Aberdour Line (North British Railway)

Introduction

This line is open. The line runs from Inverkeithing to Burntisland and was opened in connection with the Forth Bridge Railway. It was built for the North British Railway. It carries both passengers and freight. Today it forms part of the East Coast Main Line.

Why built

This line was built as part of the general improvements opened with the Forth Bridge Railway. This provided a new route from Queensferry to Thornton which has been the mainline since opening.

Service

The line is served by both long distance limited stop trains and long distance services.



Dates

02/06/1890Aberdour Line (North British Railway)
Aberdour opened.
  /05/1964Aberdour Line (North British Railway)
Aberdour closed to goods.
  /05/1997Aberdour Line (North British Railway)
MJ Gleeson PLC awarded the contract to build the £1.7M Dalgety Bay station.
  /03/1998Aberdour Line (North British Railway)
Dalgety Bay station opened. It cost £1.5 million.
  /02/2011Aberdour Line (North British Railway)
Railway Heritage Trust makes contribution to the costs of renovation of the former signal box to become at small cafe and exhibition area.

Route described

The line runs from a triangular junction at Inverkeithing to Burntisland where the terminus platforms became bay platforms at a through station.


Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Inverkeithing to Burntisland

From Inverkeithing Central Junction to Burntisland.

This junction is north of Inverkeithing station and opened for the opening of the Forth Bridge. It forms the southern apex of a triangle of lines. The reverse curves travelled by a train following the main line betray that the original route here was from Dunfermline to Queensferry.
...

More details

See also
Dunfermline and Queensferry Railway
DRS-liveried but Freightliner-owned and branded 66413 draws a Craiginches South - Millerhill ballast out of Inverkeithing Up Loop on 25 April. ...
Bill Roberton 25/04/2017
An incoming Fife Circle service from the Kirkcaldy side clatters over the points at Inverkeithing and into the station on 16 June 2021. ...
David Panton 16/06/2021
A Midland Pullman excursion from Dundee to York on 30 July 2022 takes the inverkeithing East/Central Junction chord with Intercity-liveried 43049 on ...
Bill Roberton 30/07/2022
A Midland Pullman excursion from Dundee to York passes Inverkeithing East Junction, led by 43046, on 30 July 2022.
...
Bill Roberton 30/07/2022
4 of 49 images. more


This forms the east part of a triangular junction. The main line runs south to Inverkeithing Central Junction and a single track loop line (formerly double) runs west to Inverkeithing North Junction. The signal box here closed in 1979, being taken over by the Edinburgh Signalling Centre. The box was in the 'V' of the junction. A loop was added on the westbound line east of the ...

More details
60103 'Flying Scotsman' climbs away from Inverkeithing East Junction on 8th October 2023. This was the morning 'Fife Circular', running over an hour ...
Bill Roberton 08/10/2023
The Royal Scotsman climbing away from Inverkeithing East Junction, behind 66736 'Wolverhampton Wanderers', on its way to Aviemore and Boat of Garten ...
Bill Roberton 29/09/2023
Azuma 800112 passes Inverkeithing East Junction with the 09.52 from Aberdeen to Kings Cross on 3 August 2023.
...
Bill Roberton 03/08/2023
66746 climbs away from Inverkeithing East Junction with the Royal Scotsman from Edinburgh to Keith, on 5 June 2023. ...
Bill Roberton 05/06/2023
4 of 116 images. more


This is a two platform station. ...

More details
CrossCountry 220020 passes Dalgety Bay with the 1V60 from Aberdeen to Penzance, starting at Dundee due to a points failure further north, on 17 ...
Bill Roberton 17/01/2024
LNER Azuma 800112 nears Dalgety Bay, with the 10.00 from Kings Cross to Aberdeen, on 7 July 2022.
...
Bill Roberton 07/07/2022
170393 calls at Dalgety Bay, with the 10.38 from Edinburgh to Perth, on 18 October 2022.
...
Bill Roberton 18/10/2022
DBS 66114 and 66142 pass Dalgety Bay on a dark, wet evening heading from Mossend to Thornton Yard. They will take up duties on the Levenmouth branch. ...
Bill Roberton 10/07/2023
4 of 222 images. more


This two platform halt served Donibristle Airfield which was to the south. The site of the halt was east of today's Dalgety Bay station and where the Fordell Railway passed underneath.
...

