Fordell Railway

Introduction

This 4 ft 4 in waggonway is closed. This was a private mineral railway connecting the mines on the Fordell Estate to tidewater at St David's Harbour. (Alternative spelling Fordel Railway.)





Dates

  /  /1752Fordell Railway
St David's Harbour built, associated Fordell Railway probably opened later.
  /  /1752Fordell Railway
Opened from Colton collieries to St David's Harbour, or alternatively opened in 1770.
  /  /1770Fordell Railway
Opened from Colton collieries to St David's Harbour, alternative opening date.
  /  /1798Fordell Railway
Branch to Menniwck.
  /  /1800Fordell Railway
Branch to Peathouse colliery.
  /  /1800Fordell Railway
Branch to Millstone Meadows quarries.
  /  /1808Fordell Railway
Branch to Fordell village.
  /  /1832Fordell Railway
Branch to Crossgates.
  /  /1835Fordell Railway
Start of re-construction.
  /  /1838Fordell Railway
End of re-construction.
  /  /1843Fordell Estate
Fordell Colliery Wellington Pit (later Fordell Colliery William Pit) sunk on the Fordell Estate. Connected to the Fordell Railway by inclined plane
  /  /1850Fordell Railway
Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway)
Link from Fordell Railway to Dunfermline Branch (Edinburgh and Northern Railway) opened.
  /  /1868Fordell Railway
Steam locomotives introduced.
  /  /1872Fordell Estate
New connection from the Fordell Colliery William Pit to the Fordell Railway opened.
  /  /1894Fordell Estate
Fordell Colliery Lady Anne Pit goes into full production when connection to the Fordell Railway opened. The non-standard gauge of the Fordell Railway meant that three rails had to be laid. Coal from the Fordell Colliery George Pit could also go by either system.
  /08/1946Fordell Railway
Closed between St David's Harbour and Fordell Colliery Lady Anne Pit and Fordell Colliery William Pit. St David's Harbour closed. Coal sent by the remaining portion of the Fordell Railway from Fordell Colliery Lady Anne Pit and Fordell Colliery William Pit to the Fordell Colliery Alice Pit pit for trans-shipment.
10/08/1946Fordell Railway
St David's Harbour used for last coal export.
  /12/1946Fordell Railway
Closed between Fordell village and Crossgates.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.











Looking north along the course of the Fordell Railway at Vantage. The hill in the background is actually spoil at Muir Dean opencast site, now ...
Bill Roberton 11/09/2016
1 of 1 images.




Southern end of the former Fordell Railway and used for coal export. There was a brickworks to the north of the harbour basin.
...

More details
St David's Harbour, at the southern end of the Fordell Railway, in a view looking south west towards the Forth Bridge in 2003. Much of the tidal ...
Ewan Crawford 28/12/2003
An old stone sleeper recycled for use as a coping stone, seen at St Davids Harbour, southern terminus of the Fordell Railway, on 6 February ...
Bill Roberton 06/02/2008
2 of 2 images.