StirlingAlloaKincardine UPDATE APR08

Stirling Alloa Kincardine Railway and Linked Improvements Project – Opening day nears

The - Alloa - Kincardine route reopening project is one of the most important railway infrastructure projects has seen for decades. Opening Date Announced

assenger services will be businesses using the freight facilities. I and new opportunities and opening Preintroduced to Alloa for the would like to thank local residents for their up to the world. first time in nearly 40 years when patience and cooperation through the “The travelling public of Clackmannanshire construction of the railway.” the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail will soon be offered a new choice on their link opens on Monday 19 May. The Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link doorstep that they’ve been denied for 40 is one of the most important railway years, which should also have a positive Driver training started on Wednesday infrastructure projects Scotland has seen in knock-on environmental impact.” 2 April. The official opening ceremony decades and has reopened approximately A new station has been built in Alloa will take place on Thursday 15 May with 13 miles (21km) of existing, disused and allowing direct hourly passenger services project promoter Clackmannanshire abandoned railway line between Stirling between Alloa, Stirling and Queen Council holding a celebratory fayre for the Station and Longannet Power Station in Street and onward services from Stirling community on Saturday 17 May. Kincardine. to Edinburgh. Reconnecting the area to Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, Janet Cadenhead, leader of the rail network will open up education Infrastructure and Climate Change said: Clackmannanshire Council welcomed the and employment opportunities for the “I am delighted that the official opening of news of the opening which will bring a residents with the increased accessibility this railway will take place on 19 May. Last number of benefits to the Wee County: encouraging inward investment and May, when I came into office, this project “The Council has pursued its dream of economic growth. had many potential problems relating bringing rail back to the county for two The line will also provide a more efficient to cost and timescale. This Government decades and I am delighted that our freight route to carry coal from the west of vowed to deal with these issues and we dream will become a reality within a Scotland to Longannet Power Station and have managed to ensure that this railway matter of weeks. I’m excited that the day potentially provide freight services to other achieved best value for money and opened I can jump on a train at Alloa, for business customers along the line. On Saturday at the earliest opportunity to the benefit of and pleasure, is nearly here. 5 April the first freight train successfully commuters. “In recent times Clackmannanshire has tested the route. This new route will allow “The project is one the largest of its kind seen a tremendous resurgence in economic freight trains to be diverted from the undertaken in Scotland in recent years activity and this major development existing, longer route via the Forth Bridge, and it will bring substantial benefits both can only add to our regeneration, and thus release capacity for improved to residents of Clackmannanshire and connecting people with jobs, education passenger services. StirlingAlloaKincardine UPDATE APR08

All the Fun of the Fayre The reopening of the Stirling- is of major significance to Clackmannanshire. To give everyone a chance to participate in this historic occasion, Clackmannanshire Council is holding a fayre. A novelty road train will lead the spectacular opening parade of the event, which will leave Kilncraigs at 11.30am. The parade will have a transport theme and many of the participants will be in fancy dress. The parade will lead to Greenfield Park for a fun-packed afternoon of family activities starting at noon. Puppet shows, fairground rides, radio roadshow, street entertainment, pony rides, cheerleaders, pipe band and falconry are just a few of the exciting activities on offer. Admission is free and, thanks to generous sponsors, many of the activities and attractions will also be free. Come and join in the fun, from noon to 4pm.

Play it Safe Safety is a priority for the SAK project team and a number of activities are underway to ensure the local community is fully informed before services begin on the railway, including the return of Network Rail’s highly successful No Messin’! campaign. No Messin’! aims t o r aise 3,000 y oung a w ar eness of r ailw a y safety p e o p l e among y oung people thr ough a t t e n d e d A mir Khan, engag ing and in t er esting last y ear’s ambassador of the No Messin’! C ampaig n activities . T he campaig n ev en t which highligh ts the dangers of included a huge r ange of activities on offer fr om hang ing ar ound on or near the cricket and climbing t o boxing and bungee running. r ailw a y t o t eenagers and g iv es them the opportunity T his y ear’s No Messin’! ev en t pr omises t o be bigger t o participa t e in pr oductiv e alt erna tiv es . and bett er than ev er.

Netw ork Rail’s Railw a y Crime E duca tion t eam will be In addition t o the No Messin’! campaig n the pr oject w orking with the British Tr ansport Polic e t o deliv er t eam has been w orking t o ensur e the safe use of lev el a c ompr ehensiv e safety pr og r amme t o schools and cr ossings along the r out e . Safety informa tion has y outh or ganisa tions along the r out e of the Stirling- been distribut ed t o the local c ommunity and c opies of Alloa-Kincar dine r ail link during the c oming mon ths . these leaflets ar e also a v ailable t o do wnload fr om the w ebsit e www.sakr ailw a y.c o.uk or b y calling 0141 229 T he safety pr og r amme culmina t es on 23 and 24 July, 7648. Further c ommunity engagemen t will take plac e with the r eturn of No Messin’ Liv e!, a fan tastic tw o da y in c onjunction with Netw ork Rail plac e in adv anc e of ev en t a t Tulligarth C ommunity C en tr e , Alloa. Ov er full oper a tional servic es c ommencing on the line . StirlingAlloaKincardine UPDATE APR08

Railway Nostalgia

The SAK communications team has been busy Mr Burt is just one of many ex-employees the SAK behind the scenes gathering information and old communications team has been in contact with. Bobby stories from people who used to work on the line Drylie, Gordon Stewart, Albert Dormer, Walter Samways, and Harry Aitken, who is still working on trains today, have before it closed in 1968. all been helpful in the lead up to the railway reopening. One of the ex-employees is Mr William Burt, who worked in Mr Burt continued: Alloa station as a steam engine fireman and also as a driver. Mr Burt, who went to work in London as a driver in August “We are all very excited about the new railway here in Alloa. 1965, recalls his time at Alloa station with fond memories. It will be the hub of the recently updated town centre and He said: will greatly improve the amenities of the area. The future is bright for the people of the Wee County who want to get to “I started working in Alloa station as a steam engine fireman Glasgow or Edinburgh quickly, whether it is for education, in 1951 alongside my father who was a driver. I have great business or pleasure.” memories of my time there and was sad when I was faced with the tough decision to leave Alloa in 1965 and head The picture above shows a drawing of Alloa Steam to London to continue my career as a driver. At that time, Engine Depot in 1953 by artist Ray Ruffell. The drawing there were many qualified drivers in Scotland but very few was presented to Mr William Burt when he worked as vacancies which meant that many Scottish drivers were a supervisor in Strawberry Hill depot in Twickenham in forced to find work elsewhere.” 1993.

For more information on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link visit www.sakrailway.co.uk If you have an enquiry please call the community hotline on 0141 229 7648 or email [email protected]