<PAGE>

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
================================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                 ------------
                                   FORM S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                 ------------
                             The Pittston Company
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            VIRGINIA                                Issuer:  54-1317776
(State or other jurisdiction of             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)


                              1801 Bayberry Court
                                P. O. Box 18100
                         Richmond, Virginia 23226-8100
                   (Address of principal executive offices)
                                 ------------

                              The Pittston Company
                   Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan

                            (Full title of the plan)
                                 ------------
                                AUSTIN F. REED
                 Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                             The Pittston Company
                              1801 Bayberry Court
                                P. O. Box 18100
                         Richmond, Virginia 23226-8100
                                (804) 289-9600
           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                  including area code, of agent for service)

                                With a copy to:

                           Allen C. Goolsby, Esquire
                               Hunton & Williams
                         Riverfront Plaza, East Tower
                             951 East Byrd Street
                           Richmond, Virginia 23219
                                (804) 788-8200
                                 ------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================================================================================================================
                                                              Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum
       Title of securities                 Amount to be        offering price              aggregate                 Amount of
        to be registered                    registered           per share              offering price           registration fee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 <S>                                     <C>                  <C>                      <C>                       <C>
 Pittston Brink's Group                  294,403 shares          $17.785*               $5,235,957.355*              $1,309.00*
 Common Stock, par value $1.00 per
 share (including associated
 Rights)
===================================================================================================================================
 (*)  Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") based on the average of
 the high and low prices on the New York Stock Exchange on October 1, 2001.
===================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                             THE PITTSTON COMPANY

     This Registration Statement covers 294,403 additional shares of Pittston
Brink's Group common stock, par value $1.00 per share (including associated
rights) ("Common Stock"), of The Pittston Company (the "Company"), issuable
pursuant to The Pittston Company Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan (the
"Directors' Plan").  The Company initially registered the issuance of 200,000
shares of Common Stock in connection with the Directors' Plan on its
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 33-21393) as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on April 22, 1988.  The
contents of Registration Statement No. 33-21393 are incorporated by reference
herein.

     Pursuant to Rule 429, the Prospectus related to shares of Common Stock
registered pursuant to this Registration Statement for the Directors' Plan also
relates to shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to Registration Statement
No. 33-21393.


                                      II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          The following documents filed by The Pittston Company (the "Company")
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), are hereby
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

          (a)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
               ended December 31, 2000;

          (b)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended
               March 31, 2001; and

          (c)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended
               June 30, 2001.

          Additionally incorporated by reference into this Registration
Statement is the Description of Common Stock, attached as Exhibit 1 to the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission as of
December 4, 1995 (Commission File No. 1-9148).

          In addition to the foregoing, all documents subsequently filed by the
Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act,
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities registered hereunder have been issued or which deregisters all
securities offered then remaining unsold, shall be deemed incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date
of the filing of such documents. Any statement, including financial statements,
contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this
Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          Certain legal matters regarding shares of Common Stock will be passed
upon for the Company by Austin F. Reed, Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of the Company. Mr. Reed beneficially owns 97,351 shares of Common
Stock.

 Item 8.  Exhibits.


          The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration
          Statement:

 Exhibit No.
-------------

    4.1        Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated as of
               March 16, 1998 (incorporated by reference to Articles of
               Correction of the Company filed as Exhibit 3(i) to the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on May 15, 1998 (Commission
               File No. 1-9148)).

    4.2        Bylaws of the Company, as amended through July 14, 2000
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(b) of the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 8, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

                                      2
<PAGE>

Exhibit No.
-----------
    4.3        Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of January 14,
               2000 between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Company's
               Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

    4.4        Form of Right Certificate for the Brink's Group Rights
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of Exhibit 1 to the
               Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14,
               2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

    4.5        The Pittston Company Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan,
               as amended and restated as of January 14, 2000 (incorporated by
               reference to Exhibit 10(e) of the Company's Annual Report on Form
               10-K filed on March 24, 2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

    5          Opinion of Austin F. Reed, Esq., regarding Common Stock.

   23.1        Consent of Austin F. Reed, Esq. (included as part of Exhibit 5
               to this Registration Statement).

   23.2        Consent of Independent Auditors.

   24          Powers of Attorney.

                                       3
<PAGE>

                                  SIGNATURES

The Registrant

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Post-Effective
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Richmond, Commonwealth of
Virginia, on the 27th day of September, 2001.

