Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)

Introduction

This important branch ran from Thornton Junction to Dunfermline Upper. Today it forms the northern part of the Fife Circle and carries a regular service. The original line is open except through Cowdenbeath and the western end at Dunfermline Upper.



Dates

13/12/1849Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Dunfermline Branch opened from Thornton Junction to Dunfermline. Stations opened at Halbeath.
  /  /1850Fordell Railway
Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Link from Fordell Railway to Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway) opened.
  /  /1880Fordell Estate
Fordell Colliery Alice Pit sunk next to the Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway) by Fordell Estate near Hill of Beath.
01/01/1917Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Sinclairtown, Halbeath, Kingskettle closed.
01/05/1919Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Sinclairtown, Halbeath, Kingskettle re-opened.
22/09/1930Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Halbeath station closed.
24/09/1949Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Crossgates closed to passengers.
  /  /1966Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Foulford Junction (excluded) to Lumphinnans Central Junction (excluded) closed. Foulford Junction retained as headshunt for the National Coal Board Central Works Fife, Cowdenbeath.
  /02/1970Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
National Coal Board Central Works Fife to Foulford Junction to Cowdenbeath (Old) (excluded) closed. The line serving the works and running west to Cowdenbeath Colliery Pit No 7's Cowdenbeath Colliery Shed closed.
  /  /1974Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Cowdenbeath (Old) to Dora Opencast Loading Pad opened.
  /  /1984Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Comrie Colliery to Oakley to Dunfermline Upper closed. Dunfermline Upper to Townhill Junction closed.
  /  /1987Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Dora Opencast Loading Pad to Cowdenbeath South Junction (excluded) closed.
  /  /1992Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Glenrothes with Thornton opened.
  /07/2017Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Halbeath station, with a park and ride, is proposed to serve a large area of new housing north east of Dunfermline. Estimated cost £7M.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Thornton to Dunfermline

Opened in 1848.

This is a four way junction. To the north the main line runs north to Ladybank and the line branch to Cameron Bridge and Levenmouth, which is being re-doubled and electrified, runs off to the north east.. (This formerly ran to Leven [2nd] and the Fife Coast railway to St Andrews [2nd].) To the south the Dunfermline Branch heads west from the main line which runs south to ...

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See also
Edinburgh and Northern Railway
Leven Railway
Wemyss and Buckhaven Railway
Freightliner 66536 leads the empty ballast wagons from the Levenmouth branch drop past Thornton North Junction on 22 August 2022. 66532 was dead on ...
Bill Roberton 22/08/2022
LNER Azuma 800104 climbs away from Thornton North Junction with the 10.00 from Kings Cross to Aberdeen on 26 October 2022.
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Bill Roberton 26/10/2022
Grab shot from a passing train of the relaid Levenmouth branch. The single track extends for about a mile. ...
Bill Roberton 15/07/2023
09.52 Aberdeen to Kings Cross, Azuma 800103, passing Thornton North Junction on 1 June 2021. On the right is the slumbering Levenmouth branch.
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Bill Roberton 01/06/2021
4 of 17 images. more


This is the junction between the single track lines from Thornton North Junction and Thornton South Junction. It is west of Glenrothes with Thornton station and replaced Thornton West Junction [1st].
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66122 brings up the rear of the empty concrete sleeper train returning from the Levenmouth branch to Thornton Yard. 66031 is leading as it passes ...
Bill Roberton 13/07/2023
60071 takes the southbound route at Thornton West Junction in 1993 hauling a long rake of coal hoppers. 60071, later named 'Ribblehead Viaduct' is one ...
Bill Roberton //1993
A Kings Cross - Aberdeen service passing Thornton West Junction in July 1998.  The train has been diverted because of a derailment at Burntisland ...
Bill Roberton /07/1998
37063 at Thornton West Junction with a Mossend-bound freight in 1991. This probably originated from RNAD Crombie. The derelict winding towers of ...
Bill Roberton //1991
4 of 7 images. more


This is a modern two platform station. On the north side is the station car park, once the site of sidings approached by reversal from Thornton West Junction [1st].
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66031 runs through Glenrothes with Thornton with the empty concrete sleeper train returning from the Levenmouth branch to Thornton Yard. ...
Bill Roberton 13/07/2023
170450 arrives at platform 1 at Glenrothes with the 14.07 from Edinburgh on 13th October 2021. In the background is Earlseat Wind Farm. Curiously, ...
Bill Roberton 13/10/2021
158 702 at Glenrothes with Thornton with the 19.00 to Edinburgh. 66031 waits with the empty concrete sleeper train returning from the Levenmouth ...
Bill Roberton 13/07/2023
Levenmouth Ballast 66955 runs through Glenrothes with Thornton, with the ballast empties from the Levenmouth branch to Ravenstruther, on 17 ...
Bill Roberton 17/08/2022
4 of 28 images. more






