Glenrothes with Thornton station renaming campaign

[MadMac]

Older readers may recall that Anstruther was Anstruther for Cellardyke until the very end. Maybe it’s a Fife thing?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Looking back to the original post it is probably worth knowing how the name came about initially. (I was working for ScotRail throughout the relevant period.)

The 'Fife Circle' was a concept that could become a reality with the advent of Sprinter DMUs in the late 1980s. Previous conventional DMU shuttles from Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (which each needed two units to maintain an hourly frequency) could be linked together via the predominantly freight/coal lines via Thornton Junction to form a loop that could still be worked with four diagrams, given the better acceleration.

At the same time the Glenrothes Development Corporation was very jealous of the way that previously station-less Livingston had gained two new stations named after the town. It also knew that it was going to be wound up under the Conservative UK government and basically had one chance to fund a new station on the Fife Circle once it opened. This was despite Fife Regional Council (also with its HQ in Glenrothes) was the transport authority and Kirkcaldy District was the relevant planning authority as Thornton was outside the designated new town boundary and (unique among Scottish New Towns) it didn't have its own planning powers anyway. Meanwhile Thornton Community Council punched above its weight for the lowest tier of representation. It was very proud of its railway heritage having once been the junction for several different routes. Thornton Junction station on the main line (closed with the Leven service in 1969) once had five or six platforms, albeit mainly configured for interchange rather than serving the local community. There was also an important locomotive depot with several sub-sheds in the district. The railway was once a major employer.

The Development Corporation had said to ScotRail that it would fund a new station at the (less than ideal) site that we now recognise. A grand meeting was held at which a plaque was installed on the lineside marking the spot and the dignitaries duly retired for the customary 'refreshment'.

The new Sprinter service was inaugurated but unfortunately the period coincided with the BR Organising for Quality (OfQ) initiative. There was a huge change in the staff and the general investment and project management processes. This caused a significant hiatus. I became the relevant Service Group Manager and sort of the 'sponsor' role for the stalled station scheme. (I know that the concept of a Sector 'sponsor' charged under OfQ.) Anyway, there were two main Glenrothes area challenges. The first of these was that the whole Fife Circle service initiative had been predicated on linking worthwhile traffic centres at Dunfermline, Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy. In the absence of any Glenrothes traffic many trains on the leg were running practically empty. The second, not so obvious, challenge was that 'Markinch for Glenrothes' was served by longer distance Edinburgh-Dundee-Aberdeen services. These trains were largely only 2-car units and relatively low fare/short distance traffic was squeezing off much more remunerative travellers. I know that Markinch has a nice multi-modal interchange now but the c.1990 arrangements were far from appealing.

Services at Markinch were generally only hourly whereas the Fife Circle offered almost exactly half-hourly intervals, albeit either clockwise or anti-clockwise, at both Edinburgh and 'Glenrothes'. We pressed ahead with detailed design and were rather proud of the nice ekki timber ramp down to the main (southernmost, bi-directional) platform following a successful pathfinder installation at New Cumnock. This fully met accessibility standards at the time.

The one thing that hadn't been nailed down was the name of the station. Glenrothes Development Corporation were paying for it but didn't have any real jurisdiction. Fife Region were largely ambivalent, as were Kirkcaldy District but Thornton Community Council were stridently demanding that it be called Thornton (if not Thornton Junction). However, they didn't any formal authority either.

We kite flew and toyed with various options (A&B, A for B, A(B), A Parkway, B&A, B for A, etc.) but nobody agreed and eventually the matter was put to the Director, ScotRail, who hadn't really been involved in the detail. Possibly because he had been born and brought up in historical Lancashire, where 'with' is quite a common means of associating parishes and he may have unconsciously absorbed the idea, he came up with Glenrothes with Thornton. Somebody (not me) tried to point out that this wasn't a normal station name structure but the good man was not particularly amenable to quibbles. So, Glenrothes with Thornton it was.

Many years later Glenrothes Development Corporation is long forgotten, Leven has re-opened, Markinch has been transformed and any idea of a regular Fife Circle has disappeared. The Wheel of Time turns and it's probably the moment to move on.

 

[Frankton Junct]

Looking back to the original post it is probably worth knowing how the name came about initially. (I was working for ScotRail throughout the relevant period.)

The 'Fife Circle' was a concept that could become a reality with the advent of Sprinter DMUs in the late 1980s. Previous conventional DMU shuttles from Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (which each needed two units to maintain an hourly frequency) could be linked together via the predominantly freight/coal lines via Thornton Junction to form a loop that could still be worked with four diagrams, given the better acceleration.