                              THE PITTSTON COMPANY



                              By: /s/ AUSTIN F. REED
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                  Austin F. Reed
                                  Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

                                       4
<PAGE>

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-
Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the
following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.


     Signature                     Title                          Date
     ---------                     -----                          ----

/s/ MICHAEL T. DAN         Chairman of the Board,           September 27, 2001
----------------------     President and Chief
Michael T. Dan             Executive Officer



/s/ ROBERT T. RITTER       Vice President and Chief         September 27, 2001
----------------------     Financial Officer
Robert T. Ritter           (Principal Financial Officer
                           and Principal Accounting Officer)


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
----------------------
Roger G. Ackerman


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Betty C. Alewine


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
James R. Barker


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Marc C. Breswalsky


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
James L. Broadhead


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
William F. Craig


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Gerald Grinstein


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Ronald M. Gross


*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Carl S. Sloane



*By: /s/ AUSTIN F. REED
     --------------------------------
     Austin F. Reed, Attorney-in-Fact


                                       5
<PAGE>

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

 Exhibit No.
-------------

     4.1       Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated as of
               March 16, 1998 (incorporated by reference to Articles of
               Correction of the Company filed as Exhibit 3(i) to the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on May 15, 1998 (Commission
               File No. 1-9148)).

     4.2       Bylaws of the Company, as amended through July 14, 2000
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(b) of the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 8, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     4.3       Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of January 14,
               2000 between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Company's
               Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     4.4       Form of Right Certificate for the Brink's Group Rights
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of Exhibit 1 to the
               Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14,
               2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     4.5       The Pittston Company Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan,
               as amended and restated as of January 14, 2000 (incorporated by
               reference to Exhibit 10(e) of the Company's Annual Report on Form
               10-K filed on March 24, 2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     5         Opinion of Austin F. Reed, Esq., regarding Common Stock.

    23.1       Consent of Austin F. Reed, Esq. (included as part of Exhibit 5
               to this Registration Statement).

    23.2       Consent of Independent Auditors.

    24         Powers of Attorney.

                                       6
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PITTSTON CO", "cik": "0000078890", "assigned-sic": "1220", "irs-number": "541317776", "state-of-incorporation": "VA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-70772", "film-number": "1750803"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1801 BAYBERRY COURT", "street2": "P O BOX 18100", "city": "RICHMOND", "state": "VA", "zip": "23058-4229", "phone": "8045533681"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1801 BAYBERRY COURT", "street2": "P O BOX 18100", "city": "RICHMOND", "state": "VA", "zip": "23226-8100"}}
Registration No. 333-_____
================================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                 ------------
                                   FORM S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                 ------------
                             The Pittston Company
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            VIRGINIA                                Issuer:  54-1317776
(State or other jurisdiction of             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)

                              1801 Bayberry Court
                                P. O. Box 18100
                         Richmond, Virginia 23226-8100
                   (Address of principal executive offices)
                                 ------------

                              The Pittston Company
                   Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan

                            (Full title of the plan)
                                 ------------
                                AUSTIN F. REED
                 Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                             The Pittston Company
                              1801 Bayberry Court
                                P. O. Box 18100
                         Richmond, Virginia 23226-8100
                                (804) 289-9600
           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                  including area code, of agent for service)

                                With a copy to:

                           Allen C. Goolsby, Esquire
                               Hunton & Williams
                         Riverfront Plaza, East Tower
                             951 East Byrd Street
                           Richmond, Virginia 23219
                                (804) 788-8200
                                 ------------
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================================================================================================================
                                                              Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum
       Title of securities                 Amount to be        offering price              aggregate                 Amount of
        to be registered                    registered           per share              offering price           registration fee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pittston Brink's Group                  294,403 shares          $17.785*               $5,235,957.355*              $1,309.00*
 Common Stock, par value $1.00 per
 share (including associated
 Rights)
===================================================================================================================================
 (*)  Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") based on the average of
 the high and low prices on the New York Stock Exchange on October 1, 2001.
===================================================================================================================================
THE PITTSTON COMPANY

     This Registration Statement covers 294,403 additional shares of Pittston
Brink's Group common stock, par value $1.00 per share (including associated
rights) ("Common Stock"), of The Pittston Company (the "Company"), issuable
pursuant to The Pittston Company Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan (the
"Directors' Plan").  The Company initially registered the issuance of 200,000
shares of Common Stock in connection with the Directors' Plan on its
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 33-21393) as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on April 22, 1988.  The
contents of Registration Statement No. 33-21393 are incorporated by reference
herein.

