Could the new Levenmouth rail link be extended further east?

[Tobbes]

Moderator note: Split from

Levenmouth rail link to reopen: project updates

From Kingdom FM website. https://www.kingdomfm.co.uk/news/local-news/levenmouth-rail-link-to-reopen-after-half-a-century/ " The railway link in Levenmouth is to reopen after 50 years. The £70 million project was confirmed this morning in Methil by transport secretary, Michael Matheson."

www.railforums.co.uk

Options 3/4 seems to be the preferred options, but it's splitting hairs between them. 1 is a bit too far out of town for walking.

I think we'll probably end up with 3 as there is less work to do, but that is just a prediction.

Any advance on completion date for this. I'm guessing December 2022 timetable change.

That seems sensible. I presume there's no credible route to extend the new line further east?

 

[waverley47]

That seems sensible. I presume there's no credible route to extend the new line further east?

There's nowhere south, and the nearest worthy destination to the north is St Andrews, which is some distance away, so it seems unlikely in the medium term

 

[Altnabreac]

That seems sensible. I presume there's no credible route to extend the new line further east?

Funnily enough the most credible extension option would actually be to extend it westwards by heading south and west to somewhere around the old Methil station site.

Station there would have a decent sized catchment but there are structures issues on the river crossing and then multiple road crossing issues to deal with as well that would probably put paid to any business case.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Funnily enough the most credible extension option would actually be to extend it westwards by heading south and west to somewhere around the old Methil station site.

Station there would have a decent sized catchment but there are structures issues on the river crossing and then multiple road crossing issues to deal with as well that would probably put paid to any business case.

Do you think that was the reason why only the two proposed stations of Cameron Bridge and Leven formed part of this project.

 

[backontrack]

Funnily enough the most credible extension option would actually be to extend it westwards by heading south and west to somewhere around the old Methil station site.

Station there would have a decent sized catchment but there are structures issues on the river crossing and then multiple road crossing issues to deal with as well that would probably put paid to any business case.

Given that Michael Matheson chose to make the announcement in Methil itself, I wouldn't rule anything out for the time being.

 

[Altnabreac]

Do you think that was the reason why only the two proposed stations of Cameron Bridge and Leven formed part of this project.

The current 2 station proposal is certainly a relatively simple and easy to deliver project.

Structures and level crossings are probably part of the reasons why nothing further was considered but I’m sure the main reason is land ownership.

Once you get beyond token land purchases you end up in CPO delays that will put you back years.

So I wouldn’t rule anything out long term but the current scheme is certainly logical as the initial scheme.

 

[MarkyT]

The current 2 station proposal is certainly a relatively simple and easy to deliver project.

Structures and level crossings are probably part of the reasons why nothing further was considered but I’m sure the main reason is land ownership.

Once you get beyond token land purchases you end up in CPO delays that will put you back years.

So I wouldn’t rule anything out long term but the current scheme is certainly logical as the initial scheme.

According to https://map.whoownsengland.org/ (forgiving the site name (or maybe not)!), the formation is still owned by Network Rail all the way to Methil, or certainly was in 2016, when the data to produce the map was obtained.
I expect some more land surrounding the alignment might need to be acquired to facilitate access, car parking etc as required:

 

[waverley47]

According to https://map.whoownsengland.org/ (forgiving the site name (or maybe not)!), the formation is still owned by Network Rail all the way to Methil, or certainly was in 2016, when the data to produce the map was obtained.
I expect some more land surrounding the alignment might need to be acquired to facilitate access, car parking etc as required:

The line was never officially closed, so this isn't a surprise. The line was still technically in use until this year, when it was put oou for the preparation works.

More land for car parks ect is definitley in the plan, but anything outwith the railway itself is outside the scope of the works.

 

[Altnabreac]

According to https://map.whoownsengland.org/ (forgiving the site name (or maybe not)!), the formation is still owned by Network Rail all the way to Methil, or certainly was in 2016, when the data to produce the map was obtained.
I expect some more land surrounding the alignment might need to be acquired to facilitate access, car parking etc as required:

I’m assuming a Methil station would best be located further down near BiFab / the Energy Park beyond the NR ownership.

But the main land issue would be for a road bridge to access FRIC, the docks and Bayview.