The Cycling Scot
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Ayrshire
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Glasgow and the Clyde Valley
    • Islands
    • Moray
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • Cycle Clothing
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best travel books about cycling in Scotland
    • Family-Friendly Bike Holidays in Scotland
    • Mountain Biking Guide
  • Working with me
  • Best Cycling Books
  • Edinburgh bike life

National Mining Museum Scotland

11/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Entrance to the National Mining Museum Scotland
The highlight of this museum is a guided tour by a former miner. These men are full of stories and provide a fascinating insight into their working life. The museum is easy to reach from Edinburgh using the Borders Railway. It is walking distance from Newtongrange Station. 

How to Get There
The museum is 8 miles from Edinburgh. It is located alongside Newtongrange train station on the Borders Railway, so you don't really need to use a bicycle to reach it. There are plenty of cycling routes in the Scottish Borders, so you could do a stop-off at the museum then get back on the train to head further south. The train takes about 20 minutes from Edinburgh.
Picture
Newtongrange train station sign with mention of the museum
Picture
Newtongrange train station buildings
Picture
National Mining Museum Scotland sign
Picture
The path from Newtongrange train station to the mining museum
A path links the station to the museum. It is uphill and really unsuitable for cycling so if you did bring the bike you will be pushing it or locking it up at the station. A nice feature of this path is that it has information panels that tell the story of the mine.

At one time coal mining was a hugely significant part of Scottish life with 148,000 miners employed in Scotland at the industry's peak. 

The path takes you past a scene of industrial decay with mine buildings looking like they are being reclaimed by nature. The museum is contained within the site of the Lady Victoria Colliery. It opened in 1895 and was named after the wife of the Marquess of Lothian who owned the land. The mine closed  in 1981 and became the museum.
Picture
National Mining Museum Scotland.
As you approach the entrance to the museum there is a small garden area that has gorgeous flowers and plants. A wheel from a winding engine has been put to use as a water feature and there are cute little paths winding through the trees and bushes.
Picture
Garden area of the National Mining Museum Scotland
Picture
Picture
The Victorian-era industrial architecture is beautiful with huge windows, impressive brickwork and glazed tiles inside.
Picture
Impressive Victorian architecture of the National Mining Museum Scotland
Contrast this to the functional concrete bridge that is attached to the building and crosses the A7. This was built in the 1950s  to link the building to a bath house. 
Picture
1950s bridge that linked the mine to the bath house- National Mining Museum Scotland
Before the bath house was built the miners had to go home dirty. Their houses had a tin bath that was filled up with a kettle. If there was more than one miner in the family the most senior man got first shot at the bath. My tour guide, John, said of the youngest son, "By the time you got to the bath it was not very warm and not very clean."

Signing-up to one of the guided tours is the best way to experience the mine. My guide, John, had started working as a miner at the age of 15. He wore orange overalls and a helmet with a lamp.

John talked through the various stages of going to work in the mine. First he picked up his lamp and then walked down the gangway. "This was the last opportunity for men to have a cigarette so this gangway was always thick with smoke. "
Picture
Gangway that the miner's walked down on their way to the mine. National Mining Museum Scotland
The next stage of John's journey to work was the lift down to the mines. It was a double deck lift that could take 30 men on each deck and took 1 minute and 20 seconds to reach the pit. "Made my stomach go," John told us.

The lift had two speeds and when it was used to carry coal back up to the surface it took just 40 seconds. "The lift operator was a trusted man who could never leave his post and had to make sure that he got the right speed when carrying men in the lift. Can you imagine if he used the coal speed when the men were in the lift?"

The tour includes a visit to the engine room where the giant winding machine that carried the lift up and down to the mine is turned on for visitors. The room smells of engine oil and it is quite a thrill to see this huge wheel being turned by massive pistons. This was the most powerful winding engine in Scotland.
Picture
The winding engine at the National Mining Museum Scotland
Picture
Speed indicator on the winding engine at the National Mining Museum Scotland
Picture
Checklist board for the winding machine at the National Mining Museum Scotland
Picture
Winding engine at the National Mining Museum Scotland
The largest part of the mine site is an area where coal was sorted and carried around in railway wagons. There are tracks, gangways and control booths spread over a giant area. 
Picture
Coal sorting area of the National Mining Museum Scotland
Picture
Coal sorting area of the National Mining Museum Scotland
There is lots of interesting equipment to spot on the way around the tour route, including a National Coal Board train engine and coal wagons.
Picture
National Coal Board train at the National Mining Museum Scotland
Picture
Coal wagon at the National mining Museum Scotland
Our tour visited a reconstruction of an underground mine tunnel.  It felt very realistic and John provided an excellent insight to life below ground.  "No toilets in the pit" he told us. "You found a corner and then put a stone over it and put an x on the stone with chalk, so other men would know not to touch it!
Picture
Reconstruction of mine tunnels at the National Mine Museum Scotland
John pointed out the first aid station. This included a morphine container encased in concrete as the men used to break it open and steal it.

