New Fife plaque to mark site of world's first roll-on, roll-off ferry across the Forth

Part of Burntisland’s heritage is to be recorded with a new plaque.

The National Transport Trust wants to put a red plaque at the Old Station House in Forth Place to commemorate its role as a key transport route between Fife and Edinburgh before the Forth Rail bridge was built.

It has applied to Fife Council for permission to add it to the front of the building.

The red wheels celebrate sites of transport significance.

The Old Station House was, for many years, the principal route from Fife to Edinburgh, prior to the construction of the rail bridge when passengers transferred to ferries across the Forth to Granton.

The trust also underlined its important to vehicles which, required a journey via Stirling until Thomas Bouch developed the world’s first roll on roll off ferry crossing between Burntisland and Granton:

He also devised a ‘flying bridge’ that allowed wagons to be winched on and off the flat-decked ferries at all states of the tide.

The trust’s application revealed that the service commenced in March 1850, and, in the first 13 months, carried more than 29,000 wagons.

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The station and rail ferries continued in use until the opening of the Forth Rail Bridge in 1890 when the current through railway station came into use.

Plans to place the red wheel plaque are supported by Burntisland Heritage Trust and it is hoped to also put some information panels nearby to expand on the history of the building.

Councillors will consider the application in due course.

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