Gallery: Pictures from the Fife Free Press archives

There’s news from 50, 25 and ten years ago, and you can also click on the link to take a look at a selection of retro pics.

50 years ago - March 16, 1968

Householders in a residential area of Kirkcaldy have called on the Town Council to consider removing a large tenement block which, they claim, “stands out like a festering sore in an otherwise respectable neighbourhood”.

The block, which houses 24 families, is situated at the junction of Nicol Street and Munro Street in the western part of the town.

A petition delivered to the Council’s Housing Committee, and signed by residents in Nicol Street, Munro Street, Ava Street, Lady Helen Street, Novar Crescent and David Street, claims that certain sections of the property were “offensive to all users of this part of the town”.

Hon. Treasurer John Brodie agreed that the building was a festering sore and a source of continual trouble.

25 years ago - March 19, 1993

A ferry operator has confirmed that it is pulling out of Burntisland.

The Fife Free Press revealed earlier this month that Forth Ferries was considering axing its cross-Forth service from the town after city-bound travellers jumped ship in favour of cars and trains.

The 20-minute service, with a bus link to Edinburgh city centre, was launched in 1991 to help capital commuters beat the rush hour traffic and Burntisland traders also hoped the 225-passenger ’Spirit of Fife’ catamaran would provide a boost for tourism.

But managing director Alex Stanton said a “poor take up” was to blame for the axing of the service, adding: “The the number of people using the boat has been insufficient.”

10 years ago - March 13, 2008

Renewed calls have been made for more safety measures to be put in place at a Kirkcaldy railway bridge following the fourth bus crash in just over a year.

A young man narrowly avoided serious injury when the Stagecoach double-decker bus in which he top-floor passenger hit the railway bridge over Dunnikier Road.

The man, who was sitting right at the front of the bus, sustained a minor head injury as the impact of the crash peeled the metal roof off the bus to just over half way along, and smashed a number of upstairs windows. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

The number 40 bus was travelling from Glenrothes to Kirkcaldy. It is believed the driver was new to the route.