The only one of its kind in the UK and of significant importance to Historic Scotland the 150 ft high Barony ‘A’ Frame in Auchinleck, East Ayrshire, has recently been refurbished to preserve the history of the mining industry, Scottish Coal and importantly the local Coalfield Communities.

The A’ Frame, which is all that remains of this former Barony coal mine, is a local landmark and memorial to those who worked and died at the Barony Colliery. It has become a significant symbol to the local community and a reflection of the past industrial life and the future regeneration of the area.

The restoration project was undertaken by Maclean and Speirs who used HAKI Universal Scaffold with steel planks also an integrated HAKI stairtower to provide safe and easy access to the structure. The birdcage scaffold was constructed using a 3m by 3m grid which saved a massive 40n equipment and labour to erect and dismantle compared to other systems, this also provided safe and clear access to the structure, this allowed the project restoration team to grit blast and repaint the A’ Frame to restore it to its former glory.

This is one of many projects that HAKI and Maclean and Speirs have recently been involved in as Scotland looks to preserve vital sites of industrial heritage.

The depth of local feeling for the need to preserve the ‘A’ Frame, was established through community consultation undertaken in 2002/3. As a result of this the Barony ‘A’ Frame Trust was set up with the primary objective of retaining and restoring the structure for the benefit of the public by maintaining the mining heritage of the area and opening the ‘A’ Frame site, once restored, to the general public as a heritage and educational site of monumental value.