History of Fife rail line explored in Channel 4 show

A Channel 4 show has explored the history of Fife’s north east rail line.
The Levenmouth line will be restored.The Levenmouth line will be restored.
The Levenmouth line will be restored.

Scotland’s Scenic Railways, which is available to watch on the All4 on-demand service, featured the old east Fife line and the restoration of the Levenmouth rail link during its latest episode last weekend.

The episode started by focusing on the new Levenmouth line, as work to prepare the area for construction continues.

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It then looked at the history of the line, which once continued through Lundin Links, along the East Neuk, and through to St Andrews – where another campaign is aiming for the restoration of the line between Leuchars and the ‘Home of Golf’.

Eugene Clarke, chairman of the Levenmouth Rail Campaign, explained: “Trains passing through would have been jammed with people going to Leven for their holiday, to Largo for their holiday, young lads making extra pocket money by carrying suitcases.

"It’s great. I suspect it might not quite work like that when the line is open again, but the same sort of resurgence and joy will be there. This railway line is much more than just five-and-a-half miles of rail track; it’s about getting the community back on its feet again.”

The show also featured John Cameron, who has collected various historical items from the line, including the train register book.

It then featured a section about the Largo viaduct, which has not had a train across it for more than five decades. The track was lifted in 1967.

Watch the full episode HERE.

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