At the same time the Glenrothes Development Corporation was very jealous of the way that previously station-less Livingston had gained two new stations named after the town. It also knew that it was going to be wound up under the Conservative UK government and basically had one chance to fund a new station on the Fife Circle once it opened. This was despite Fife Regional Council (also with its HQ in Glenrothes) was the transport authority and Kirkcaldy District was the relevant planning authority as Thornton was outside the designated new town boundary and (unique among Scottish New Towns) it didn't have its own planning powers anyway. Meanwhile Thornton Community Council punched above its weight for the lowest tier of representation. It was very proud of its railway heritage having once been the junction for several different routes. Thornton Junction station on the main line (closed with the Leven service in 1969) once had five or six platforms, albeit mainly configured for interchange rather than serving the local community. There was also an important locomotive depot with several sub-sheds in the district. The railway was once a major employer.

The Development Corporation had said to ScotRail that it would fund a new station at the (less than ideal) site that we now recognise. A grand meeting was held at which a plaque was installed on the lineside marking the spot and the dignitaries duly retired for the customary 'refreshment'.

The new Sprinter service was inaugurated but unfortunately the period coincided with the BR Organising for Quality (OfQ) initiative. There was a huge change in the staff and the general investment and project management processes. This caused a significant hiatus. I became the relevant Service Group Manager and sort of the 'sponsor' role for the stalled station scheme. (I know that the concept of a Sector 'sponsor' charged under OfQ.) Anyway, there were two main Glenrothes area challenges. The first of these was that the whole Fife Circle service initiative had been predicated on linking worthwhile traffic centres at Dunfermline, Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy. In the absence of any Glenrothes traffic many trains on the leg were running practically empty. The second, not so obvious, challenge was that 'Markinch for Glenrothes' was served by longer distance Edinburgh-Dundee-Aberdeen services. These trains were largely only 2-car units and relatively low fare/short distance traffic was squeezing off much more remunerative travellers. I know that Markinch has a nice multi-modal interchange now but the c.1990 arrangements were far from appealing.

Services at Markinch were generally only hourly whereas the Fife Circle offered almost exactly half-hourly intervals, albeit either clockwise or anti-clockwise, at both Edinburgh and 'Glenrothes'. We pressed ahead with detailed design and were rather proud of the nice ekki timber ramp down to the main (southernmost, bi-directional) platform following a successful pathfinder installation at New Cumnock. This fully met accessibility standards at the time.

The one thing that hadn't been nailed down was the name of the station. Glenrothes Development Corporation were paying for it but didn't have any real jurisdiction. Fife Region were largely ambivalent, as were Kirkcaldy District but Thornton Community Council were stridently demanding that it be called Thornton (if not Thornton Junction). However, they didn't any formal authority either.

We kite flew and toyed with various options (A&B, A for B, A(B), A Parkway, B&A, B for A, etc.) but nobody agreed and eventually the matter was put to the Director, ScotRail, who hadn't really been involved in the detail. Possibly because he had been born and brought up in historical Lancashire, where 'with' is quite a common means of associating parishes and he may have unconsciously absorbed the idea, he came up with Glenrothes with Thornton. Somebody (not me) tried to point out that this wasn't a normal station name structure but the good man was not particularly amenable to quibbles. So, Glenrothes with Thornton it was.

Many years later Glenrothes Development Corporation is long forgotten, Leven has re-opened, Markinch has been transformed and any idea of a regular Fife Circle has disappeared. The Wheel of Time turns and it's probably the moment to move on.

Thank you for this detailed history of the naming of this station.

Years ago, I was one of the passengers confused by the name. I booked to attend a conference in Glenrothes. I had never been to the town and I assumed, incorrectly, that Glenrothes with Thornton station would be near the town centre. After arrival, I realised that it is miles distant and consequently I was late for the start of the conference. I returned from Markinch. I remember thinking that it should have been named Thornton miles from Glenrothes.

I support the campaign to rename the station. I leave it to others to select the name but I think Glenrothes shouldn't be mentioned.

 

[rapmastaj]

Looking back to the original post it is probably worth knowing how the name came about initially. (I was working for ScotRail throughout the relevant period.)

The 'Fife Circle' was a concept that could become a reality with the advent of Sprinter DMUs in the late 1980s. Previous conventional DMU shuttles from Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (which each needed two units to maintain an hourly frequency) could be linked together via the predominantly freight/coal lines via Thornton Junction to form a loop that could still be worked with four diagrams, given the better acceleration.

