Devon Valley Railway

Introduction

This railway is closed. The line extended the Tillicoultry branch to Kinross, a single track line following a fairly tortured route by the River Devon. It completed, for the North British Railway, a route between Glasgow and Perth. It could never compete with the main line through Dunblane which has survived it.





Dates

  /  /1858Devon Valley Railway
Act receives Royal ascent
04/08/1860Devon Valley Railway
First sod cut.
01/05/1863Devon Valley Railway
Opened from Hopefield to Rumbling Bridge (worked by North British Railway).
30/07/1866Devon Valley Railway
Blairenbathie and Blairadam Collieries Branch (North British Railway)
Devon Valley Railway Act gives permission for a branch from Rumbling Bridge [1st] to Wattie's Ford Bridge and an extension from there to Kelty on the Kinross-shire Railway, much of what was later used for the Blairenbathie and Blairadam Collieries Branch (North British Railway). Another branch to Newhall near Solsgirth also approved. Branches not built.
01/10/1868Devon Valley Railway
Closed from Rumbling Bridge [1st] to Crook of Devon (excluded) to allow realignment. The approach to a new Rumbling Bridge station was lowered in a quarter mile cutting. (An alteration suggested by the North British Railway engineer to east the gradient on approach to Rumbling Bridge from the west.)
01/05/1869Devon Valley Railway
Dollar station opened
03/05/1869Devon Valley Railway
Opened from Tillicoultry to Dollar.
01/10/1870Devon Valley Railway
Re-opened from Rumbling Bridge [2nd] to Crook of Devon.
01/05/1871Devon Valley Railway
Opened from Dollar to Rumbling Bridge [2nd].
  /  /1875Devon Valley RailwayNorth British Railway
Devon Valley Railway absorbed by North British Railway.
  /  /1956Dollar Colliery No 4 Dollar Colliery No 5
Constructed at Wester Pitgober, connected to the Devon Valley Railway.
13/06/1964Devon Valley Railway
Kinross Junction to Alloa East Junction closed to passengers.
15/06/1964Devon Valley Railway
Kinross Junction (excluded) to Dollar (excluded) closed to freight.
  /  /1973Devon Valley Railway
Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
Dollar Mine to Alloa Co-op Coal Siding (excluded) closed.
23/06/1973Devon Valley Railway
Dollar to Alloa Co-op Coal Siding (excluded) closed to freight on closure of Dollar Colliery No 4 and Dollar Colliery No 5.
25/08/1973Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
Devon Valley Railway
Final train to Dollar, the Branch Line Society's Stirling and Dunfermline Railtour.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Tillicoultry to Kinross

This station was originally a terminus and later a through station. It was located on the west side of a level crossing over Moss Road to the south of Tillicoultry. It was rebuilt at least three times.
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See also
Stirling and Dunfermline Railway
Tillicoultry 1,2 Colliery Line (Alloa Coal Company)
No trains, no track. Looking west along the trackbed of the former Devon Valley Railway towards Tillicoultry, approximately mid way from Dollar. The ...
John McIntyre 25/11/2018
Site of the station looking west. ...
Ewan Crawford 03/10/2006
Notice near the former Tillicoultry LC - March 2007. ...
Bill Roberton /03/2007
View east across the A908 Moss Road, Tillicoultry, on 6 March 2008 from a point between the platforms of the late Tillicoultry station (behind ...
John Furnevel 06/03/2008
4 of 9 images. more


This was a single platform station, the platform being on the north side.
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Dollar station on 5th August 2022. This view looks east towards Rumbling Bridge. The ramp and steps allow access from Station Road to the Devon Way ...
Mark Bartlett 05/08/2022
View north to Dollar's former station looking along the Devon Valley Railway. The short Dollar Mine branch ran from the station site through the ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
It is nearly sixty years since the last passenger train left Dollar but the platform is still in place alongside the Devon Way trail. This view looks ...
Mark Bartlett 05/08/2022
Approaching the abandoned platform at Dollar along the former Devon Valley route from Alloa on 6 March 2008. The station closed to passengers in 1964 ...
John Furnevel 06/03/2008
4 of 16 images. more


This coal mine was located east of Dollar station. The branch to the mine ran from the loop at the east end of the station.
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Dollar Mine was located in the triangular field on the right. A short line connected it to Dollar station, on the left. The approach to Dollar Viaduct ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
NCB pannier tank shunting at Dollar Mine. ...
John Robin 27/09/1963
2 of 2 images.


This was a six span single track girder viaduct crossing the River Devon south east of Dollar carrying the Devon Valley Railway east to Kinross. The viaduct, on a gentle curve, was 390ft long and 53ft high with spans between 45ft and 55ft long. The viaduct approaching the viaduct from the station became increasingly tall before the line crossed over the Devon to high ground on the south ...

