Kirkcaldy to Leven Trams
History
Michael Beveridge
Who was Michael Beveridge? He was the man who gave his name to the Beveridge Park. It was opened in 1892, a gift to the town from Provost Beveridge, who was a linen manufacturer, and founder, with Mr Shepherd of Rossend Castle, of extensive floorcloth and linoleum works at Pathhead. Formerly the head keeper's house and a tea-room, the main lodge is now used as local authority offices. The lions are thought to have been made at Methven Pottery, and to have come from the garden of Viewforth Tower or to have been a gift to the park in 1893 by John Nairn of Forth Park where they had graced the formal gardens.
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 started on the other side of the roundabout, on Abbotshall Road. It ran along that road, joining to the tram line from the bottom of town at the junction of Abbotshall Road, Bennochy Road, Wemyssfield and St. Brycedale Avenue.
If you go to this meeting point, you will see the Adam Smith Theatre.
The line then continued up Bennochy Road onto Victoria Road
Bobble Hatter Links