At the same time the Glenrothes Development Corporation was very jealous of the way that previously station-less Livingston had gained two new stations named after the town. It also knew that it was going to be wound up under the Conservative UK government and basically had one chance to fund a new station on the Fife Circle once it opened. This was despite Fife Regional Council (also with its HQ in Glenrothes) was the transport authority and Kirkcaldy District was the relevant planning authority as Thornton was outside the designated new town boundary and (unique among Scottish New Towns) it didn't have its own planning powers anyway. Meanwhile Thornton Community Council punched above its weight for the lowest tier of representation. It was very proud of its railway heritage having once been the junction for several different routes. Thornton Junction station on the main line (closed with the Leven service in 1969) once had five or six platforms, albeit mainly configured for interchange rather than serving the local community. There was also an important locomotive depot with several sub-sheds in the district. The railway was once a major employer.

The Development Corporation had said to ScotRail that it would fund a new station at the (less than ideal) site that we now recognise. A grand meeting was held at which a plaque was installed on the lineside marking the spot and the dignitaries duly retired for the customary 'refreshment'.

The new Sprinter service was inaugurated but unfortunately the period coincided with the BR Organising for Quality (OfQ) initiative. There was a huge change in the staff and the general investment and project management processes. This caused a significant hiatus. I became the relevant Service Group Manager and sort of the 'sponsor' role for the stalled station scheme. (I know that the concept of a Sector 'sponsor' charged under OfQ.) Anyway, there were two main Glenrothes area challenges. The first of these was that the whole Fife Circle service initiative had been predicated on linking worthwhile traffic centres at Dunfermline, Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy. In the absence of any Glenrothes traffic many trains on the leg were running practically empty. The second, not so obvious, challenge was that 'Markinch for Glenrothes' was served by longer distance Edinburgh-Dundee-Aberdeen services. These trains were largely only 2-car units and relatively low fare/short distance traffic was squeezing off much more remunerative travellers. I know that Markinch has a nice multi-modal interchange now but the c.1990 arrangements were far from appealing.

Services at Markinch were generally only hourly whereas the Fife Circle offered almost exactly half-hourly intervals, albeit either clockwise or anti-clockwise, at both Edinburgh and 'Glenrothes'. We pressed ahead with detailed design and were rather proud of the nice ekki timber ramp down to the main (southernmost, bi-directional) platform following a successful pathfinder installation at New Cumnock. This fully met accessibility standards at the time.

The one thing that hadn't been nailed down was the name of the station. Glenrothes Development Corporation were paying for it but didn't have any real jurisdiction. Fife Region were largely ambivalent, as were Kirkcaldy District but Thornton Community Council were stridently demanding that it be called Thornton (if not Thornton Junction). However, they didn't any formal authority either.

We kite flew and toyed with various options (A&B, A for B, A(B), A Parkway, B&A, B for A, etc.) but nobody agreed and eventually the matter was put to the Director, ScotRail, who hadn't really been involved in the detail. Possibly because he had been born and brought up in historical Lancashire, where 'with' is quite a common means of associating parishes and he may have unconsciously absorbed the idea, he came up with Glenrothes with Thornton. Somebody (not me) tried to point out that this wasn't a normal station name structure but the good man was not particularly amenable to quibbles. So, Glenrothes with Thornton it was.

Many years later Glenrothes Development Corporation is long forgotten, Leven has re-opened, Markinch has been transformed and any idea of a regular Fife Circle has disappeared. The Wheel of Time turns and it's probably the moment to move on.

There's some great info here!

 

[jadmor]

I appreciate that, however, to me it just sounds like one of these "Blackburn with Darwen Council: A place where everybody matters" things which I find incredibly forced and cringe.

Also, both Roby and Huyon have stations of their own



Come all without, come all within ♫

You aint seen nothing like the Mighty Quinn.

 

[reb0118]

I thought I might be going mad, or maybe that it was a timetable footnote.

But no!

Markinch for Glenrothes

You are correct: Markinch for Glenrothes was on the station signs - as well as on a massive board on the retaining wall behind the southbound platform.

I remember picking up passengers at Kirkcaldy for Glenrothes, shortly after dropping the "for Glenrothes" from Markinch. They had originated from the north and and already passed through Markinch on a stopping train under advice (based solely on the station names) to change at Kirkcaldy. Thereby creating an unnecessary inconvenience and waste of time.