Oh! Dr Beeching! - Strathvithie Station Traditional Cache
Lorgadh: Archiving at owners request
Oh! Dr Beeching! - Strathvithie Station
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Cache is a standard lock and lock, suitable for small swaps, but PLEASE PLEASE take care when parking. Not suitable for dogs or small children to be let loose without a leash!! Do not use the private grounds of the station but there is ample temporary parking on the farm track adjacent to the cache site. Also DO NOT PARK ON THE MAIN ROAD and take care when rejoining. Lots of fast rural traffic here now……
When I worked in this area in the 80’s and onwards, I was always impressed by what appeared to be an old railway station which seemed to be precisely in the middle of nowhere of any importance and it has taken until now to actually piece together how the old rail line actually ran through the area and what part Stravithie Station actually played in all this.
The station was originally part of the Anstruther to St Andrews rail line which was fully operational from Anstruther through Crail, Kingsbarns, Boarhills, Strathvithie, Mount Melville to St Andrews circa June 1887, some 120 years prior to the setting of this cache. A number of the stations on this line closed around September 1930 (through no fault of the infamous Dr Beeching, funnily enough) but was finally closed to all rail traffic in September 1965. And that was due to the Beeching chap!! Soot stains are still obvious on the bridge sides where the steam trains left their mark for you to still see.
The original station was used to transport farm animals and produce to market, be that at Dundee for the more exotic or to the slaughterhouse and cattlemart in Cupar, the local county town, or indeed to allow the more prosperous landed gentry types to access and shoot some feathered friends over the exclusive and extensive estates that were prevelant in the area at that time.
The original station building has been expanded and modified into a rather nice guest house now. A set of signals is in the grounds, as is an original railway carriage which is converted to a chalet you can use whilst holidaying in the nearby St Andrews - check out www.theoldstation.co.uk for more details.
On speaking with the current owner as to a suitable site for a cache, he told me of the recess in the north west corner of the bridge structure on the main road which was previously used by the local milkman to leave the daily milk for the station. Unfortunately, it was too exposed as a potential cache site but does give a slight insight into how things unfolded in previous times.
Actual cache location gives a good view of the current station but please respect the privacy of persons who now stay there. Thanks
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Znl gur cbjre or hcba lbh.....
Treasures
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