Colour photograph, 1988
Survey by RCAHMS
Seafield Colliery was sunk in 1954 to exploit the coal seams under the Firth of Forth. It was one of Scotland's most successful 'Super Pits', each of which were designed to employ over 2,000 workers above and below ground. Production began in 1966 and ended 22 years later in 1988.
The mine had two shafts, one for coal ‘winding’ and one for moving men and materials up and down between the surface and the workings. One hundred and ten men could be sent down at any one time. By 1981, Seafield also had underground links to Frances Colliery.
The colliery buildings were designed by the Austrian architect, Egon Riss. He was the chief architect for the National Coal Board in Scotland, and responsible for several major projects. Before the Second World War, he was well known for his Austrian social housing and hospitals.
After closure, the two towers that housed the winding gear were blown up and the surface buildings were cleared.