spw035861 SCOTLAND (1931). Costness Cement Works & Coland, Harestonhill, Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland, 1931. An oblique aerial photograph facing south-east.

Coltness was one of three such plants begun just before WWI to make activated slag cement, as adjuncts to Scottish iron works. Because activated slag cement proved to be pretty useless, they were converted to a process whereby the slag, in combination with limestone, was burned in a rotary kiln to produce Portland cement. Between 1925 and 1960 they were the only cement plants in Scotland. With the nationalisation of the steel industry, all three were hived off from their parent companies, and continued as very small private ventures. They all ceased clinker-making operations when a "proper" cement plant was started at Dunbar in 1963. More information can be found by Googling Coltness, Wishaw and Gartsherrie.