Thornton Junction Shed relocated from within the triangular junction to west of Thornton West Junction. The new shed was a larger site, located to the south of the line and approached from the east.
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J38 0-6-0 65911 pauses to take water from a column, just across from the depot at Thornton, on the far side of the main line in September 1966. ...
Robin McGregor 20/09/1966
Steam in the shadows, on shed at Thornton Junction in the summer of 1966. Class J38 0-6-0 no 65931 is standing on the left. The locomotive was ...
K A Gray //1966
J38 0-6-0 65914 rolls past Thornton MPD in September 1966. ...
Robin McGregor 20/09/1966
An unexpected sight during a visit to the depot at Thornton in 1966 was a shunting operation on several DMU vehicles being carried out by B1 61140.
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Robin McGregor 20/09/1966
4 of 69 images. more


Redford Siding existed prior to 1913. In 1913 the Lochore and Redford Extension (North British Railway) extended the Kinglassie Colliery line to Redford (to create a loop from Kelty). This crossed the Redford Siding which was connected to the new line instead of continuing to make its own collection. Redford Junction was to the east of the original connection.
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See also
Thornton Marshalling Yard and Rothes Pit (British Railways)
Thornton Yard east access, taken from a passing train on 17 August 2022. Pretty
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Bill Roberton 17/08/2022
On the approach to Redford Junction from the east. Heading for Westfield. View from the embankment of the old lines serving the closed Thornton ...
Ewan Crawford //
A 66 waiting by the marsh and amongst the tall telegraph poles at Redford Junction. View looks west and the former Thornton Colliery lines are to the ...
Ewan Crawford //
A pair of 20s on coal ex-Westfield, passing Thornton Yard outer home, seen from Strathore Road bridge. ...
Bill Roberton //1990
4 of 7 images. more




This signal box was located between the later Clunybridge Junction to the west and Redford Siding to the east. The box was on the south side of the line and there was a trailing cross over. It opened in 1899. It was later known as Dogton Colliery. The colliery did not develop (unlike the earlier Brandies Pit near the Clunie Coal Siding and later largely unsuccessful [[Rothes ...

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This junction is the western approach to Thornton Yard. It was a double track junction leading to the down arrival sidings and up departure sidings. The signal box was on the north side of the junction (it closed in 1981 as part of the Edinburgh Signalling Centre. The junction was rationalised and is now a single lead junction.
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See also
Thornton Marshalling Yard and Rothes Pit (British Railways)


This siding was west of Clunybridge Junction and east of Clunie Coal Siding. The siding was on the south side of the line. There was a signal box, closed in 1928.
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150283 approaches the site of Clunie Lime Siding, which was a trailing dead-end siding serving the loading bank from which the photograph was taken, ...
Bill Roberton //1993
156262 passes Clunie Lime Siding in a view looking west. This siding was a little west of Clunybridge Junction, the west end of Thornton Yard. ...
Bill Roberton //1990
56067 passes the former Cluny Siding, a little to the west of Thornton Yard, in March 1993. ...
Bill Roberton /03/1993
3 of 3 images.


This siding was east of Cardenden. It was on the south side side of the line and a tramway ran south to Carden Colliery Brandies Pit. There was a signal box, closed in 1910.
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This is a two platform station with slightly staggered platforms. A lattice footbridge survived and there are modern glazed shelters, the larger on the up (Edinburgh) bound platform.
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Freightliner 66526 approaches Cardenden with the Thornton Yard - Ravenstruther - Millerhill ballast working on 7th July 2022.
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Bill Roberton 07/07/2022
View north east over Cardenden on 21 July 2014 as 170427 arrives with a Fife Inner Circle service to Edinburgh. ...
Bill Roberton 21/07/2014
West Coast 37516+37685 pass through Cardenden on 21 July with the Royal Scotsman from Edinburgh to Keith.
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Bill Roberton 21/07/2014
Cardenden Station taken from Fife Circle dmu ...
Gordon Steel 12/10/2017
4 of 14 images. more


This junction was west of Cardenden. To the north were Glencraig Colliery, Bowhill Colliery and Minto Colliery and to the south was Lady Helen Colliery. The northern mines were approached from the east and the Lady Helen Colliery from the west.
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See also
Glencraig, Bowhill and Lady Helen Collieries Railway
Looking south east along the Bowhill branch towards Glencraig Junction on 17 May 1991. A class 150 unit is passing on a Fife Circle service between ...
Bill Roberton 17/05/1991
1 of 1 images.


