Prospectus

OF THE

EAST OF FIFE RAILWAY.

1845

CAPITAL £250,000 IN 10,000 SHARES of £25 EACH.

DEPOSIT £2:10s PER SHARE

____________________________

 

PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE.

 

Sir WINDHAM CARMICHAEL ANSTRUTHER of Anstruther and Carmichael, Bart.

O. TYNDAL BRUCE, Esquire of Falkland and Nuthill, Convener of the County

of Fife.

General ALEXANDER GRAHAM STIRLING of Duchray and Auchyle, &c. &c.

JAMES MAITLAND HOG, Esquire of Kellie and Newliston.

WINDHAM ANSTRUTHER, Esquire.

CHARLES CRAIGIE HALKETT, Esquire of Halhill and Coates.

ROGER SINCLAIR AYTOUN, Esquire of Inchdairnie, &c. &c.

JAMES WYLD, Esquire of Gilston.

LAWRENCE BUCHAN, Esquire of Balchrystie, Manchester.

EAGLE HENDERSON, Esquire, Coates Crescent, Edinburgh.

HENRY RAEBURN, Esquire of Saint Bernards.

Captain A. CHRYSTIE of Elie Lodge.

HENRY GEORGE WATSON, Esquire, Accountant, Edinburgh, Factor on Newburn.

ROBERT BELL, Esquire, Banker, Edinburgh.

ALEXANDER JAMIESON, Esquire, Accountant, Edinburgh, Factor on Newburn.

GEORGE DUNCAN, Esquire, Balchryistie

JOHN WOOD, Esquire, Banker, Colinsburgh.

JOSEPH TOSH, Esquire of Over Kellie

GEORGE DAIRSIE, Chief Magistrate of Anstruther Easter.

JAMES YOUNG, Chief Magistrate of Anstruther Wester.

JOHN PETER, Esquire, Kirkland Works, Leven.

DAVID NICOL, Esquire, Banker, Leven.

THOMAS GREIG, Esquire, Merchant, Manchester.

JOHN ANDERSON, Builder and Contractor, Leven.

PETER BONTHRON, Merchant, Leven.

WILLIAM WILKIE, Chief Magistrate, Pittenweem.

D. and J. WELSH, Fish-Curers, Pittenweem.

ROBERT GREIG, Merchant and Fish-Curer, Anstruther.

ANDREW MACKIE, Farmer and Brewer, Saint Monance.

JOHN CURRIE and SONS, Builders, Elie.

ANDREW BEALE, Manufacturer and Merchant, Elie.

ANDREW CURRIE, Merchant, Kirkcaldy.

DAVID DAND, Largo Spinning-Mills.

With power to add to their number.

BANKERS

The COMMERCIAL BANK of SCOTLAND, and its Branches.

The CITY of GLASGOW BANK, and its Branches.

AGENT AND INTERIM SECRETARY.

JAMES LAWSON HILL, W.S., Edinburgh.

---------------

PARLIAMENTARY AGENTS.

Messrs. DEANS, DUNLOP, and HOPE, Fludyer Street, London

______________________

This Company is formed with the view of extending the benefits of Railway Communication to the district lying on the South and Eastern Coast of Fife, from the Edinburgh and Northern Railway to the burgh of Anstruther.

The length of the Line will be twenty miles, and it can be carried eastward either by the Valley of the Orr or the Leven, as may be ultimately fixed by the Engineer.

If along the Orr, it will leave the Edinburgh and Northern Railway near Thornton, and if by the Leven at or near Markinch. In either case it will pass by or near to Cameron Bridge, Kennoway, Leven, Largo, Kirkton of Largo, Newburn, Colinsburgh, Kilconquhar, Earls Ferry, Elie, St. Monance, Pittenweem, and terminate at the Harbour of Anstruther.

The whole of this district, and that of Kingsbarns and Crail, lying to the eastward, possesses the richest and most fertile soil in Fife, and from the situation of the burghs along the sea coast, it includes a very great proportion of the population of the county.

This Railway will, by means of Lines sanctioned by Parliament, or for which Companies have been formed, and deposits on the stock paid, connect the above towns and district with Kirkcaldy, Kinghorn, Burntisland, Dunfermline, Perth, Cupar, Dundee, St Andrews and other important places.

