THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

The extensive workshops in Thornton of the Fife Railway Waggon Works, a branch of the Motherwell Waggon and Rolling Stock Co., have been razed to the ground by an outbreak of fire. Kirkcaldy Fire Brigade were on the scene for several hours and were joined by Buckhaven Brigade. The firemen succeeded in confining the outbreak to the workshops and saving the offices and other buildings. A large amount of valuable machinery and other plant was completely destroyed in the fire.

50 years ago

A German timber boat, the Horst H, ran aground as she was manoeuvring into Tayport Harbour yesterday. The boat, with a full load of timber, stuck firmly in sand at the entrance to the harbour. Ironically, the Horst H had been lying in the river since Saturday night waiting for a tide high enough to allow her into her berth. She had come from Finland. At low tide last night she was sitting in about one foot of water. She was in no danger of capsizing as she settled firmly on her bed of sand.

25 years ago

Dundee District Council last night voted to spend up to £500,000 on alterations to the City Chambers to provide more committee space and accommodation for councillors in the new Dundee City Council. In a report, chief economic development officer Douglas Grimmond said it was necessary to make arrangements to facilitate a smooth changeover. The most pressing need was to accommodate councillors elected to the new authority. He proposed that the administration councillors should be based in the City Chambers.

One year ago

Taxpayers’ cash for fixing Fife’s roads is being wasted by works costing more than they should and taking longer, former employees have alleged. In claims strongly rebutted by Fife Council, ex-employees of the transportation service claimed major works regularly cost 30% more than they would have if done by an outside contractor. Pothole repairs are also more costly than need be, they said, and temporary fixes employed where a permanent repair would have cost only a little more.