This junction was where the line from Lochgelly Iron Works and colliery met the Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway) at a reversing spur on the south side of the line. Just to the west the private Lochgelly Iron and Coal Company line passed under the railway before running north to the Lochgelly Iron Works and Lochgelly Colliery Nellie Pit.
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This is a two platform station to the north of the town of Lochgelly. The platform are slightly staggered, the eastbound one being slightly to the west of the westbound.
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A particularly fine barrel-train on the platform at Lochgelly in October 2014. This example is looked after by the Benarty Regeneration Action Group ...
John Yellowlees 07/10/2014
A train for Haymarket leaves Lochgelly on 7 September. ...
Bill Roberton 97/09/2007
Lochgelly station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
A deserted Lochgelly station on a warm and pleasant May afternoon in 2005. View is south west towards Cowdenbeath. ...
John Furnevel 29/05/2005
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The 'Mary' Pit opened in 1904, so the box here must have served a siding associated with construction of the pit before it opened. In 1900 the box was renamed and in 1901 the box was replaced in connection with the opening of the 1902 double track curve to Lumphinnans North Junction. This provided an eastern exit for trains from Kelty.
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See also
Lumphinnans North Junction to Lumphinnans East Junction (North British Railway)


Freightliner 66514 leads failed 66551 and the Thornton to Ravenstruther empty ballast away from the former Lumphinnans Central Junction on 4 July ...
Bill Roberton 04/07/2022
66040 passes the former Lumphinnans Central Junction in 2005, with coal for Longannet Power Station. ...
Bill Roberton //2005
60103 passes the site of Lumphinnans Central Junction with the first 'The Cathedrals Express' trip from Edinburgh to Fife. ...
Bill Roberton 20/05/2018
GBRf 66728 Institution of Railway Operators brings up the rear of a North East Railtours excursion from Newcastle to Inverness as it passes the ...
Bill Roberton 07/05/2018
4 of 22 images. more


This junction was to the south of Lumphinnans Central Junction. Here a line ran south west to Lumphinnans No 1 Colliery and Lumphinnans Iron Works.
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This junction opened in 1894 with the opened of the Kirkcaldy District Railway (North British Railway). It met the existing former Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway). Access to the new line was from the south.
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See also
Kirkcaldy District Railway (North British Railway)


The Forth and Fife BLS railtour has arrived at Dora Open cast near Cowdenbeath and most are having a explore and a walk about. ...
Roger Geach Collection 25/08/1976
1 of 1 images.


This was a two platform station with a goods yard on the west (down) side of the line accessed from the north. Cowdenbeath Colliery Pit No 3 was located just to the north of the goods yard. The goods yard is now a car park.
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A 3-car class 101 DMU stands near the site of the 1848 Cowdenbeath (Old) station, closed to passengers in March 1919. View is south towards the bridge ...
Bill Roberton 28/08/1976
View north at Cowdenbeath (Old) during the BLS railtour of 28 August 1976. Photograph showing the Dora opencast loading pad and the now-buried tunnel ...
Bill Roberton 28/08/1976
2 of 2 images.


These sidings were south of Cowdenbeath [1st] station and north of Cowdenbeath South Junction. There were colliery exchange sidings and junctions for mineral lines.
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This junction was south of Cowdenbeath station. It opened in 1890 with Kelty to Cowdenbeath (North British Railway), one of the improvements of the Edinburgh to Perth route built for the opening of the Forth Bridge.
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Kelty to Cowdenbeath (North British Railway)
Cowdenbeath South was where the deviation to Cowdenbeath New (the
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David Panton 14/04/2010
1 of 1 images.


This two platform station was to the east of a cutting. The main station building was on the westbound platform and there waiting rooms at the west end of both platforms. A small goods yard was on the north side, approached from the east which served the small Mossend Iron Foundry. The signal box was on the westbound platform and closed in 1927.
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DRS 68018 nears the site of Crossgates station, with a diverted Grangemouth - Aberdeen Craiginches freight on 2 May 2021. 66422 was dead on the rear.
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Bill Roberton 02/05/2021
Some relics of the mining industry, seen on the western outskirts of Crossgates on 11th November 2019
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Bill Roberton 11/11/2019
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This was a two platform station bounded by a level crossing to the east and Townhill Yard to the west. The station building on the former eastbound platform remains, despite closure of the station in 1930.
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DRS 47813 Solent draws away from Halbeath level crossing on 3 August with the Kings Cross - Leuchars Northern Belle. 47832 Galloway ...
Bill Roberton 03/08/2013
Britannia Steam Pacific no 70013 Oliver Cromwell about to run over Halbeath level crossing on 18 April 2010 with the SRPS Forth Circle ...
Brian Forbes 18/04/2010
47832 Galloway Princess brings up the rear of the London Kings Cross - Leuchars Northern Belle, as it draws away from Halbeath level ...
Bill Roberton 03/08/2013
Freightliner Heavy Haul have a short term contract to move imported coal from Leith Docks to Longannet Power Station thrice-daily, via Dunfermline and ...
Bill Roberton 28/06/2011
4 of 8 images. more


