Colas type 5 60076 stands at the north end of Ladybank loop with signal ED671 against it. The train is waiting for a path over the Newburgh branch to Hilton Junction. The train is 6A65 0607 Oxwellmains to Aberdeen loaded cement tanks. 24/1/2018.
Turning round to look north from the crossing to Ladybank Golf Club and 158727 approaches working 1L10 1003 Perth to Edinburgh.
The set passes 60076 which has been sitting here for several hours. The loaded cement usually goes to Aberdeen via Stirling and Perth as the loaded PCA tanks are too heavy for the Tay Bridge, the empties come south over the bridge and through Fife.
A short time after the south bound unit, the north bound one for Perth comes by, with 158739 on 1L37 0936 Edinburgh to Perth. Once the sprinter has passed the section signal at Newburgh, the driver of 66076 will get the road.
The road is set but I don't know about the signal aspect. Due to ongoing engineering work in connection with the electrification to Stirling and Dunblane, the cement is diverted through Fife and the Newburgh branch to regain the proper route at Perth.
Signal ED671 now shows a proceed aspect and the driver opens the power handle and the Mirrlees Blackstone 8MB275T 3,100hp powerplant puts out a bit of clag as the heavy cement trains slowly gets under way.
The headshunt to the right marks the end of the original double track and the line is single all the way to the bridge over the River Earn at Hilton Junction. The line was built double track throughout but it was singled in July 1933. A difficult shot right into the low winter sun as 60076 slowly gets the 30 PCA tanks moving. 24/1/2018
Up and down turbostars pass at the south end of Markinch station with the south crossover visible. On the left is 170412 working south with 1B18 0907 Aberdeen to Edinburgh. While on the right is 170430 slowing for its Markinch stop with 1L59 1000 Edinburgh to Dundee. 31/1/2018
I'm not sure why I called at Markinch to take just two photos of turbostars, usually something special would be coming through for me to come and be here. Oh well. 170430 runs into the down platform slowing for its stop. 31/1/2018
158706 enters the Newburgh branch at Ladybank with 1L37 0935 Edinburgh to Perth. In the down loop is 170427 laid up following an incident the day before. 2/2/2018
On the day before 170427 was working 1L57 1501 Edinburgh to Dundee when a fire was reported at Cupar. After it was extinguished the set was run back to Ladybank and placed in the loop to wait for a chance to recover it back to Haymarket. It was thought the fire was a hot or seized axlebox as the unit was moved at night with a wheel skate under the affected wheelset.
Out on the common with the poochies and 43206 leads 1S03 0710 Leeds to Aberdeen Virgin East Coast service. The HST comes round the sharp curve that takes the line from a northerly to an easterly direction.
On the back of the down working is 43305.
About 15 or so minutes after the down HST, the up service of 1E15 0952 Aberdeen to Kings Cross comes by with 43313 leading the set.
Bringing up the rear is 43277. 2/2/2018
Every two weeks the Network Rail Measurement Train comes through Fife as part of its timetable. Usually it is the HST which does the journey but when that is not available the coaches are used top and tailed by class 67 locos. 27/3/2018
Colas have the contract for the traction and when DBC sold a pair of operational class 67 locos, Colas bought them. 67027 and 67023 top and tail three mkII and a mkI coach forming the test train. The working is 1Q18 1345 Edinburgh to Craigentinny via Dundee, Perth and Aberdeen.
67023 is on the rear and these two locos pretty much just work these kind of trains.
The train climbs the 1 in 102 1/2 of Lochmuir Bank and pass over the north crossover. 27/3/2018
This is a sight I have photographed on just a handful of occasions, a pair of HST powercars running back to back. Here is former GWR units 43145 and 43127 heading for Inverness as 0S44 0921 Newcastle to Inverness. 3/4/2018
The two powercars have been debranded and are in just a plain blue livery. Once at Inverness they will be used for training of fitters, onboard staff and footplate crews.
ScotRail will be operating HST sets in four and five coach rakes between the seven cities in Scotland. 43142 and 43127 head on to Inverness. 3/4/2018
It is "Great Britain" railtour time again and I have gone to North Queensferry to record the main event which is in the "Great Britain" gallery. Whilst waiting for the steam tour, the day to day traffic must be recorded, well by me at least as I don't think anyone down on the platform is pointing a camera at 170472 working 2K12 0718 Glenrothes with Thornton to Edinburgh. 21/4/2018
With 170472 going onto the North Viaduct of the Forth Bridge, 158736 comes off working 1L03 0736 Edinburgh to Perth.
As the set runs through the down platform it hits a patch of early morning sunlight before it dives into the darkness of North Queensferry Tunnel.
A three ship of class 158 sprinters bends off the 1 in 70 gradient onto the level of the North Viaduct. I could only get the rear unit, 158718, of this train, 1B05 0656 Perth to Edinburgh.