More details
GBRf 66746 climbs past Donibristle with the 'Royal Scotsman' from Edinburgh to Keith on 7 August 2023.
...
Bill Roberton 07/08/2023
LNER Azuma 800105 passes the site of Donibristle Halt with the 14.52 from Aberdeen to Kings Cross on 12 June 2023. The siding to the aerodrome ran ...
Bill Roberton 12/06/2023
66529 leans into the curve at Donibristle with a Laurencekirk - Millerhill ballast. 66525 is on the rear on a dreich 13 December 2020.
...
Bill Roberton 13/12/2020
47802 leads the 'Northern Belle', returning from Dundee to Darlington, past the site of Donibristle Platform on 14 July 2021. 57601 'Windsor Castle' ...
Bill Roberton 14/07/2021
4 of 81 images. more


Azuma 800105 passes Donibristle Siding with the 14.52 from Aberdeen to Kings Cross. It had lost 24 minutes between Markinch and Kirkcaldy and the ...
Bill Roberton 15/10/2021
A1 60163 'Tornado' climbs away from the site of Donibristle siding with 'The Aberdonian' on 31 July 2021.
...
Bill Roberton 31/07/2021
A very early start to capture ROG 37608, passing the site of Donibristle siding on 16th June 2021, with four ex-GW Mk3s (and four barrier coaches) ...
Bill Roberton 16/06/2021
Colas 60085 passes the former RN air station branch junction at Donibristle with Inverness - Oxwellmains cement empties, diverted through Fife. ...
Bill Roberton 01/07/2017
4 of 9 images. more


This signal box was between Donibristle Halt (just east of today's Dalgety Bay) and Aberdour. The box was on the south side of the line by Meikle Couston. There was a trailing cross over. ...

More details


This is a two platform station. The main station building, one storey with canopy, is on the up (southbound) platform. A small stone waiting shelter also remains on the down platform. The station is located in Aberdour itself.
...

More details
66743 runs through Aberdour with the 'Royal Scotsman' to Boat of Garten on 4 September 2023. The houses in the background are on the site of a loading ...
Bill Roberton 04/09/2023
GBRf 66746 draws away from Aberdour with the Royal Scotsman from Edinburgh to Keith on 3 July 2023.
...
Bill Roberton 03/07/2023
A Fife Circle service calls at Aberdour on 29th July 2020. ...
David Panton 29/07/2020
SB Rail tamper DR73111 runs through Aberdour, returning to its base at Inverkeithing Yard from the Levenmouth branch on 10 August 2023.
...
Bill Roberton 10/08/2023
4 of 143 images. more


This was an interchange loading point with the Carron Company (Carron Iron Works) Newbigging Limestone Mine. It was west of Burntisland on the shoreline..
...

More details
Peppercorn Class A1 60163 'Tornado' at the head of 'The Aberdonian' railtour from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen, just past Inverkeithing and taking ...
David Bosher 14/03/2019
60103 'Flying Scotsman' nears Carron Harbour with the 'Aberdeen Flyer' on 10 October 2023. ...
Bill Roberton 10/10/2023
170411 passes Newbigging with the 14.27 from Perth to Edinburgh on 30 January 2023. Burntisland is in the background and Carron Harbour is on the far ...
Bill Roberton 30/01/2023
The 13.09 Inter7City service from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, powered by 43150 and 43136, passes an old limestone shipment pier below Newbigging Quarry on ...
Bill Roberton 30/01/2023
4 of 8 images. more




This signal box was on the north side of the railway. It opened in advance of the opening of the Burntisland Aluminium Works whose sidings were to the east. Approach to the sidings was from the east and there was a crossover, allowing trains to approach from Burntisland Harbour.
...

