Former RAF Leuchars old railway line

[Red-Eye-Knight]

I was just wondering if anyone knows what the old railway line into RAF Leuchars was used for?

As my friend asked me the other day and I did not know, The only time I can remember it being used was in the 90s after one of the airshows but apart from that I have no idea what it was used for so any help would be appreciated.

[Nighthawke]

I found a thread on Rail UK forum with posts from ex-RAF and locals and it was primarily for fuel supplies.

This should work without joining the forum:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/le ... ut.129449/


Also of possible interest:

https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/R/RAF_Leuchars/

[Ghost from above]

This was for delivery of fuel I was told.

https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/R/RAF_Leuchars/

[DavieB]

It was fuel, back in the base's glory days.

[Grey Ghost]

In the 78 - 81 period when I was there, mainly fuel but the occasional wagon load of military vehicles on Lowmacs and I have seen the odd van, probably with things that go bang or fizz as they had the explosive stickers attached with nos 1 to 6. From what I remember, the higher the number, the bigger the bang. LNER A4 60009 "Union of South Africa" came into the camp on one of the B of B days, 1978 or 79 or 80, can't remember which exactly.

[Nighthawke]

An air show with a steam train, sounds like heaven!

[cj9ru]

Hi

As a local rail enthusiast as well as aircraft obsessive I can give a little info.
The line in branched off the main line to the right as trains passed North. It then went through a gate in fence and crossed the main road (StAndrews to Dundee Road) (there were no traffic lights I can remember) and went into the base through another gate in the base 'wire.'
As said it was primarily used for delivery of fuel but became disused as fuel was stored off site .

The A4 Steam locomotive, Union of Soth Africa, did (as recently discussed in Leuchars section) attend air shows in steam. Indeed as a youngster I got up into cab and got to pull the whistle ) It was then , and still is, owned by local Fife farmer Mr Cameron. As an aside currently it looks like this will be the locomotive's last year running as the owner intends retiring it permanently after many years of live main line certification. This expired last year and the boiler certificate expires end of this year. It is currently at East Lancs railway for a final chance for folk to get behind it. So, if you want to experience it get down to East Lancs this summer!

The rail crossing the main road was lifted a good few years ago but the line can still be seen either side of the main road and still goes under the fence.

In my father's time serving at Leuchars it was in use, in my son's time there it was no longer in use. Times change and now the runways are a heck of a lot quieter .....

Chris

[ArabJazzie]

An air show with a steam train, sounds like heaven!

Union of South Africa was a regular visitor to the airshows.

Have to say thanks to the person who provided the links earlier as following further links has answered a few questions i had about my areas rail system.
Arabest,
Geoff.

[Nighthawke]

You're welcome - I take it the rail forum link worked for you.

[cj9ru]

Some info about the now dissused off site storage that replaced the rail link here
In fact work is taking place there just now, presumably decommissioning. Lorries etc can be seen from main road A92
It is on the other side of the road from Moffat and Williamson's bus depot. A friend worked on its construction and it was 'officially a 'sewage works' when it was being built
http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index. ... SLinksWood

[Red-Eye-Knight]

Thank you for all the information guys has really been useful and informative

[Finty]

Thank you for all the information guys has really been useful and informative

Indeed. Despite being into railways and having travelled on the mainline through Leuchars two years ago, I hadn't been aware of the branch's existence until now. Probably because the trackbed has been butchered since so doesn't stand out on google earth and the only real clues are the surviving rails at the level crossing.

[ArabJazzie]

You're welcome - I take it the rail forum link worked for you.

Yes, and the link that has helped the most.

As an aside, i had a walk with the family in Newport On Tay today and part of that was along the old line that branched off the mainline at Leuchars, through Tayport, Newport and on to join the mainline again at Wormit and the Tay Rail Bridge. The comparison map is turning quite a bit of what we saw today into a better picture of what used to be, and what really could have help the environment today.
Arabest,
Geoff.

[seafurysmith]

The last time I saw 64009 in Leuchars was in 1990 and she was wearing the nameplates for Osprey. Some video footage is on my Utube channel at Seafurysmithpics if your interested. Hearing the whistle through out the airshow was interesting!

[ArabJazzie]

Thank you for all the information guys has really been useful and informative

Indeed. Despite being into railways and having travelled on the mainline through Leuchars two years ago, I hadn't been aware of the branch's existence until now. Probably because the trackbed has been butchered since so doesn't stand out on google earth and the only real clues are the surviving rails at the level crossing.

There are still plenty clues on Google earth, including what looks like some remaining track that appears to form a siding within the domestic side of the base. When some locals got wind of Network Rails plans to remove the remains of the track between the by-pass and what is now the railways boundary fence, a plan was hatched and the track became a feature of a small park area.

Another aside and we are off to scare the grandkid in another of the areas great old railway relics which is the Bridge of Earn tunnels!
Arabest,
Geoff.

[22A]

I found this info on another forum, which although not Leuchars, still airfield related;

Ballykelly RAF airfield, just a few miles east of City of Derry Airport was in the same situation before it closed. The runway was lengthened during WW2, across the railway, and the railway thereafter crossed the runway on a level crossing controlled by semaphore signals on very short posts, which can still be seen today, albeit without the signal arms. Trains there had priority except in an emergency. I believe it was the only place in the world where a railway crossed an active runway.

[Seahornet1]

The last time I saw 64009 in Leuchars was in 1990 and she was wearing the nameplates for Osprey. Some video footage is on my Utube channel at Seafurysmithpics if your interested. Hearing the whistle through out the airshow was interesting!

It's 60009. So numbered by BR, by adding the standard '+60000' to its late LNER identity, when it was simply 'No. 9'. It still is, to many people!

In the days of Apartheid in South Africa, the current name was deemed politically unacceptable. 'Osprey' was the loco's originally allocated 'bird' name when new, in keeping with Bittern and Mallard, etc; I don't think it was ever carried though, before the new 'British Empire' name was unveiled.

[bvs]

We visited Leuchars a few years ago and had a quick shufti at where the branch line had been 'cut' near Leuchars Station,the 'cut' on both Rails was actually a double cut so that an 11 inch section was cut out of both rails,both bits were still lying there LOL - my other half is mad about railways and aircraft and she said ''can we take one of the sections home ?''
Well you can guess who ended up carrying that !!!!



RAF Leuchars old Diesel Shunter is preserved and running at the Fife Heritage Railway,Kirkland Sidings nr Leven,we saw it there in 2016.....



And indeed we also had a wee Cab ride on her as well ....

[bvs]

This thread has brought back memories of growing up in Fife - I could actually travel by train to Air Shows and not have to walk very far

Just a couple of pics of the old Leuchars Branch (2016)...

Taken through the fence looking south towards Leuchars Station



Looking South again but looking at the fence line and light 'buffers' where the lines were 'cut'



Looking North towards the Camp Entrance and road crossing



'Points' operating Lever (and no we did not manage to budge it LOL)



Looking across the road towards Leuchars Camp

[Finty]

Good pics those, I've just checked Google earth again and found those two sidings which I'd somehow missed before!