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This verdant path (the former DVR) leads eastwards from the Dollar Viaduct in the direction of Balshie Siding ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
The east end of the dismantled Dollar Viaduct, with a brick wall to protect walkers from a precipitous drop to the River Devon down below. ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
View of Dollar Viaduct from the north west showing the Devon Valley Railway crossing the River Devon. The angle of the piers on the sadly dismantled ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
3 of 3 images.


Also known as Blashie or Balshie. This short siding was on the south side of the line, approached from the west, and had a loading bank. A lane ran south west to Dollarbeg. Nearby was Melloch Colliery.
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This was a short siding with a loading bank (named Balshie, Blashie or Dollarbeg) east of the Dollar Viaduct. The siding had a headshunt (behind the ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
View west showing the long sweep of the Devon Valley Railway on its approach to the Dollar Viaduct from the east and the embankment continuing to the ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
2 of 2 images.


A station was proposed for Blairingone and had considerable local support. In the area south of the line were freestone, ironstone and coal reserves. A siding was laid in, which allowed departure in both directions, on the south side of the line. From this a tramway ran south to the Blairingone Colliery. This coal work began with the opening of the Devon Valley Railway.
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The Devon Valley Railway ran from left to right at the bottom of this view. To the left of the bridge (bottom centre) was Blairingone Siding and from ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
This interesting bridge carries a minor road (Blairingone to Vicar's Bridge) over the Devon Valley Railway a little east of the site of Blairingone ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
This substantially built bridge over a burn is above Boghall and just west of the site of Blairingone Siding. ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
This unusual bridge over The Devon Valley Railway is on the unclassified road from Blairingone to Vicar's Bridge and is between Rumbling Bridge and ...
Brian Forbes 28/10/2007
4 of 4 images.


This is an 80ft deep cutting through sand, about 900ft long. Construction of the cutting caused the contactor considerable difficulty. 180,000 cubic yards of sand were removed and the cutting slopes had slippage several times during construction. High stone built retaining walls at the bottom of the cutting down either side, with refuges for surfacemen.
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The retaining walls in Arndean cutting are taller than a man - this is a recess for track workers should they be caught out in the cutting when a ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
View west to a removed bridge. West of Arndean the DVR crossed a minor road between Vicar's Bridge and Westmuir. With the opening of the line the road ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
Looking down on the missing bridge west of Arndean with the former DVR running from left (east) to right (west). The cutting walls for the roadway, ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
At the bottom of Arndean Cutting showing the retaining walls and largest bridge in a view looking west. This cutting caused the contractor ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
4 of 7 images. more


This siding was on the north side of the Devon Valley Railway and approached from the west. There was a stone built loading bank. From this loading bank a tramway ran first west, then (on a tight curve) pass south under the railway before climbing to Devonshaw Quarry at Gibson's Craig, just over half a mile to the south.
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Devonshaw Siding served the loading bank seen in this view, the 'main line' of the DVR was on the right. A tramway ran from the top of the loading ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
Between Arndean Cutting and Devonshaw Siding, to its east, the line rose onto an embankment which was supported by braced wooden walls built with ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
The trackbed of the Devon Valley Railway can be seen running from bottom right (west) to top left (east) in this view. More difficult to discern is ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
A former occupational crossing west of Devonshaw Siding. The former level crossing gate, typical of the line, has (just to complicate what can be seen ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
4 of 5 images. more


This is a disused six arch single track arched stone viaduct over the Gairney Burn, a tributary of the River Devon. The viaduct is 360ft long and 110ft tall with arches of 45ft. The Gairney is in a deep ravine resulting in very tall piers. The viaduct is a mile south west of the former Rumbling Bridge [2nd] station and just east of Devonshaw Siding.
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The Gairney Viaduct in a view looking west. The National Grid clearly had similar thoughts about this being a good route for pylons. Indeed, there is ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
A view of the north side of the Gairney Viaduct. ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
Gairney Viaduct viewed from the south. The viaduct crosses the deep Gairney Glen. Even before the line opened it was commented that this would be a ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
View looking west along the Gairney Viaduct. ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
4 of 5 images. more


This was a two platform station with a passing loop on a single track railway. Platforms were staggered. The eastbound platform was slightly further to the north. This platform had the main station building.
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The south western approach to Rumbling Bridge is in this view, just a little distance from the overbridge which was at the south end of the station. ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
This view is looking east over the approach to Rumbling Bridge, which can be seen top left. ...
Ewan Crawford 17/08/2023
View looking north to Rumbling Bridge station from the bridge carrying a minor road to Over Dalkeith over the line. The southern end of the loop was ...
Ewan Crawford 12/09/2023
Landscaping work in progress on the remains of the up platform at Rumbling Bridge on the Devon Valley line in 2007. The rest of the former station ...
John Furnevel 23/10/2007
4 of 13 images. more


This was the temporary terminus of the line from Kinross [1st] before its extension west to Dollar. The station was at surface level which would result in a very steep gradient to the west if the original proposed line was built. The North British Railway saw the line as an important through route and its engineer proposed an alteration. The line was closed west of Crook of Devon ...

