Railway book has all the clues

Angus Lockhart’s search for information on Dundee’s pre-tay Bridge link to Fife continues to arouse interest.

Yesterday we heard from locomotives

expert Geoff Bray, of Letham, Angus, who outlined the intricate set-up that once existed to allow trains to be ferried over the firth before they were connected to the railway system.

Other readers who have dropped a line to Craigie include Broughty Ferry man

Alf Small and Alan Provan, from Elie. Interestingly, both point to a publication that first appeared in 2003 for research findings they believe shed a revealing light on the topic raised by Mr Lockhart.

Alf explains: “There is a small feature in Steamers Of The Tay by Ian Brodie, published by Stenlake, complete with photos. According to this book all the equipment from both sides of the Tay were sold off once the second rail bridge was built and went to the Isle of Wight.

“In the Central Library you can buy a map dated 1901 of Broughty Ferry which has the railway lines on it with the branch to the harbour shown. I believe that there was a model of the ramp, jetty and train ferry in Broughty Castle.”

Alf adds: “Some years ago there was a talk in the Transport Museum on the history of the Dundee to Arbroath railway. The speaker included the train ferry in his talk and stated that there was unfortunately a lack of available photos of the ferry.

“There was an 00 gauge model built by a Fife railway club which featured the ‘Carrier’ train ferry. I believe the layout was titled ‘Burntisland 1883.’”