After a spirited drive from North Queensferry I found I was ahead of the steam tour at Kirkcaldy so I grabbed a bonus shot there then headed to my original second location, Kirkfortharfeus while the tour recessed in Thornton North loop. Here 170455 comes by with 1H07 0831 Edinburgh to Inverness.
After the steam had passed, this working came up Falkland Road bank. 43274 is the lead power on 1E11 0752 Aberdeen to London Kings Cross Virgin East Coast service.
The rear powercar is 43367. See here https://www.flickr.com/photos/jbg06003/51059896181/in/photolist-2kMZjeB-2me4dvE-V6hjQc-2ma3p2G-kv33Ua-2m1AD5s-KrKxib-2h36nXA-23rCzzp-NJkzZF-qLxXAj-Y4iKaj-QwTcjU-2kyFDLs-2jceQAU-2jFhzBG-RPYxTA-L4Ykow-YsD7bL-r48Nq8-BgJk1p-2mcL7xu-23oVT2y-VGeFXR-22mXLhE-KQ54Sq-2fHsqzE-8yhQXn-2dMMMux-2dk39C7-24YKmwW-ff9Rb6-SQmMmV-2hH46nB-CbfAX1-ZVDaLh-26sJCcN-25n2h3m-zJ8oHu-CNkzjB-DrBcoz-2gT1hua-9wuk5F-2mcNKjx-2hJYMcu-2gSZrJU-i19TyU-maneDv-2hbNR4A-mao8Xu for how this looked nearly 40 years ago.
Moving now to Pettycur Bay to await the next steam working and third one of the day, pictures in the Main Line Steam gallery. An unknown class 220 Voyager skirts the edge of the water with 1V60 0820 Aberdeen to Plymouth.
170405 heads south in glorious sunshine with Kinghorn Tunnel in the background. To the right of the shot a steeply graded branch ran down to a glass bottle factory situated just above the beach and small harbour. Now long closed the side is now housing.
Turning round for the view on the other side of the bridge and 170405 working 1L58 0943 Dundee to Edinburgh passes 170471 with 1L59 1000 Edinburgh to Dundee.
The Dundee train will not stop at Kinghorn station which is just beyond Kinghorn Tunnel. The line burrows below Witches Hill where the local witches were burned at the stake.....allegedly.
This working would have stopped at Kinghorn station, 158868 and 158731 form 2K21 1024 Glenrothes with Thornton to Edinburgh Fife Circle Outer service.
Now I'm at Lumphinnans waiting on the second Forth Circle steam hauled tour. Phoenix is rolling on the grass and having a great time, she loves it.
She lies on the grass after a damn good roll about.
Griffin on the other hand has to stay on the lead as he is not as well behaved as Phoenix.
As the steam tour approaches I am almost bowled by 158740 working 2G77 1547 Edinburgh to Glenrothes with Thornton Fife Circle Outer. It's gonna be close!!
158740 passes former LMSR class 5XP Jubilee 4-6-0 45690 "Leander" which is in charge of 1Z30 1423 Linlithgow - Forth Circle - Inverkeithing SRPS railtour. I had helped water this loco earlier in the afternoon near Dalmeny. THAT was too close! 21/4/2018
Another SRPS railtour but not steam hauled, instead GBRf owned 47747 leads the tour into Glenrothes with Thornton station with 1Z47 0525 Newcastle to Inverness. 7/5/2018
The loco is in a blue livery with no logos or markings. It was later adorned with the Caledonian Sleeper design and named "Edinburgh Castle".
The tour was routed via the Fife Circle and takes the little used line through platform 2 which has northbound access to the ECML just ahead of it. 66728 is on the rear and the train passes 170455 rostered to 2G04 0839 Glenrothes with Thornton to Edinburgh Fife Circle Inner.
The tour has gone and is recessed in the down loop to allow other trains to overtake northbound. 170455 will head off shortly with an all stations stopper to Edinburgh.
Moving to Kirkfortharfeus for another shot of the tour once it comes out of the loop. This is one of the trains booked to overtake it, 158716 with 1L55 0801 Edinburgh to Dundee.
170393 climbs the last few yards of the 1 in 105 gradient of Falkland Road Bank. The train is 2K36 0829 Dundee to Edinburgh class 2.
This train also passed the tour at Thornton, 170470 heading for Inverurie with 1A49 0831 off Edinburgh. It starts the drop down to Ladybank.
Back with the railtour and 47727 gets to the top of Lochmuir Bank where the 1 in 102 1/2 climb reaches level track. The loco is working hard lifting its ten mkI coaches and dead class 66 loco too.
Still with power on 47727 passes a tall row of trees that have grown from the site of the down goods loop.
