the fife branches

[jamieintercity]

There are a number of fife branches in Scotland are still in stitu and connected to the mainline but as not seen a train run along the branch for a number of years. Can anyone tell me more about each of the branches before they stopped trains running along each of the branches.

I heard that the methil branch could be running coal trains along the branch but only as far ad earl's seat but when though?

Does anyone know more about the lochty private railway on when it closed and what happen to it after it closed?

 

[DarloRich]

which branches do you mean? Sorry my geography in that area is not great

 

[PaxVobiscum]

A quick Google on the Lochty found http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=15257

It was looking quite run down when I was last on it not too long before it closed.

 

[jamieintercity]

which branches do you mean? Sorry my geography in that area is not great

The westfield branch
The methil branch
The rosyth dockyard branch
The alloa to dunfermline via longannet branch
The lochty private railway branch (if its still open)
And Thornton yard

And any other ones that I missed out that are still in situ.

 

[Liam]

There are a number of fife branches in Scotland are still in stitu and connected to the mainline but as not seen a train run along the branch for a number of years. Can anyone tell me more about each of the branches before they stopped trains running along each of the branches.

I heard that the methil branch could be running coal trains along the branch but only as far ad earl's seat but when though?

Does anyone know more about the lochty private railway on when it closed and what happen to it after it closed?

The Lochty Private Line was owned by John Cameron, one time chairman of Scotrail, and owner of the LNER A4 60009 Union of South Africa. 60009 ran on the line for a short while under BR's steam ban, but returned to mainlne touring in the 70's. She was based at a shed (now gone) at Markinch Station, but is now based nearby at Thornton Yard. Most of the Lochty collection is now at the Kingdom of Fife Railway Preservation Society at the former Kirkland Yard in Leven.

I am also looking for information about the Earl's Seat project, all I have found is a couple of mentions on some PDF files.

 

[Shugster]

Some work seems to be ongoing on the Methil branch, with the recent addition of a new fixed distant signal and a replacement whistle board....

 

[scotsman]

It's all at www.scot-rail.co.uk - I wouldn't like to lift their gen, but there's a wealth of information on the Earl's Seat project

 

[michael769]

There are plenty of photographs and background information on RailScot as well

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/

 

[FIFERAILPETE]

The Lochty Private Railway ceased operation after the summer season in 1992.
Wemyss Private Railway No 16 and Peckett steam locos were sold and went to Brechin. The observation Car went to the Great Central Railway.
The rest of the collection of rolling stock and locomotives belonging to the Fife Railway Preservation Group went into storage at Methil Power Station and Barclay Brothers Yard in Methil. Meanwhile the FRPG was reformed as The Kingdom of Fife Railway Preservation Society as a company limited by guarantee with charitible status.
About twelve years ago the Society was able to purchase the twenty acre site of the former Kirkland Yard and started to develope a Railway Heritage Centre.
Most of the collection was moved from storage about seven years ago and is in the process along with other items aquired recently of being restored.
There is a security compound some three acres in area with a workshop shed with facilities to do restoration work. A test track one half mile in length runs
from the compound to the west end of the site. For further information see the KFRPS website.

 

[brianfraser]

The alloa to dunfermline via longannet branch

This line runs past my house a couple of miles outside Dunfermline. There were regular daily coal trains to Longannet until about 2008, when the section between Stirling and Kincardine was reopened (it had been rusting away for years). The coal is shipped in to Ayr Harbour and is delivered by rail to Longannet via Alloa. Re-routing these freight trains also took pressure off the Forth Bridge, where they had previously crossed. Passenger services currently run from Stirling to Alloa and there has been talk of extending them to Dunfermline and possibly onwards to Edinburgh. There has been much speculation in the local press but no concrete plans on the table.

The line between Dunfermline and Longannet is still in occasional use. I've also seen a couple of steam specials doing the Forth Circle route.

Additionally, a branch to Comrie MOD base split from this line at Elbowend junction. This tracks are still in situ but heavily overgrown. I don't think it has been used since the early 90s, and the goods yard at Cromie appears to have been lifted. There was another junction on the Crombie line with a spur to Charlestown Harbour. There was even a halt here for MOD workers and an old footbridge still stands in the woodland.

 

[Waverley125]

I'd like to see Dunfermline-Alloa reopened. Not only would it bring rail services back to Clackmannan, Kincardine, Torryburn, Culross & Cairneyhill, but it would allow for trains from Fife into Glasgow avoiding Edinburgh, i.e. from a north-facing bay at Kirkcaldy round to Dunfermline via Cowdenbeath, then Alloa, Stirling and Glasgow. As someone potentially doing a joint degree between St Andrews & Stirling unis in the near future, it'd make Leuchars-Stirling a hell of a lot easier.

The Methil branch is also a good idea for reopening, especially given the economic problems levenmouth has had in terms of being fairly isolated public-transport wise. I'd also love to see the Holiday line up the Fife coast to Leuchars via St Andrews reopened, as well as Leuchars-Wormit via Tayport.