​"120 pit ponies lived underground and never saw daylight," John said. They had been used to haul coal wagons "Once they tried to take the ponies up to the surface in the lift, but they kicked and made such a fuss. When they were retired and went to the surface they were found to be blind."


Later, in the museum, I found an eye guard for pit ponies. The 1911 Coal Mines Act made it mandatory for the ponies to have eye protection from the uneven sharp walls of the pit. It is upsetting to think that prior to this date the animals would be easily injured when walking through the tunnels.
Picture
An eye guard for pit ponies. This protected them from the sharp walls of mine tunnels. National Mining Museum Scotland
Pit ponies learned how to open the miners' sandwich tins. These metal tins had been invented to stop rats from getting at the men's food, but the ponies could figure them out and steal a cheese and jam sandwich if a miner was not careful!

A stark illustration of how challenging mining life could be was provided by John: "In the days when private companies ran the mines and a miner died they lost their house; the family had to leave."

The cottages that you see around Newtongrange village had been built for the miners.
Picture
Miner's cottages in Newtongrange village
​One mine manager was particularly strict and used to walk around the village to see if any of the gardens were untidy. If they were the miner who lived in that house was called into the manager's office and given a row and his wages docked to pay for some other men to tidy up the garden.

​Look out for the canaries- the museum keeps a few in cages. You will probably hear them chirping before you see them. Mines used to breed their own canaries as they were the best way to detect carbon monoxide. The birds would be overcome by the poisonous gas before the miners and this gave the men an opportunity to escape.
Picture
Map of the National Mining Museum Scotland
The museum site is massive as you can see from the map above.  It includes an impressive collection of artifacts that have been put together to tell the story of the coal industry. It begins in the 12th century when monks were the first to mine coal. I was surprised to learn that coal is used in the manufacture of  many products, including paint, batteries, lipsticks and soaps.​
Picture
Collection of safety lamps at the National Mining Museum Scotland
Picture
Collection of mining tools at the National Mining Museum Scotland
I read about a job that young boys had been employed to do- Trappers- which involved opening and closing ventilation doors for passing coal wagons. These boys sat on wet ground, sometimes up to their knees, for 12 hours per day performing this repetitive task. It was common for these poor lads to subsist on a single oatcake during their shift, so I felt lucky to be able to enjoy a very fine Empire Biscuit with my coffee in the museum's cafe.
Picture
Empire Biscuit and coffee at the cafe in the National Mining Museum Scotland
If you fancy something more substantial the cafe has a good selection of sandwiches, burgers and baked potatoes. 

I really enjoyed my visit to the museum. Even if you do not have a strong interest in coal mining you will find it fascinating, particularly if you take the tour from one of the ex-miners with their unique insight into this world. The museum is open 7 days per week and there is an admission charge. Visit the website for details.

The Mining Museum is in Midlothian. Visit my Midlothian page for ideas of more places to visit in the region.

