Cupar

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Cupar (1847-)

Station code: CUP National Rail ScotRail
Where: Fife, Scotland
Opened on the Edinburgh and Northern Railway.
Open on the Edinburgh to Dundee.

Description

This is a two platform station dating from 1847. The architect of the main station building on the northbound platform is thought to be David Bell. The central portion is two storey with a double arched entry. To the sides are single storey wings which link to two storey blocks on either side. A flat roofed canopy runs the full length on the platform side. The building on the southbound platform is built to a later standard North British Railway style.

There were formerly three tracks between the platforms, but the centre line has been lifted. At the west end of the station is a three arch bridge carrying Station Road. Nothing passes through the south arch, the westbound and lifted centre line passed the centre arch and the eastbound passes through the north arch.

There were two yards - a goods yard which is now the car park next to the station building and a coal and grain yard to the north east. Both yards were to the north of the line and accessed from the east.

With the removal of the goods yards, there is a space between the signal box and the running lines.

The coal staithes and granary ('A' listed) have been renovated for office use (in 1993).

The main station building is now the Cupar Museum and Heritage Centre .

The Artline - Art and Heritage on the railway in Fife

Local

Cupar and District Model Railway Club

Tags

Station

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map

Facilities

Listing: B


Nearby stations
Springfield
Dairsie
Luthrie
Rathillet Siding
Kilmany
Ladybank
Guard Bridge
Kingskettle
Collessie
Leuchars
Leuchars (Old)
St Fort
Lindores [2nd]
Mount Melville
Lindores [1st]
Beet Factory Signal Box
Cults Siding
Cults Lime Works
Pitlessie Maltings
Bunzion Lime Works
Rathillet Mill Bridge
Montrave Goods
Ayton Siding
Ladybank Works
Ladybank Chemical Works
Ladybank Saw Mill
Ladybank Shed
Tourist/other
Hill of Tarvit Mansion
Scotstarvit Tower
Coaltown of Burnturk
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.


DMM Crichton Statue


A statue of David Maitland Makgill Crichton (1801-1851) is located on the east side of the road at the south end of the bridge at the south west end of Cupar station. The statue looks out over the bridge. It was Crichton who had the Edinburgh and Northern Railway build the bridge rather than their proposed level crossing.

The original course of the road, Riggs Row, was cut by the railway. It survives just to the west as Riggs Place, to the south, and Railway Place, to the north.

The National Galleries have a photograph of Crichton. National Galleries - David Maitland Makgill Crichton

Crichton was a clergyman who resided at Nether Rankeilour, a house to the west of Cupar and Springfield.


Chronology Dates

31/07/1845Edinburgh and Northern Railway
Act receives Royal assent. Mainline from Burntisland to Perth via Ladybank. Branches from Ladybank to Cupar and Kirkcaldy to the harbour. The Perth station was to be beside the Dundee and Perth Railway station.
17/09/1847Edinburgh and Northern Railway
Opened from Burntisland to Lindores and Cupar. Stations at Burntisland [1st], Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy, Sinclairtown, Dysart, Thornton, Markinch, Falkland Road, Kingskettle, Ladybank, Collessie, Lindores [1st], Springfield and Cupar.
29/06/1979British Railways
£5 million contract to rationalise trackwork from Dalmeny to Cupar, Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath.
  /  /1981Edinburgh and Northern Railway
Signaling from Dalmeny to Cupar, Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath transferred to the new Edinburgh Signalling Centre.

News items

15/07/2023Cupar Model Rail 2023: Why the club is about much more than modelling [The Courier]
11/04/2023Fife model railway enthusiasts to stage exhibition in Edinburgh [The Courier]
20/03/2023More trains disruption after complete loss of signalling near Cupar [The Courier]
24/10/2022Scotrail looks to add CCTV cameras at two Fife stations [Fife Today]
15/09/2021Cupar train fire: Railway line reopens after major disruption to services [Evening Telegraph]
15/09/2021Cupar train fire: Passenger tells of strange experience on board sleeper service [Evening Telegraph]
06/08/2021Overnight tree cutting on railway line between Cupar and Leuchars [Network Rail]
03/05/2019Fife railway stations open doors for art exhibition [ScotRail]
01/02/2018Passengers evacuated from burning train in Fife [BBC News]
01/12/2012Light at the end of the tunnel for link? [Dundee Evening Telegraph]

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The North of Scotland v. 15 (Regional railway history series)

Burntisland: Fife's Railway Port (Locomotion papers)

Fife's Last Days of Steam

Fife's Lost Railways

Railways of Fife

The Railways of Fife