1984, but closed four years later. Two towers blown up and surface buildings cleared after closure. [Miles K. Oglethorpe, 2006]

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: Coordinates given are arbitrary as the complex covered a large area.

Egon Riss, modernist architect, Vienna, London & Scotland (1901-1964). Worked extensively for the National Coal Board during Nationalization in 1960s.

Hydrographic Feeds: [Firth of Forth?]

Hydrographic Resurgences: [pumped to surface?]