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Looking east to Crook of Devon from a little east of Rumbling Bridge. The line ran up from the bottom of the photograph, taking a gentle curve to the ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
The first station at Rumbling Bridge was a short lived terminus for the line approaching from the east. After extension westwards this original ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
2 of 2 images.


This level crossing was west of Crook of Devon station where minor roads to Harelaw and Keith-hills crossed the line. A single large cast iron post by Harper & Co's Craiginches Iron Works remains here. With a short diversion towards the church the trackbed can be followed here today eastwards to the station.
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A substantial post at the former Church level crossing in Crook of Devon, west of the station. It was made at the Craiginches iron works of Harper ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
On the western edge of Crook of Devon, and west of Church Road Crossing, the main road had a tight bend and crossed over the railway. After closure ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
View over Church Road level crossing in March 2009, looking east towards the site of Crook of Devon station. ...
Bill Roberton 19/03/2009
Not an aid to fast rail journeys - the guard of the 3.5pm Stirling-Kinross-Perth 'Devon Valley' train deals with the level crossing gates at Church ...
Frank Spaven Collection (Courtesy David Spaven) /06/1964
4 of 4 images.


This was a single platform station on the north side of a single track line. To the west was a goods yard on the north side of the line, approached from the west. The station was to the west of a level crossing south east of Crook of Devon itself.
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Crook of Devon looking east to the former station in 2023. The houses occupy the trackbed at the station site. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
Looking east to Crook of Devon station in 1996. Since the photograph was taken playing fields and a footpath have been developed here and the station ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
The land south of Crook Mill, in Crook of Devon, was called Lam(b)laires and it was here that the station opened in 1863. In 1662, on roughly the site ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
Looking west to Crook of Devon. The railway ran south of the village before crossing a field and entering the Crook Moss (now a forest) seen closer to ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
4 of 12 images. more


This level crossing was east of Crook of Devon station. There was a gate keeper's cottage on the north side of the line, west side of the minor road.
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East of Broomhill Crossing the Devon Valley Railway has been converted into a foot/cycle path which follows the line until near Tullibole Crossing. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
View looking west to Crook of Devon from near Broomhill Crossing, a level crossing south west of Tullibole Castle, showing the stump of a signal. This ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
The Devon Valley Railway followed the north side of the Gairney Water, following its various bends. From Tullibole Crossing, seen in the distance, it ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
On the right is the former gatekeeper's cottage at Broomhill Crossing. The line ran round the right of the buildings on the left and to the left of ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
4 of 4 images.


This level crossing was located between Crook of Devon and Balado. There was a gate box on the south side of the line and west side of the road and a gate keeper's cottage.
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View looking west to Tullibole Crossing where the gatekeeper's cottage survives as a house. Crook of Devon is distant top right. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
Looking east from Tullibole Crossing to Balado. The line turned from running north eastwards having passed the pond seen in the distance, taking a ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
View towards Balado taken east of Tullibole Crossing. Some ballast still remains. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
Looking east at the point where the Devon Valley Railway crossed the B9097 road near Tullibole Castle, east of Crook of Devon station. ...
Brian Forbes 13/07/2008
4 of 4 images.


This was a single platform station on a single track railway. There was a goods dock at the east end and sidings, with a goods shed, on the south side. The station building was a small neat stone built cottage on the platform. There was no signal box, but a covered ground frame on the platform by the level crossing.
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Start of the level section going east to Kinross. This was a little east of Balado. In the Balado direction the sign is badly damaged, with '31?' ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
Quarter mile marker west of the site of Balado station, close to the site of the distant signal. The station was 21 miles, 78 chains from Stirling. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
View east to Kinross, about a third of the way from Balado. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
A bungalow occupies the site of Balado station, but this August 2022 view, from the site of the level crossing, looks along the trackbed towards ...
Mark Bartlett 04/08/2022
4 of 21 images. more


This was the junction between the Fife and Kinross Railway and Devon Valley Railway. Between 1860 and 1890 it was the site of a station initially known as Hopefield and, after the opening of the DVR, Kinross Junction [1st]. The station was relocated to the north as Kinross Junction [2nd] in 1890.
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The approach of the Devon Valley Railway to the junction at Kinross has been obliterated near the motorway. The main line through Kinross has been ...
Ewan Crawford 30/08/2023
This view looks north towards Kinross Junction from a removed bridge which crossed the Devon Valley Railway, reduced to a muddy footpath. The main ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
2 of 2 images.