More details


This works did not produce aluminium but alumina which was then passed on to aluminium works to be converted into aluminium.
...

More details
A HST passes the disused link into Burntisland Aluminium Works in 1985. The transfer of bauxite by rail seems to have finished around 1980. Newbigging ...
Bill Roberton //1985
Lost Railfreight. Disused tracks on the weighbridge at Burntisland Aluminium Works in 1983. Those beyond were being covered to allow road ...
Bill Roberton //1983
One of the once ubiquitous Leyland (formerly Austin Morris) BR gangers' vans standing on the by then disused rails into Burntisland Aluminium Works in ...
Bill Roberton //1983
The British Aluminium Company's sidings at Burntisland in 1983, after cessation of rail traffic. The track had been partly covered to allow access for ...
Bill Roberton //1983
4 of 17 images. more


This is a two platform station which opened with the Aberdour Line (North British Railway) approach to the Forth Bridge. The station replaced the Burntisland [1st] terminal which is adjoining to its immediate south.
...

More details
47467 nears Burntisland 2nd with an express from Aberdeen in 1990. In the foreground is the Docks branch. ...
Bill Roberton //1990
A1 60163 'Tornado' eases off Burntisland Viaduct with 'The Aberdonian' on 12 August 2021. ...
Bill Roberton 12/08/2021
Burntisland, on an autumn morning in 1964, photographed from the back of a DMU bound for Dundee via the Fife Coast line. Note the spectral cranes ...
Brian Haslehust 04/09/1964
The sharp curve at Burntisland is very noticeable in this view along the Up platform as a pair of 158s, working a clockwise Fife Circle service, call ...
Mark Bartlett 05/08/2021
4 of 40 images. more





Inverkeithing Curve

Inverkeithing North Junction to Inverkeithing East Junction.

This forms the north part of a triangular junction. The main line runs south to Inverkeithing Central Junction and a single track loop line (formerly double) runs east to Inverkeithing East Junction. The signal box here closed in 1979, being taken over by the Edinburgh Signalling Centre. The box was on the north side of the junction. ...

More details

See also
Dunfermline and Queensferry Railway
170453 comes north round the curve at Inverkeithing North Junction in 2004. The single track of the curve round to Inverkeithing East Junction can be ...
Ewan Crawford 28/12/2004
Looking down to Inverkeithing North Junction and the yard in February 2006. An unidentified Hunterston - Longannet working is heading to Townhill to ...
John Clark 16/02/2006
The Inverkeithing North/East chord with a road-rail machine and DR73803 waiting for the call to work at the Aberdour track renewal. A 170 passes on a ...
Bill Roberton 19/03/2017
Construction work in progress on the Forth Road Bridge approach roads to the north of Inverkeithing, taken from a Perth-bound train on 23rd March ...
Frank Spaven Collection (Courtesy David Spaven) 23/03/1963
4 of 4 images.


This forms the east part of a triangular junction. The main line runs south to Inverkeithing Central Junction and a single track loop line (formerly double) runs west to Inverkeithing North Junction. The signal box here closed in 1979, being taken over by the Edinburgh Signalling Centre. The box was in the 'V' of the junction. A loop was added on the westbound line east of the ...

More details
60103 'Flying Scotsman' climbs away from Inverkeithing East Junction on 8th October 2023. This was the morning 'Fife Circular', running over an hour ...
Bill Roberton 08/10/2023
The Royal Scotsman climbing away from Inverkeithing East Junction, behind 66736 'Wolverhampton Wanderers', on its way to Aviemore and Boat of Garten ...
Bill Roberton 29/09/2023
Azuma 800112 passes Inverkeithing East Junction with the 09.52 from Aberdeen to Kings Cross on 3 August 2023.
...
Bill Roberton 03/08/2023
66746 climbs away from Inverkeithing East Junction with the Royal Scotsman from Edinburgh to Keith, on 5 June 2023. ...
Bill Roberton 05/06/2023
4 of 116 images. more