Kirkcaldy to Leven Trams
History
Randolph Wemyss
Captain Randolph Gordon Erskine Wemyss (11 July 1858 – 17 July 1908) was Laird of Wemyss Castle and Chief of Clan Wemyss. A benevolent landlord, he provided a huge investment in Fife.
Trams
General
There were actually two combined tramways: Kirkcaldy Corporation Tramways opened in 1903, and Wemyss & District Tramways Co. opened in 1906.
To see the tram lines overlaid on a map, go to Google Maps and instead of searching for an address, search for this complete web address:
(copy and paste)
https://sites.google.com/site/thebobblehatters/home/KirkcaldyLevenTramway.kmz
The Kirkcaldy run had two sections, the lower one extending into Dysart, and the upper one continuing on to the Wemyss line. Both were linked by runs up Whytescauseway and St Clair Street.
The Wemyss Tramway was promoted by Randolph Wemyss, the local laird, and ran mostly across his estates from Gallatown, Kirkcaldy to Leven where it terminated in Durie Street. It was opened on 25th August 1906 and was a single-line track throughout, financed by the Wemyss Coal Company (owned by the laird). It ran through the villages it served as a street tramway, but in the rural areas was more like a light railway, running on fenced-off, sleepered stretches.
Due to the expansion of bus competition after the 1914-1918 War, the company was forced to purchase its own buses, controlling interest passing to the Balfour Beatty group in 1922.
The Kirkcaldy tramway was closed on 15 May 1931, and the Wemyss one on 30th January 1932, both replaced by Alexander & Son Motor buses
Local
The tram line came along Randolph Road, over the railway bridge, kinked North to where a donkey in a field stands, then turned back East (crossing the Standingstane Road, through the Boreland Estate via the West Gate
Earlier 19th century. Former West Gate to Wemyss Castle, with gatepiers and quadrant walls. The 1st OS shows a lodge house (no longer evident) at the West Gate.
Bobble Hatter Links