​I used the Borders Railway to travel to the museum. Read my blog post 8 Reasons to Love the Borders Railway to find out more about this line.
0 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Aberdalgie
    Aberdeen
    Aberdeenshire
    Addiewell
    Airdrie
    Airdrie To Bathgate Cycle Path
    Airth
    Alba Cola
    Alloa
    Alloa To Dollar Cycle Route
    Altnabreac
    Angus
    Arbroath
    Architecture
    Ardersier
    Argyll
    Auchterarder
    Aviemore
    Baird Monument
    Bakery
    Balerno
    Ballater
    Bathgate
    Beach
    Bed And Breakfast Reviews
    Beer Reviews
    Bettyhill Hotel
    Biggar
    Bike And Go Cycle Hire At Stations
    Bike Clothing
    Blackness Castle
    Bonawe Iron Furnace
    Bo'ness And Kinneil Railway
    Book Review
    Bookshops
    Borders Railway
    Bow Fiddle Rock
    Bowhill House
    Branklyn Garden
    Brechin
    BrewDog
    Bridges
    Broch
    Brodie Castle
    Broughton
    Buckie
    Cafes
    Cairngorm Brewery
    Cairn O'Mount Road
    Caithness
    Caledonian Railway
    Campbeltown
    Carnwath
    Castles
    Cawdor Castle
    Chocolate
    Christmas Food & Drink
    Coffee
    Colinton Tunnel
    Colonsay
    Commuting
    Copenhagen
    Craft Cadence Essentials Case
    Craigard Hotel
    Craigmillar Castle
    Crichton Castle
    Cullen
    Cullen Bay Hotel
    Cupar
    Currie
    Cycle Routes
    Cycling Books
    Cycling Jeans
    Cycling Jersey
    Cycling Mirror Review
    Cycling To Work
    Cycling With A Buddy
    Dalgarven Mill
    Dawyck Botanic Garden
    Deeside Way
    Deskford
    Disused Railway Paths
    Disused-railway-paths
    Dollar
    Dornoch
    Dornoch Castle Hotel
    Doune
    Drem
    Drummond Castle Gardens
    Dryburgh Abbey
    Dumbarton Castle
    Dumfries And Galloway
    Dunblane
    Dunmore
    Dunning
    Dunrobin Castle
    Dunrobin Castle Station
    Dunstaffnage Castle
    East Linton
    East Lothian
    Edinburgh
    Edzell Castle
    Electric Bikes
    Elgin
    Falkirk
    Falkirk Tunnel
    Fallen Brewing
    Ferry
    Fife
    Findochty
    Flowers
    Folding Bikes
    Fonab Castle Hotel
    Forres
    Gardens
    Garelochhead
    Gigha
    Glamis Castle
    Glasgow
    Glen Clova
    Gleneagles
    Glen Esk
    Glen Lonan
    Golspie
    Haddington
    Hailes Castle
    Helensburgh
    Helmet Review
    Helmsdale
    Highland Cattle
    Hill Of Tarvit Mansion
    Hills
    Hostels
    Hotels
    House Of Dun
    House Of Mark
    House Of The Binns
    Huntingtower Castle
    Indoor Cycling
    Inverarity Parish Church
    Inverary Jail
    Inveresk Lodge Garden
    Inverurie
    Island
    Jedburgh Abbey
    Kames
    Kames Hotel
    Kelso Abbey
    Kildonan Station
    Kinloss Abbey
    Kinnoull Hill
    Kirkstyle Inn
    Knockomie Inn
    Krispy Kreme
    Lanarkshire
    Larbert
    Lauder
    Leaderfoot Viaduct
    Library Of Innerpeffray
    Linlithgow
    Livall BH60SE Smart Helmet
    Loch
    Loch Earn
    Loch Flemington
    Loch Leven Heritage Trail
    Loch Turret
    Longniddry
    LOVE Gorgie Farm
    Maps
    Meadows Festival
    Melrose
    Melrose Abbey
    Microadventures
    Midlothian
    Montrose
    Moray
    Morton Castle
    Mountain Biking
    Musselburgh
    Muthill
    National Mining Museum Scotland
    Netwongrange
    New Bike
    Newstead
    North Berwick
    Oatcakes
    Oban
    Oban Chocolate Company
    Only In Edinburgh. Book Review
    Orkney
    Outer Hebrides
    Penicuick
    Perth
    Pitlochry
    Portgordon
    Preston Mill
    Published Writing
    Puncture
    River Tay
    Roslin Glen
    Rosslyn Chapel
    Scotstarvit Tower
    Scottish Borders
    Scottish Borders Abbeys
    Scott's View
    Shore Road
    Slate Islands
    Smailholm Tower
    Spey Bay Station
    Spey Viaduct
    Splendid Book Of The Bicycle
    Sportives
    Standing Stones
    Stately Homes
    Stations
    St Boswells
    Stow
    Sunglasses
    Sunset
    Sutherland
    Tantallon-castle
    Taynuilt
    Tea Room
    Tempest-brewing-co
    Temple Of The Muses
    The Bridge Over The Atlantic
    The Counter Canal Boat Cafe
    The Elphinstone Hotel. Biggar
    The-pineapple
    The Unknown Sculpture
    Thirlestane Castle
    Tips
    Train Problems
    Trains
    Traquair-house-ale
    Travel Writing Competitions
    Trimontium
    UNESCO Trail
    Union Canal
    Vogrie Country Park
    Vulpine
    Walk
    Wanderlust Magazine
    Waterfall
    Water Of Leith
    Wemyss Bay Train Station
    West Lothian
    Whisky
    Wick
    William Wallace Statue
    Your Piece Baking Company

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Ayrshire
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Glasgow and the Clyde Valley
    • Islands
    • Moray
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • Cycle Clothing
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best travel books about cycling in Scotland
    • Family-Friendly Bike Holidays in Scotland
    • Mountain Biking Guide
  • Working with me
  • Best Cycling Books
  • Edinburgh bike life