Wide view north east over the remains of Townhill Yard, in the summer of 2006. A DMU heading for Cowdenbeath, is about to pass a coal train in the ...
John Furnevel 13/06/2006
DRS 66434 waits at Townhill loops with a ballast train for track renewals further east on the Fife Circle. Seen from Halbeath level crossing on 27 ...
Bill Roberton 27/10/2019
A view east over Townhill Yard in 1997. The buffer had been placed on the line through to Dunfermline Upper which was still intact for a some way ...
Ewan Crawford //1997
Leaving the loops and heading west at Dunfermline Townhill. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 21 images. more


The site of Townhill Wagon Shops and sidings in a view looking east in 2005. ...
Ewan Crawford 22/04/2005
What a place this was to try and find as a visitor. Dunfermline wagon works where long withdrawn 08175 was located. A tramp through the undergrowth ...
Roger Geach 06/05/1982
Townhill's wagon shops yard (and the shops) is seen in a 1974 view from a passing train. The view shows nothing but 16T mineral wagons, presumably for ...
Bill Roberton //1974
The north east corner of Townhill Wagon Shops after closure. The steelwork may have been used for transhipment of materials by means of lifting ...
Bill Roberton //1986
4 of 8 images. more


The 1866 West of Fife Railway and Harbour, for Charlestown, met the 1849 Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway) at this junction. The location was just west of the Townhill Tramway route and Halbeath. Approach to the Charlestown line was from the east, the line running south west. The Dunfermline and Queensferry to the line to North Queensferry [1st] ...

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West of Fife Railway and Harbour
West of Fife Mineral Railway
66021 takes a train of empties out of Halbeath sidings and heads south for the Forth Bridge in June 2006. ...
John Furnevel 13/06/2006
Townhill loops looking east in 1992. In the foreground is the stump of the West of Fife Mineral railway connection, latterly serving Townhill Power ...
Bill Roberton //1992
150258 passes the future site of Dunfermline Queen Margaret Station in April 1992. On the right is the stump of the Dunfermline Upper/Kincardine ...
Bill Roberton 15/04/1992
3 of 3 images.


This was the northern end of a curve opened 1890 with the Forth Bridge to allow a Edinburgh Waverley - Stirling service via Oakley in addition to other services.
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Dunfermline and Queensferry Railway
Someone with a sense of history has gone to the trouble of making these signs and placing them on the path near the site of Touch (pronounced 'tookh') ...
David Panton 25/08/2021
Looking west towards Dunfermline Upper on the former Edinburgh and Northern Railway's Dunfermline branch (to the latter day Dunfermline Upper Station) ...
Bill Roberton 20/09/2021
2 of 2 images.


This shed replaced a smaller one which was beside Dunfermline Upper station, immediately to the south of the east end of the station, the site subsequently used for sidings.
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'WD Austerity' 2-8-0 90547 taking a break at Dunfermline shed in December 1962. ...
Robin McGregor 19/12/1962
B1 no 61180 on shed at Dunfermline in the mid 1960s. ...
Robin Barbour Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) //
J36 no 65288 on Dunfermline shed around 1966. No 65288 had been adopted by Dunfermline High School Railway Society and repainted by society members ...
Robin Barbour Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) //
3 of 3 images.


This was a station with two main through platforms, the north of which was an island with a second face. At the west end was a bay on the south side.
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Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
The well preserved, though somewhat battered, building and canopy on the westbound platform at Dunfermline Upper in 1989. ...
Ewan Crawford //1989
Stirling and Dunfermline line now a walkway east of Dunfermline Upper. This view looks east to Touch North Junction. ...
John Yellowlees 10/03/2017
View west over the site of Dunfermline Upper station on a wet 31 August 2019 - with one or two changes having taken place over the past 30 years or ...
Andy Furnevel 31/08/2019
Looking east over Dunfermline Upper Station in December 1973, looking largely intact. ...
Bill Roberton /12/1973
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Thornton West to South Curve

Opened in 1878 by the North British Railway, the curve providing a route for the collieries served by the branch to the docks at Burntisland.