This article accompanies the Newport Railways page on the main site.
The November 1865 version
After the short-lived expectations raised by the Tay Bridge & Dundee Union Railway (TBDU), in November 1865, another more considered railway was proposed for Newport. The North British Railway Company were now planning the North British (Tay Bridge) Railway which would have a bridge just west of the present one and would have a feeder line from Leuchars and the south1. If Newport wanted a railway, their best opportunity would be to link in to this line.
And so the Newport Railway was born. The first (November 1865)2 version comprised 3 distinct parts (possibly because of costs or to provide a fall-back position in the event of yet more dashed hopes). Railway 1 was to follow exactly the TBDU line from Tayport station as far as Victoria Street in Newport. Why Victoria Street? It was on Tayfield land (although so was Craighead, but Victoria Street was more central for the village and Tayfield estate) and, although it was the site of the Tayfield Smithy, the area was flat and maybe could provide a suitable site for a possible station. From there, Railway 2 was to follow the route of the TBDU as far as Castle Brae and from there would run west and then turn south to join up with the North British line to Leuchars at Wormit Farm. In order to provide a route to Dundee, Railway 3 would break away from Railway 2 just uphill from Woodhaven Farm and it too would run west before turning north and joining the Tay Bridge over the river at its south end.
Railway 2 had a clause specifying that Tayfield Den was to be crossed by a bridge, the design of which had to be approved by Mr Berry’s architects before construction of the railway over the Den was commenced3.
All well and good, but it depended on one thing – the North British (Tay Bridge) Railway. And this put Newport’s coat on a shoogly peg. Things initially went well for them and the Newport Railway Bill progressed through Parliament. The North British Railway Company, however, were in deep trouble – they were in intense competition with other companies (notably the Caledonian), and their Chairman was practising accounting rather creatively4. It seems they needed to find projects to pull out of, whatever the excuse, and so, just as the Newport Railway Bill was passing through the House of Lords, the North British scrapped their whole plan for the Tay Bridge.
The N B (Tay Bridge) was abandoned on 26 July 18665 and the Newport Railway Act 1866 received the royal assent on 6 August6.
The November 1866 version
What now?
There was still some support locally although it was difficult to estimate how much. The passing of the Newport Railway Act had created the Newport Railway Company and the first 5 directors had purchased at least 20 £10 shares each to enable themselves to be directors; and to enable to Act to be passed, £7680 had already been deposited in the names of John Berry, William Heriot Maitland Dougal and Harry Walker7. The press reported a ‘conference between the promoters and a number of interested parties in the welfare of the district’ with a view to raising more capital8.
Next, there was notice given of the first ordinary half-yearly meeting of the Newport Railway Company to be held in the Newport Hotel on 5 November9.
Some commentators on the Newport Railway remark that nobody turned up to invest in the Company at its first meeting on 5 November 1866 or at a second meeting the next day10. But the press had carried no public calls for investments and, despite the previous advert, the November 5th meeting was described as a private meeting of directors; they also make no mention of a meeting on 6th November11. Besides, if your whole reason for existence had been removed, would you be asking for investors?
Interestingly, there were 2 different reported outcomes from that 5 November meeting. The Courier ‘understood that the scheme will be allowed to remain in abeyance meantime’, while the Advertiser, being more positive, said ‘we believe that in consequence of the abandonment of the Tay Bridge and the present position of the North British Railway Company, no active steps will be taken at present with regard to construction of the line. It is estimated that line 1 – between Tayport and Newport would cost about £34000, and as the landowners are still favourable, it will probably be the first proceeded with.’12
And yet, surprisingly, only 10 days later a whole change of plan was being put forward. Lines 1, 2 and 3 were to be abandoned, except for the first 440 yards at Tayport station from where a Deviation Railway was to run to Craighead13.
Craighead – again.
The press posed the possibility of running a ferry operation from there14, but to my mind it was nothing but a holding operation – to keep the company in existence, having spent a considerable sum on the process so far, and to wait for their next opportunity. At this time, there was the very busy train ferry across from Tayport to Broughty Ferry and a lot of trade must have been bypassing Newport and going to Tayport. No doubt Mr Berry of Tayfield wanted to see some of this trade return, but the expense involved in creating a suitable ferry at Craighead must have put it out of reach. And would any potential Tayport investors be interested in a ferry at Craighead in opposition to their own? The Deviation Railway would also cost considerbly less so the deposit required for it would be £4000 less, which the Company could apply to have refunded (if it wanted)15.
The Deviation Railway (the Newport Railway Act 1867) received the royal assent on 25 July 1867.
The (final) 1869 version
Eventually, in November 1869 notice was given of an intention to apply to Parliament for a railway from Tayport station to join a Tay Bridge at Long Craig, Wormit16. The route of the railway was all new except for that first 440 yards from Tayport station, would pass through Newport at a higher level and would keep further away from Tayfield House17. Mr Berry still retained the right to approve the design of the bridge over Tayfield Den.
Construction of the Tay Bridge started on 22 July 187118 but the Newport Railway was much delayed. For several years there were hopes expressed by the Company that work would commence ‘soon’, hoping to open the line at the same time as the bridge. The money was there – even by 1872 all £46000 in shares had been subscribed19 – but it wasn’t until November 1876 that the directors gave instructions to authorise contracts for the construction20. Eventually in March 1877 the route was being staked out on the ground21, and in June 1877 construction got off to an unfortunate start. One of the workmen, Angus McPherson, who had been working on the Tay Bridge but had only just transferred to work on the Newport line at the West Lights, collapsed and died within the first few days22.
Work on the Newport line was slow.
The viaduct at Tayfield Den, the design of which had to be agreed by Mr Berry’s architects, had been delayed because of Mr Berry’s illness and death in Nice. By February 1878 the design difficulties had been resolved23 but the Den bridge remained a cause of concern. In August a cart load of iron plates being driven down from the Kirk Road overturned causing the driver’s (James Petrie’s) leg to be broken24. Even worse, in October a riveter – David Clark – fell head first from the bridge and was killed, leaving a widow and small family25. There was a human cost as well as a financial one in building the Newport line.
Hopes of opening were dashed again and again – even a planned opening on 1 May 1879 had to be delayed because the line had not been inspected26. Major-General Hutchison (who had also inspected the Tay Bridge) completed his inspection on 7th May and declared himself highly satisfied with the line27.
Passenger traffic at last commenced on Monday 12 May 187928, without a formal ceremony – only the explosion of some fog signals as the first train entered Tay Bridge Station. It was worth the wait – the Newport Railway led to the creation of Wormit and the expansion of East and West Newport, and provided a scenic commuter line for 90 years.
Notes and Sources:
- Edinburgh Gazette, 24 Nov 1865, p1522 (all newspapers available at British Newspaper Archive)
- Fifeshire Journal, 16 Nov 1865, p3
- The architect was John Dick Peddie, Edinburgh, whom failing Charles George Hood Kinnear, Edinburgh
- The North British Railway – a History, David Ross, 2014
- Caledonian Mercury, 27 Jul 1866, p3
- The first 5 directors were John Berry, William Heriot Maitland Dougal, Harry Walker, Peter Christie and James Hendry Thoms.
- The total authorised capital for the railway was £96000 in shares and £32000 in loans. The Newport Railway Act 1866.
- Edinburgh Evening Courant, 26 Oct 1866, p5 quoting the Dundee Advertiser, 25 Oct 1866, p3. The conference had been held on 24 Oct.
- Dundee Advertiser, 26 Oct 1866, p1
- The Railways of Fife, William Scott Bruce, 1980. I have written this blog without seeing the archives of the Newport Railway Company, which are held by Dundee University Archives, and have relied entirely on press reporting. The records of the Company should clear up the matter of the November 1866 meetings.
- Dundee Advertiser, 6 Nov 1866, p5
- Dundee Courier, 6 Nov 1866, p2 and Dundee Advertiser, 6 Nov 1866, p5
- Dundee Advertiser, 16 Nov 1866, p1
- Dundee Advertiser, 1 Oct 1867, p2 and Dundee Courier, 1 Oct 1867, p2. The Advertiser makes no mention of a ferry, but the Courier reports as if it was stated by the Directors of the Company in their report.
- Authorised capital for the Deviation Railway was £46000 in shares and £15300 in loans. The Newport Railway Act, 1867, sec.6, 8
- Edinburgh Gazette, 26 Nov 1869, p1510
- Bound plans and sections of Newport Railway from Ferry Port on Craig to Long Craig (for proposed Tay Bridge) & book of reference at the National Records of Scotland, ref. RHP45905
- Dundee Courier, 24 Jul 1871, p3
- Fifeshire Journal, 5 Sep 1872, p6
- St Andrews Gazette & Fifeshire News, 25 Nov 1876, p2
- Evening Telegraph, 20 Mar 1877, p3
- Dundee Courier, 25 Jun 1877, p2
- Evening Telegraph, 20 Feb 1878, p3, Evening Telegraph, 1 Aug 1878, p2 and Dundee Advertiser, 24 Apr 1879, p5. The viaduct comprised 4 spans totalling 232 feet, the rails being about 60 feet above the ground. Like the Tay Bridge itself, it had lattice girders supported by cast iron columns on stonework bases. ‘The design is so light and effective that the bridge becomes a real enhancement to the beauty of this sequestered dell.’ But by 1894 the columns here had cracks and were clamped with steel collars (Dundee Advertiser, 18 Apr 1894, p3)
- Dundee Courier, 17 Aug 1878, p2
- Evening Telegraph, 18 Oct 1878, p4
- Dundee Advertiser, 1 May 1879, p7
- Evening Telegraph, 8 May 1879, p2
- Dundee Courier, 13 May 1879, p4
Photo: Bridge over Tayfield Den – David McLaren