     Pursuant to Rule 429, the Prospectus related to shares of Common Stock
registered pursuant to this Registration Statement for the Directors' Plan also
relates to shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to Registration Statement
No. 33-21393.

                                      II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          The following documents filed by The Pittston Company (the "Company")
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), are hereby
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

          (a)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
               ended December 31, 2000;

          (b)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended
               March 31, 2001; and

          (c)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended
               June 30, 2001.

          Additionally incorporated by reference into this Registration
Statement is the Description of Common Stock, attached as Exhibit 1 to the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission as of
December 4, 1995 (Commission File No. 1-9148).

          In addition to the foregoing, all documents subsequently filed by the
Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act,
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities registered hereunder have been issued or which deregisters all
securities offered then remaining unsold, shall be deemed incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date
of the filing of such documents. Any statement, including financial statements,
contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this
Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          Certain legal matters regarding shares of Common Stock will be passed
upon for the Company by Austin F. Reed, Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of the Company. Mr. Reed beneficially owns 97,351 shares of Common
Stock.

 Item 8.  Exhibits.

          The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration
          Statement:

 Exhibit No.
-------------

    4.1        Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated as of
               March 16, 1998 (incorporated by reference to Articles of
               Correction of the Company filed as Exhibit 3(i) to the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on May 15, 1998 (Commission
               File No. 1-9148)).

    4.2        Bylaws of the Company, as amended through July 14, 2000
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(b) of the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 8, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

                                      2
Exhibit No.
-----------
    4.3        Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of January 14,
               2000 between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Company's
               Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

    4.4        Form of Right Certificate for the Brink's Group Rights
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of Exhibit 1 to the
               Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14,
               2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

    4.5        The Pittston Company Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan,
               as amended and restated as of January 14, 2000 (incorporated by
               reference to Exhibit 10(e) of the Company's Annual Report on Form
               10-K filed on March 24, 2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

    5          Opinion of Austin F. Reed, Esq., regarding Common Stock.

   23.1        Consent of Austin F. Reed, Esq. (included as part of Exhibit 5
               to this Registration Statement).

   23.2        Consent of Independent Auditors.

   24          Powers of Attorney.

                                       3
SIGNATURES

The Registrant

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Post-Effective
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Richmond, Commonwealth of
Virginia, on the 27th day of September, 2001.

                              THE PITTSTON COMPANY

                              By: /s/ AUSTIN F. REED
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                  Austin F. Reed
                                  Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

                                       4
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-
Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the
following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

     Signature                     Title                          Date
     ---------                     -----                          ----

/s/ MICHAEL T. DAN         Chairman of the Board,           September 27, 2001
----------------------     President and Chief
Michael T. Dan             Executive Officer

/s/ ROBERT T. RITTER       Vice President and Chief         September 27, 2001
----------------------     Financial Officer
Robert T. Ritter           (Principal Financial Officer
                           and Principal Accounting Officer)

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
----------------------
Roger G. Ackerman

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Betty C. Alewine

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
James R. Barker

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Marc C. Breswalsky

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
James L. Broadhead

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
William F. Craig

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Gerald Grinstein

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Ronald M. Gross

*                          Director                         September 27, 2001
-----------------------
Carl S. Sloane

*By: /s/ AUSTIN F. REED
     --------------------------------
     Austin F. Reed, Attorney-in-Fact

                                       5
EXHIBIT INDEX

 Exhibit No.
-------------

     4.1       Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated as of
               March 16, 1998 (incorporated by reference to Articles of
               Correction of the Company filed as Exhibit 3(i) to the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on May 15, 1998 (Commission
               File No. 1-9148)).

     4.2       Bylaws of the Company, as amended through July 14, 2000
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(b) of the Company's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 8, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     4.3       Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of January 14,
               2000 between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Company's
               Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14, 2000
               (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     4.4       Form of Right Certificate for the Brink's Group Rights
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of Exhibit 1 to the
               Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, dated January 14,
               2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     4.5       The Pittston Company Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan,
               as amended and restated as of January 14, 2000 (incorporated by
               reference to Exhibit 10(e) of the Company's Annual Report on Form
               10-K filed on March 24, 2000 (Commission File No. 1-9148)).

     5         Opinion of Austin F. Reed, Esq., regarding Common Stock.

    23.1       Consent of Austin F. Reed, Esq. (included as part of Exhibit 5
               to this Registration Statement).

    23.2       Consent of Independent Auditors.

    24         Powers of Attorney.

                                       6