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Cults Hill Limestone Quarry
Mineral Railway (19th Century)
Site Name Cults Hill Limestone Quarry
Classification Mineral Railway (19th Century)
Canmore ID 125084
Site Number NO30NW 113.10
NGR NO 3430 0861
NGR Description From NO 3430 0861 to NO 3507 0885
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/125084
- Council Fife
- Parish Cults
- Former Region Fife
- Former District North East Fife
- Former County Fife
Field Visit (November 1996 - May 1997)
NO30NW 113.10 From 3430 0861 to 3507 0885
The remains of a standard gauge mineral railway can be traced from NO 3443 0862 to NO 3507 0885. It survives as a slight cutting and low embankment between the West and East works; some railway sleeper trenches were noted in this section of the trackbed.
The railway extended through the present East Works (NO30NE 23.01), after which it joined the main railway line from Edinburgh to Dundee just N of Cults Mill. A short spur was also constructed to the Pitlessie Maltings (NO31SE ,see Miles O). Most of the line falls on mapsheets NO30NE (NO 3350 0883 to NO 3502 0999) and NO31SE (NO 3500 1000 to NO 3410 1120).
The railway was built between 1876-7, traffic starting sometime in 1877 and was last used in 1947 when all traffic was transferred to road. Little else remains of this railway as most of the earthworks have been removed by farmers reclaiming the land for fields. The road overbridge on the A92 (NO 3463 1029) bears on its N side, a datestone of '1876' on the N side and the arches of a bridge partly filled in at Cults Mill also carry a datestone '1876'. (Brown and Batchelor n.d.). The course of the railway is visible on vertical air photographs (RAF 106G/Scot/UK 120, 4431-2, flown 1946).
Visited by RCAHMS (DE) November 1996 and May 1997
