Wemyss Private Railway

Coal train hauled by 0-6-0 locomotive No 16 pictured near East Wemyss in 1970.

The Wemyss Private Railway was used to transport coal from the Wemyss Coal Company's mines to the docks at Methil in the Fife region of Scotland.

History

0-6-0 locomotive No 16 makes a lot of smoke near Methil docks in 1970.

0-6-0 locomotive No 16 makes takes on water near East Wemyss in 1970.

The North British Railway owned and operated a railway to transport coal from the many mines in Fife to the docks on the Forth estuary. In 1899, owing to the sheer volume of the mineral being extracted, the line was proving inadequate. Captain Randolph Wemyss, the greatest of the Fife coalowners, was therefore permitted to construct a railway from the mines to the port of Methil from where the coal was exported. ^[1] Several branches were constructed so that each mine had access to the railway. In 1894 some 140,000 tons of coal was produced by the Wemyss mines, but by 1913 coal exports had reached a peak of 3,224,000 tons, much of it being transported on the private railway operating within a radius of 4 miles from the port. ^[1] In that same year a third dock was opened at Methil to handle the coal ships.

In 1947 the post war Labour Government created the National Coal Board to take over most of the mines in The United Kingdom, including the ones on The Wemyss Estate. The NCB also absorbed most of the Industrial railways which served these mines. However, as a result of certain legal peculiarities, the Wemyss Private Railway could not be taken over. Instead its operation was administered jointly be representatives from the Wemyss Estates and the NCB. ^[2]

Following the nationalisation most of the smaller engines which were used for shunting at the collieries were transferred from the Wemyss railway to the NCB. However, five 0-6-0 Ts which had been supplied by Andrew Barclay in the 1930s were retained. ^[2] In later years a number of saddle tank engines were employed. By 1967 only the Michael and Lochhead collieries remained in production. In September of that year there was an underground fire in the Michael colliery and the mine was closed. In 1970 the Lochhead colliery also ceased production. There was now no need for the railway and it too was closed. ^[1]

References

No 3 dock at Methil in 2007. The dock is now closed

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bruce, W Scott (1980). The railways of Fife. Melven Press. pp. 191 – 192. ISBN 0 906664 03 9.
↑ 2.0 2.1 Thomas & Turnock, John & David (1989). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain. Volume 15 North of Scotland. David & Charles. pp. 78 & 84 – 5. ISBN 0 946537 03 8.

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Historical Scottish railway companies

Primary companies	Caledonian Railway Glasgow and South Western Railway Great North of Scotland Railway Highland Railway North British Railway

Caledonian Railway	Aberdeen Railway Alloa Railway Alyth Arbroath and Forfar Busby Railway Cathcart District Clydesdale Junction Crieff Junction Crieff and Comrie Crieff and Methven Junction Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Dunblane, Doune and Callander Dundee and Perth Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen Forfar and Brechin General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Garnkirk and Glasgow Glasgow Central Railway Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Greenock and Wemyss Bay Hamilton and Strathaven Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Leadhills and Wanlockhead Lesmahgow Railway Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Paisley and Barrhead District Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Polloc and Govan Rutherglen and Coatbridge Scottish Central Scottish Midland Junction Scottish North Eastern Solway Junction Symington, Biggar and Broughton Talla Railway Wishaw and Coltness Lines built by the Caledonian Railway Balerno line CR Cleland and Midcalder CR Main Line CR Douglas Branch CR Hamilton Branch CR Hamiltonhill Branch CR The Switchback Independent lines worked by the Caledonian Railway Callander and Oban Killin Railway

Glasgow and South Western Railway	Ardrossan Railway Ardrossan and Johnstone Ayr and Dalmellington Ayr and Maybole Junction Ayr to Mauchline Ayrshire and Wigtownshire Barrhead Branch Bridge of Weir Railway Cairn Valley Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Castle Douglas and Dumfries Dalry and North Johnstone Darvel Branch Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Greenock and Ayrshire Kilmarnock and Troon Largs Branch Maidens and Dunure Maybole and Girvan Paisley and Renfrew Paisley Canal Line

Great North of Scotland Railway	Aberdeen and Turriff Aboyne and Braemar Alford Valley Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Boddam Branch Deeside Denburn Valley Formartine and Buchan Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Keith and Dufftown Moray Coast Morayshire St Combs Light Railway Strathspey Railway

Highland Railway	Buckie and Portessie Branch Dingwall and Skye Duke of Sutherland Findhorn Railway Fortrose Branch Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Inverness and Aviemore Direct Inverness and Nairn Inverness and Perth Junction Inverness and Ross-shire Kyle of Lochalsh Extension Perth and Dunkeld Sutherland and Caithness Sutherland Railway Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway Dornoch Light Railway Wick and Lybster Light Railway

North British Railway	Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick Ballochney Bathgate and Coatbridge Blane Valley Border Counties Railway Border Union Railway Campsie Branch Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company Coatbridge Branch Devon Valley Railway Dunfermline and Queensferry Edinburgh and Bathgate Edinburgh and Dalkeith Edinburgh and Glasgow Edinburgh and Hawick Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway Edinburgh and Northern Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Esk Valley Eyemouth Railway Forth and Clyde Junction Gifford and Garvald Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Glasgow City and District Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank Kelvin Valley Railway Kirkcaldy and District Railway Kincardine Line Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton NBR Macmerry Branch Monkland and Kirkintilloch Monkland Railways Montrose and Bervie Mallaig Extension NBR North Berwick Branch North British, Arbroath and Montrose Peebles Railway Stirling and Dunfermline Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Slamannan Slamannan and Borrowstounness West Highland Railway Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness

Joint lines	Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction City Union Dundee and Arbroath Darvel and Strathaven Glasgow and Paisley Joint Glasgow and Renfrew District Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Kilsyth and Bonnybridge Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint

Other lines	Brechin and Edzell District Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway Denburn Valley Line Dundee and Arbroath Hagdale Chromate Railway Invergarry and Fort Augustus Lealt Valley Diatomite Railway Lochaber Narrow Gauge Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Rothesay and Ettrick Bay Light Railway Skye Marble Railway Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway