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Wednesday 8 May 2024

Fife Primary schools make history on new Levenmouth stations

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Two Fife Primary schools made their own little bit of history by burying time capsules at the new Cameron Bridge and Leven stations.

Children from all year groups at Methilhill Primary were invited by Network Rail to collect and create items for their time capsule which was buried at Cameron Bridge to mark the completion of the new station.

Similarly, pupils at Parkhill Primary collated contents for their version before it was buried in the grounds at Leven station.

As well as seeing the new station facilities, the children spoke to members of the project team about the construction of the stations and the new railway as it gears up for opening on June 2.

Pupils were joined by Fife MSPs, Jenny Gilruth and David Torrance, for the time capsule ceremony which marked 25 days until the return of passenger services on the new Fife rail route.

Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, said: “Excitement is growing towards the return of the railway to Levenmouth and the start of passenger services on Sunday, June 2.

“It is great to think that the primary school pupils of today won’t really know of a Leven or Cameron Bridge without a station when they set off into the world of work, training or further education and all of the opportunities that the railway can help open up for them in the future.

“We heard from the pupils about all of the things that have gone into the time capsules but more importantly, how the process of putting them together has triggered discussions about how they see their futures and what the railway could mean for them. It’s been lovely to meet the children and be part of the time capsule ceremony.”

David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, said: “It’s been fantastic to watch the railway and the stations take shape over the last couple of years and we are now counting the days until it opens.

“Seeing the children in the station today brings home the reality of what has been delivered here. The railway is transformational for the communities it serves and life-changing for the people it will benefit – and no one more so than the young people from this part of Fife.”

Joe Mulvenna, Network Rail’s project manager of the Levenmouth Rail Link said: “The return of the railway to these communities for the first time in more than five decades is momentous and life-changing.

“The new stations provide the communities with facilities they can be proud of - acting as a catalyst for regeneration in the area and helping to boost the local economy in the future.

“We’re delighted to have been able to show some of the local school children the new facilities and bury the time capsule they have so thoughtfully prepared.’’

Helen Thomson, principal teacher at Methilhill Primary School, said: “The pupils were eager to be involved in burying the time capsule. Each class took time to carefully consider what they thought would be of interest should it be discovered many years from now.

“Seeing the new station being built has offered an insight into the delivery of a large engineering project but it has also started conversations about how the railway will benefit them and their community in the future.”

Jill McEwan, headteacher at Parkhill Primary School said: “Putting together the time capsule has helped our pupils think about the future and what the return of the railway could mean for them.

“A great deal of thought from all of the pupils went in to choosing each item for the time capsule and we hope that it will provide a fitting snap-shot of the time when the railway returned to Levenmouth.”