Fife Miscellany 2000

Ladybank is the junction with the Newburgh branch to Hilton Junction, Perth. 66019 comes off the branch with 6E69 ThSO 0820 Inverness to Hartlepool empty pipe carriers. This was the start of a two month period of the pipes running to Georgemas Junction. 15/1/2000

The main line swings sharply to the east at the end of the platform. 43109 is the rear powercar of 1S11 0710 Leeds to Aberdeen. The curve has a 50mph speed limit.

170406 makes its station stop working 1B19 1008 Dyce to Edinburgh. The cloud diffused light from the weak winter sun bounces off the white roof of the unit.

A non stopping working runs through platform 2 at the regulation 40mph speed limit for the turnout onto the Newburgh branch. 158725 and 158731 forms 1L37 1128 Edinburgh to Perth. 15/1/2000

Dark and threatening skies gather as an unknown GNER high speed train heads south with 1E12 0955 Aberdeen to Kings Cross on the climb of Falkland Road Bank. 22/1/2000

The gradient is 1 in 95 and the set climbs the grade with ease. The train is near the site of Falkland Road station.. The village of Freuchie forms the backdrop.

The light has gone unfortunately when 66021 appears with the empty pipe carriers from Inverness to Hartlepool, 0820 off 6E69 ThSO. 22/1/2000

It has been a week since I last saw the empty pipe train and the view of it, this time with 66130, skirting Lindores Loch on the Newburgh branch in lovely mid morning light. 29/1/2000

Collessie Den is the location for 66164 working the loaded pipe train, 6X88 MWO 0610 Hartlepool to Inverness. The train is worked on to Georgemas Junction later in the day. 21 bright yellow pipes form the payload. 3/2/2000

The large building in the background is the former John Haig's Co Ltd warehouse at Markinch. 43113 and 43095 takes their HST set over Markinch Viaduct with 1E12 0955 Aberdeen to Kings Cross. 5/2/2000

The empty pipe train runs south to Hartlepool from Inverness and passes Coaltown of Balgonie with 66171 providing the type 5 motive power. 5/2/2000

An unknown class 170 Turbostar crosses the North British Railway built Markinch Viaduct. The train is 1B24 1120 Aberdeen to Edinburgh. 10/2/2000

The sun shines down from a cloudless blue sky with the village of Dairsie in the background. A GNER working from Aberdeen to Kings Cross passes by. This is 1E08 0950 SuO working. 13/2/2000

On the high ground of the Lomond Hills, the Paps o' Fife, a mantle of snow lies crisp and frozen. 150283 descends Falkland Road Bank at Welltree with 1L57 1115 SuO Edinburgh to Dundee.

Still at Welltree, 43162 and 43161 take a Virgin set up the bank with the weak sun glinting off the coaches. The train is 1V70 1055 SuO Aberdeen to Plymouth. 13/2/2000

The next day the weather was terrible, dark, cold, wet and miserable, not neccessarily in that order!. 43038 pauses at Leuchars with 1E08 0755 Aberdeen to Kings Cross. The filled in bay platform was for the Fife Coast Railway. 14/2/2000

Turbostar 170406 approaches Wormit on the south side of the Tay Bridge. The train is 0910 Edinburgh to Aberdeen, 1A55.

43091 and 43029 have just come off the Tay Bridge onto the Fife side with its long distance working from Aberdeen, 0910 off, to Plymouth. It runs as 1V57 the "Devon Scot".

The Mondays Only aviation fuel train to Linkswood arrives at Wormit where it will run round its train in the sidings in the foreground. 66058 fronts 19 loaded TTA tanks, train 6L49 leaves Grangemouth at 0657.

66058 slowly passes the end of the raft. It had collected a 20th wagon that was left here a couple of weeks previously when it developed a hot box. The usual formation is 20 wagons.

The down HST from Leeds to Aberdeen comes round the corner at Wormit and faces 66058 tying onto its train. The GNER working is 1S11 0710 off Leeds.

The run round is complete and the road is set for 66058 to slowly reverse its train out of the sidings. At this time freight is banned from running over the Tay Bridge so the train runs both way through Fife. Previously it ran via Perth to Dundee and ran round in Dundee Yard.

