Fife Miscellany 2010

Scotrail turbostar 170431 passes through Collessie Den on the single line Newburgh branch with 1B08 0646 Inverness to Edinburgh. 1/2/10

This was a double track line when built but was singled in the 1960's.

A short while later a northbound Inverness bound unit passes by with 170410 forming 1H07 0833 off Edinburgh for the Highland Capital.

The first day of February 2010 was very cold and the preceding week or so was equally cold, so cold in fact that Lindores Loch was frozen over. Looking across the ice is Network Rail's class 150 sprinter test unit 950001 working 2Q08 0400 Craigentinny to Craigentinny via the Fife Circle, Dundee, Perth, Westfield, Alloa via the Longannet branch!! Here it is running late heading from Perth to Westfield.

Now at Kinglassie and after a wait for some time 950001 appears under a farm bridge which is not a good shot. Beyond the bridge was the site of Kinglassie Colliery which was sunk in 1908 and closed in 1966.

Only about one or two workings go down the mothballed branch a years these days, a test train and the weedkiller. Some coal was brought out in the early 2000's being loaded from lorries at Westfield but now the branch is mothballed.

The unit takes the right hand curve and will go out of sight. When built, this line joined with the main line to Kinross and Perth at Kelty via Lochore.

The timings had the unit sitting at Westfield for 30 minutes but due to the late running it just returned and almost caught me out as it passes by the loco shed at Thornton.

The going away shot at Thornton shed. In the right background are withdrawn MGR hoppers being cut up for scrap.

On the Fife Circle now and 950001 approaches the road over bridge on the Lisa Brae as it heads for Alloa via the Longannet branch. I leave it here and now head home. 1/2/10

EWS class 67 67027 heads north at Dairsie running from Edinburgh to Aberdeen as 0Z99. This loco is the Edinburgh rescue or "Thunderbird" loco and there was a requirement for it in Aberdeen. It only got as far as Dundee as it was cancelled and returned to Edinburgh later in the day. 13/4/10

Moving closer to the line at Dairsie and in the evening sun an unknown class 170 turbostar passes by with 2L60 1650 off Dundee to Edinburgh.

West Coast Railways were booked to provide the locos and crews for the GBIV tour and here their 47760 as 0Z49 Dundee to Edinburgh, heads south as the rescue loco for the steam tour.

Scotrail 170433 climbs away from Inverkeithing up the stiff 1 in 90 grade towards Jamestown Viaduct and onto the Forth Bridge with 2G16 0904 Markinch to Edinburgh. 22/4/10

The set crosses Jamestown Viaduct which is painted in the same colour of paint as the Forth Bridge, known as "Forth Bridge red". This is a test for my new camera, Canon EOS D500.

The first departure from Aberdeen for London Kings Cross is at 0752, 1E10, and this East Coast set climbs away from Inverkeithing. The lead powercar was not identified at the time.

The nine coach formation with 43277 bringing up the rear passes over Jamestown Viaduct.

Two unidentified class 170 turbostars pass each other on Jamestown Viaduct. The left hand unit heading downgrade is working 2G49 0933 off Newcraighall to Edinburgh via the Fife Circle. The other sets working in unknown.

The main reason for standing in a field on a overcast day comes into view. GBRf 66727 climbs the 1 in 90 grade with 6E59 0730 Aberdeen to Harwich empty mud oil tanks.

The type 5 loco will be feeling the effect of the gradient as it lifts its 14 empty TUA tanks up the steep climbs. Mud oil is used as a lubricant for the drill bit in the oil drilling industry. 22/4/10

Kingskettle is the location and the line passes through the village on a tall embankment climbing at 1 in 95 southbound to Lochmuir summit. An unknown class 158 sprinter forms 2G16 0828 Dundee to Edinburgh local. 10/6/10

The first up departure from Inverness to Edinburgh still has about an hour to go to journey's end. This class 170 is unknown and the working is 1B08 0642 from the Highland capital.

GBRf 66725 hauls 15 empty TUA mud oil tanks south as 6E59 0730 Aberdeen to Harwich. The empty train is routed through Fife and over the Tay Bridge. The outward run is via Stirling and Perth as the train is too heavy for the Tay Bridge. 10/6/10

Plain blue unbranded Sprinter 158789 climbs past Kirkfortharfues to Lochmuir Summit with 1L06 1358 Perth to Edinburgh. I had hoped to see a railtour with 2 class 37s but it had already gone by the time I arrived here. 21/6/10

First Group liveried turbostar 170407 climbs the last few hundred yards or so of the 1 in 105 of Falkland Road bank with 1B32 1306 Aberdeen to Edinburgh.

The summer Solstice sun has dipped slightly as 170409 comes off the short level section at Lochmuir working 1L55 1400 from Edinburgh to Dundee. 21/6/10

A new contract for an undersea pipeline in the Far North sees another flow of pipes from Hartlepool to Georgemas Junction and 66101 is booked for the first of some forty trains. 13/7/10

The DBS type 5 still in EWS livery works 6X88 0600 Hartlepool to Georgemas Junction past the fields at Lumphinnans on the Fife Circle.