Kincardine Line
Encyclopedia
The Kincardine Line was a railway in Clackmannanshire
and Fife
, Scotland
connecting the stations in Alloa
and near Dunfermline
along the north shore of the Firth of Forth
. A short branch line ran from Charlestown Junction to Charlestown on the shore of the Forth. This branch line had been part of the Charlestown Railway, also part of the North British Railway
.
and Kincardine Junction on the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
was opened in 1893, with the line between Kincardine and Dunfermline opening in 1906.
bought the line and the harbour at the end of the line in 1863, although three years later it was partly abandoned. In 1894, the line was rebuilt and re-opened.
Passenger services were withdrawn between Alloa and Dunfermline in 1930, although the line remained open for coal trains. Coal trains to Kincardine
and Longannet
Power Stations continued to use the line. The line to the west of Kincardine became derelict.
funding, and to relieve congestion on the Forth Bridge, the line between Stirling
and Alloa
was reopened
to passenger traffic, and the line to Kincardine was rebuilt for coal traffic to Longannet. Construction work started in 2005, with tracklaying commencing at the end of September 2006.
The line reopened to freight traffic from the Alloa direction to Longannet during April 2008, with passenger services from the west into Alloa commencing on 19 May 2008.
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire, often abbreviated to Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife.As Scotland's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed 'The Wee County'....
and Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
connecting the stations in Alloa
Alloa
Alloa is a town and former burgh in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on on the north bank of the Firth of Forth close to the foot of the Ochil Hills, east of Stirling and north of Falkirk....
and near Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
along the north shore of the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
. A short branch line ran from Charlestown Junction to Charlestown on the shore of the Forth. This branch line had been part of the Charlestown Railway, also part of the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
.
Opening
The section between KincardineKincardine
Kincardine or Kincardine-on-Forth is a small town located on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, in Fife, Scotland. The town was given the status of a Burgh of barony in 1663. It was at one time a reasonably prosperous minor port...
and Kincardine Junction on the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
The Stirling and Dunfermline Railway was a railway in Clackmannanshire and Fife, Scotland connecting the stations in Stirling and Dunfermline. It had a branch line from Alloa to Tillicoultry.-Closure:...
was opened in 1893, with the line between Kincardine and Dunfermline opening in 1906.
Charlestown Branch
The Charlestown Branch started life as the Elgin Waggonway in 1792, later becoming the Charlestown Railway. The North British RailwayNorth British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
bought the line and the harbour at the end of the line in 1863, although three years later it was partly abandoned. In 1894, the line was rebuilt and re-opened.
Closure
The Charlestown Branch closed to passengers on 1 November 1926, remaining opening to serve RNAD Crombie siding until 1964.Passenger services were withdrawn between Alloa and Dunfermline in 1930, although the line remained open for coal trains. Coal trains to Kincardine
Kincardine power station
Kincardine power station was a large coal-fired power station on the shores of the upper Firth of Forth by Kincardine on Forth, Fife, Scotland....
and Longannet
Longannet power station
Longannet power station is a large coal-fired power station in Fife capable of co-firing biomass, natural gas and sludge. The station is situated on the north bank of the Firth of Forth, near Kincardine on Forth. Its generating capacity of 2,400 megawatts is the highest of any power station in...
Power Stations continued to use the line. The line to the west of Kincardine became derelict.
Re-opening
Under Scottish ExecutiveScottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
funding, and to relieve congestion on the Forth Bridge, the line between Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
and Alloa
Alloa railway station
Alloa railway station is a railway station in the town of Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, which was re-opened on Monday, 19 May 2008.- History :...
was reopened
Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link
The Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link was a project to re-open of railway line between the towns of Stirling, Alloa and Kincardine in Scotland, United Kingdom. The route opened to rail traffic in March 2008.- Background :...
to passenger traffic, and the line to Kincardine was rebuilt for coal traffic to Longannet. Construction work started in 2005, with tracklaying commencing at the end of September 2006.
The line reopened to freight traffic from the Alloa direction to Longannet during April 2008, with passenger services from the west into Alloa commencing on 19 May 2008.
Connections to other railways
- Stirling and Dunfermline RailwayStirling and Dunfermline RailwayThe Stirling and Dunfermline Railway was a railway in Clackmannanshire and Fife, Scotland connecting the stations in Stirling and Dunfermline. It had a branch line from Alloa to Tillicoultry.-Closure:...
at Kincardine Junction, east of - Dunfermline and Queensferry Railway at Charlestown Branch Junction, south of Dunfermline (Lower)Dunfermline Town railway stationDunfermline Town railway station is a railway station in the town of Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Fife Circle Line north of Edinburgh Waverley.- History :...