Cupar archivist planning ‘biggest exhibition yet’ at transport museum

It was reported last week that ScotBus Preservation Group are planning to open a new transportation museum in Cupar’s Prestonhall Industrial Estate, displaying vintage buses and other classic vehicles.

As part of the project, archivist Steve Penrice is setting up his biggest exhibition yet, lining the corridors with photographs and information about old Cupar and other parts of Fife, with a focus on transport.

Steve is also transforming some of the buildings to look like old Cupar garages, which will feature old adverts and details about the history of the stores. Some of the rooms will also be designed to look like some of the classic shop fronts from the town.

“This will be my biggest in 30 years of doing exhibitions,” Steve said.

Steve runs a popular website and Facebook page, sharing classic images from around the town, and he says there is “huge demand” for the local history. He is to even start running archive nights at the Westport Tavern, giving locals the chance to help him organise the pictures.

His interest in local history started aged seven, when he moved to the town.

“We’d pass shops and I’d ask my dad about them,” he said. “I was interested in the quirky things. Then I started working at Galloway. Older people would come in and share stories. I started looking at old photos, then collecting them. It escalated from there.”