A COWDENBEATH man has started a quest to establish a mining heritage centre at Lochore Meadows Country Park.

An old coal cutter, a mine car that was used to transport materials underground, and the cage from the Frances Colliery, in Dysart, are being kept in a yard in Leven and a group of dedicated mining enthusiasts want to see them at the Meedies.

Robert Chalmers has persuaded several people to join him in the bid to get these historic items to the park and wants the newly formed group to buy them and put them on display to keep the area’s mining heritage alive – and give visitors a sense of what it was like to work below the surface.

And as part of the move to make things happen and raise the £10,000+ needed to get the equipment transported to Benarty, a special event is being held on  Sunday March 24, in Lochgelly.

A music afternoon has been organised by a local group called Sairbanes, who are George Mackie and Billy McKean, from Benarty.

They and a few of their friends from the world of Folk Music will be playing at the Old Ship, Lochgelly, on Sunday March 24 from 1pm to 6pm.

All proceeds will go to the Save the Cage fund. The tickets cost £5 and will be available at the door.

Said Robert: “Come along and help us save an important part of Fife’s rich mining heritage and enjoy some first class acts in the process. In terms of mining heritage these items of equipment are priceless and if we can get them transported to the country park these could go with the Mary Pit head gear and the pug engine as a look back to something which was a key part of the Fife economy for decades. To those who have never been underground, you would be able to stand on the bottom deck of the cage and close your eyes and imagine travelling through the shaft to the pit bottom!”

There is a body of opinion that feel that the Meedies would be the ideal site for a mining heritage centre and park boss Ian Laing is a supporter of the idea.