A general survey of the country has already been made, and it has been found that the works will not only be free from tunnelling or embanking, but of the easiest description.

As the Line will run along sands lying between the different burghs above mentioned for a distance of nearly six miles, it will neither alter the features of the country nor require the purchase of the valuable land which it will accommodate,and will thus be made at a comparatively small cost.

The estimate of revenue, based upon the existing traffic, shows an excellent return for the capital invested.

The passenger traffic at present supports a steamboat plying between Edinburgh and Largo twice a day, carrying on the average 220 passengers, which again employs four coaches from the districts of Anstruther, Elie, St. Andrews and Ceres, for the conveyance of passengers to Largo at its departure and arrival.

There are, besides, two other coaches daily between Anstruther and Edinburgh passing along the whole Line through Kirkcaldy, and crossing the Forth by the Burntisland and Granton Ferry.

There is also a steam-boat belonging to a company in Anstruther which sails between that port and Leith for the

carriage of passengers and goods.

In addition to these direct modes of conveyance, two steamboats sail daily between Granton and Dundee, carrying passengers to and from the intermediate ports of Elie, Pittenweem, and Anstruther.

The Aberdeen steamboats also call four times a week at the same towns, and the Montrose boats twice a week.

The whole of this large passenger traffic by steam-boats being subjected to a tedious and often stormy sea voyage, without the benefit of low-water piers, only requires the formation of a Railway to be at once diverted to that mode of conveyance, whereby the comfort of the low-water piers Granton, Burntisland and Queensferry will also be gained.

The number of visitors attracted annually to the watering-places of Wemyss, Leven, Largo, and Elie is at present very great, and, with the advantages of a Railway, will be much increased.

The goods traffic will be no less considerable, and will be supplied by the extensive mills and works on the Line; and by the carriage of coals and lime to the burghs and district eastward of Elie, where at present the carriage of the coals equals the prime cost.

The conveyance of fat cattle and sheep to the Edinburgh and Glasgow markets will also form a large source of revenue; these and the agricultural produce of the district being presently conveyed by several sailing packets from the different ports under great disadvantages, and at very heavy charges.

There will likewise be a large sum paid for the carriage of fish from the flourishing fishing ports of Anstruther, Pittenweem, and St Monance to the Edinburgh and Glasgow markets, and to Dundee, Perth, and the inland districts, with which a very extensive trade, employing a large proportion of the population, is at present carried on.

Independent of the white fishing, which is carried on to a very great extent, there are during the herring fishing months no less than from 80 to 120 tons carried daily to the western and middle districts of the county, and to the markets of Dundee and Perth, almost the whole of which would pass over this Line of Railway.

The numerous assurances of support received from the landowners, the principal of whom are upon the Provisional Committee, leave no doubt of the successful issue of the application which will be made to Parliament for an Act of Incorporation in the next session. Indeed it is believed that no undertaking has been presented to Parliament for a length of time which has received more decided support from Landowners, and the promoters have reason to calculate on their unanimous concurrence.

Powers will be sought in such act to allow interest at £4 per cent per annum on all paid-up calls during the progress of the works, and the liability of the Shareholders will be limited to the amount of their subscriptions.

Applications for Shares, in the following form, accompanied by a banker's or other satisfactory reference, may be addressed to the Secretary, or to the following parties and Sharebrokers from whom Prospectuses, &c. may be obtained, viz. Messrs. Higgins and Lang, 14 Austin Friars, Old Broad Street, London; Mr. E. M. Brodie, Liverpool; Mr. George Irvine, Liverpool; Messrs. Bell and Rhodes, Leeds; Messrs. Ridsdales, Myers and Bailey, Leeds; Messrs. Seebohm and Hyland, Manchester; Mr. Henry Benton, Manchester; Messrs. John Robertson and Co., Messrs. Pillans and Home, Mr. William Bell, and Mr. Miller, Edinburgh; Messrs. Foulds and Cockburn, Messrs. McEwan and Auld, and Mr. Peter White, Glasgow; Messrs. Oswald, George, and Company, Aberdeen; David Nicol, Banker, Leven; George Wood, Writer, Colinsburgh; Mr. Conolly, Town-Clerk, Anstruther.