After a short time 66058 sets out from Wormit having crossed onto the up road. Access to Linkswood sidings is only possible from a trailing connection off the up road. 14/2/2000

158735 comes up through the cutting at Kirkfortharfeus at the top of Falkland Road Bank with 1B22 1035 from Inverness to Edinburgh wich is routed via the Newburgh branch. 17/2/2000

A brace of type 3 locos pass over Markinch Viaduct with the loaded pipes for Inverness, 6X88. 37718 and 37883 front the train, 0610 from Hartlepool to Inverness, Mondays and Wednesdays only. The overhang of the pipes is most obvious in this shot. 17/2/2000

A beautiful day without a cloud in the sky and GNER's 43111 and 43116 accelerates away from Ladybank and starts the 3 1/2 mile climb to Lochmuir Summit ruling at 1 in 95. The train is 1E12 0955 Aberdeen to Kings Cross, "The Northern Lights". 19/2/2000

43116 is the rear powercar and is framed between a pair of buildings at the north end of Kingskettle.

EWS 66123 approaches with a trailing load of pipe carriers and the spacer wagons between them. 6E69 is booked off Inverness at 0820 running back to Hartlepool pipe works. It runs on a Saturday and Thursday only.

The work stained "shed" digs into the climb to Lochmuir Summit.

An unidentified ScotRail class 170 Turbostar runs between Ladybank and Kingskettle with 1B19 1008 from Dyce to Edinburgh. 19/2/2000

Happy birthday to me! A sunny day and 66123 is back with the loaded pipe train as it heads north past the village of Abernethy with the River Tay in the background. 21/2/2000

From the same viewpoint it can be seen that the embankment is getting lower towards the left as the track comes down to sea level. The first three vehicles contain smaller pipes. 21/2/2000

Two days later the empty pipe trains disturbs the peace of Newburgh with 66159 at the head. I made a comment to a local resident about the noise of the train, he said the loaded train is even noisier.

Markinch station is the setting for the loaded pipes heading north behind 66159. On arrival at Inverness a pair of class 37's take the train on to Georgemas Junction as the Far North Line isn't passed for class 66's. 24/2/2000

A return to Newburgh is made to capture 66193 passing the remains of Newburgh station which closed on 19/9/1955. The signalbox and loop lasted longer, not closing until the 1970's. The 'box has since been demolished. 26/2/2000

A Virgin Cross Country working passes the level crossing at Bow of Fife a few miles from Ladybank. The train is 1V57 0910 Aberdeen to Plymouth. 28/2/2000

A short while later a down HST operated by GNER comes by beneath a stormy sky. Heavy rain is not far away as the 0710 Leeds to Aberdeen, 1S11, nears the level crossing. 28/2/2000

150245 slips away from Markinch at 1319 with a class 2 local service to Edinburgh, 2G58. 6/3/2000

A down train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, 1310 off, 1A65, slows for its station stop. The Grade 2 listed former goods shed is slowly falling apart since the A4 pacific 60009 Union of South Africa moved out in 1993.

A tired looking class 150 sprinter, 150258, gets under way at 1419 for Edinburgh, 2G60, stopping at all stations via Kirkcaldy. The tracks in the foreground are for the rarely used engineers sidings and the closed Auchmuty branch to the left. Today (2014) I would be standing in the carpark for a totally rebuilt Markinch station. 6/3/2000

InterCity 43195 leads a Virgin HST set round the sharp curve at Ladybank. The train is 1V57 0910 Aberdeen to Plymouth. 11/3/2000

43106 comes round the curve at Ladybank into the sun with 1E12 0955 off Aberdeen to Kings Cross, the up "Northern Lights".

ScotRail service 1B19 1008 Dyce to Edinburgh is not booked to stop here and 158720 passes through the station.

A pair of class 158 sprinters take the Newburgh branch with a Perth bound train, 158739 and 158704 form 1L37, 1128 off Edinburgh. On the signal post the lowest feather is for the down branch loop, now rarely used. 11/3/2000

A tip off from the bobby in Cupar 'box said that this was on its way caused me to change from the down to the up platform to record 60022 bring 6L49 0657 MO Grangemouth to Linkswood tanks through the station. 13/3/2000

Virgin Cross Country service 1V57 0910 ABerdeen to Plymouth approaches the A91 road over bridge near to the caravan park at Clayton. 43156 is the lead powercar.

Having run round for the second time in its journey at Wormit, the first being Larbert, 60022 passes one of the many gravel quarries in the area as it heads for Linkswood just a short distance away.

With 60022 safely inside at Linkswood and shunting its train into the two unloading sidings, an unknown GNER HST passes heading for London from Aberdeen, 0955 off 1E12.