The Glenfarg Railway

[@NickyMitchell85]

Been through those tunnels countless times ✖️. Really 🤔 enjoy ☺️ them all.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Brilliant video! Shame the line was closed just for a motorway. Looks like it was a beautiful journey.

[@simonballard6413]

Your explanations are really interesting and very clear - unlike some other presenters. Thanks for a really interesting video, Simon.

[@stevefletcher1308]

Enjoyed the video. The still photographs of the tunnels are brilliant.

[@patricialockhart2135]

I've travelled through those tunnels in trains before the line closed. It was a scanel that line closed. It wasn't neat to be closed. It was escaping the beaching cuts. The only reason it closed was to build the M90 motorway. The land was already used for transport and it was a cheap option

[@JagBetty]

You've raised the bar with that video Simon, excellent stuff. I enjoyed that.

[@sjedouglas]

Cheers. I made a decision to film every scene on the tripod so that the final result would look smoother. As I said to Bro, it would have been more visually appealing if I had moved the camera around more during some of the shots. Next time, I might just record silent footage and then add a voice-over for the scenes where I talk off camera.

[@nialloneill7388]

Well done Mr. K-Burn. You have captured something which so many of us rail anoraks love so dearly. Your presentation and filming are sharp and therefore very watchable. Well done indeed!

[@marklythall8712]

Great video and history, makes me want to hope on a plane and visit Scotland.

[@malcolmnash5850]

Brilliant and Thanks very much.

[@Mikey-ql7ty]

Really enjoyed this. Thanks for posting

[@slavkopejic3140]

Nice video, saw you on Paul's and Rebecca's channel. I also am not an expert on cars, but after I didn't find the answer in comments I had to do some research and that car could have been Vauxhall Cavalier Mark II (1981-1988). Only 5-door hatchback I could find that has round fuel intake in seemingly the right spot in relation to that triangle back window and wheel well. Also back of the car seems to match.

[@pwhitewick]

Great video, thanks for sharing, (Sorry I am six years late). Found whilst researching the line as we hope to visit here in the summer.

[@sjedouglas]

Cheers, glad you enjoyed it, even if the video feels ancient now. I come here every few months just for the walk so you never know, I might bump into you in the Summer.

[@pwhitewick]

@@sjedouglas we are game for a tour of you are free!

[@sjedouglas]

Definitely. Give me a shout when you're in the area.

[@pwhitewick]

@@sjedouglas great will do. I mean it's August, so a far while away as yet, but that would be cool

[@sjedouglas]

No worries. I take my holidays in June and September so I'll definitely be around then.

[@keenjohns]

Extremely well done Simon. It's great to see you younger members of society taking an active interest in local history, and you have so much interesting history and amazing ruins in Scotland to explore. Yes! The bar has certainly been pushed up a notch or two here. In fact Scotland's past could well be your future.

[@sjedouglas]

Thank you. My historical knowledge is mostly limited to transport engineering history so when it comes to places like Glenfarg, I can just rattle this stuff off without needing to script anything.

[@rovers5245]

Thanks Simon, enjoyed your short film. Regards Tony - Hahndorf, Adelaide Hills - South Australia.

[@gothicgman]

going here tomorrow for a look. love the video very professionally done

[@sjedouglas]

Cheers. How was your visit?

[@gothicgman]

it was good bit cold as it was snowing but once walking soon warmed up they are very impressive apart from what looks like dung pilled up inside it by the farmer loads of the shit pardon the pun lol ....good thing you may like or already know about give it a try helps me find stuff .......maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=14&lat=56.0707&lon=-3.6042&layers=1&right=BingSat

[@floor993]

Very nice video about this ancient railway!

[@robincarrie2685]

Fantastic video. Interesting, well presented and informative.

[@sjedouglas]

Thank you. I don't know how obvious it is that everything I say isn't scripted but I've been coming to these tunnels a couple of times a year for the last six years so I know enough about them to talk about them without needing to write anything down in advance.

[@Urbexy]

Brilliant video, thanks for sharing. Amazing just how many disused tunnels there are in the country. :-)

[@jamesthomasperry]

Wow, I must have walked across that second viaduct without realising it was there! I was probably just so keen to get to the north tunnel (and get out of the rain for a while) that I wasn't paying much attention to the surroundings. Must take a proper look when I'm back up that way. Nice video.

[@sjedouglas]

The viaduct is a sly one. When I first did the walk, I almost missed it as well, it's not till I thought to look over the wall that I realised I was quite far off the ground. I've long since given up on trying to photograph it as there's just no way to get a decent photo of it. This is the best one I managed to capture (www.flickr.com/photos/k-burn/7091105603/) but that scene is no longer available as the water has been drained.

[@solobrouk]

Excellent stuff Simon. It was like watching weirs way mixed with Coast Lol. Very professional.

[@sjedouglas]

Cheers. There are some scenes that I feel look a bit flat as there's no movement going on. The problem is, I can't concentrate on what I want to say and move the camera around at the same time. That's also usually why I talk about moving the camera on the few scenes where I do alter the frame. I suppose those are the limitations of doing videos by yourself in places where the tripod is essential.

[@jiggmin1234]

I love exploring dismantled railways myself. Very well made video :D

[@sjedouglas]

Thank you.

[@gb_291]

Fantastic video!

[@geoffreylee5199]

Nice clip.

[@Shuttlefield]

Well done on the vid - most informative and nice presentation delivery. I live locally and I remember my brother and I doing the walk without torches in 1993 for the first time - luckily nothing to bark the shins on! Have been through several times since and there's that system of bridges further south with the old wagon too. More recently went back and discovered the old saw mill etc. Guess the repairs to the viaduct might be something to do with the Strategic Transport Review (Inverkeithing to Perth potential re-open) in keeping the route up to scratch and stopping bits dropping off on those below to the bargain. Nice one.

[@sjedouglas]

Thank you. The first time I walked these tunnels was without a torch as well. Glenfarg South isn't too bad but walking the northern tunnel without one is a little more challenging. I had a look at the abandoned farm complex back at the end of May. The old farmhouse was my favourite part of that. I'm not sure if the repairs were just routine or part of a potential reopening. To be honest, I can't see the line ever reopening due to the M90 being built over the trackbed. Some serious thought and structures would be need to be constructed to allow the motorway and railway to sit side by side at those points.

[@Shuttlefield]

K-Burn Thanks no problem - just looking at the long term future for rail in Scotland - one of the options and shaves a predicted 35 mins from the journey time - chance they could skimp like they have on the borders railway and put in too much single line working! How short sited was this now that the love affair with the motor car is over! However - this might be the potential death knell on the Newburgh line - still hoping for that station!

[@jambomccann439]

Shuttlefield I

[@DACochrane]

Super video Simon! Illuminating and entertaining. Wish the tunnels and viaducts were integrated into a cycle route. Further to your comments about the video style, I liked it very much the way it was and the presentation with you in it worked really well for me as your enthusiasm communicated strongly. That these tunnels have inspired you to explore elsewhere was fascinating. Good still shots of the tunnels - guess you took them with long exposure. Clever.

[@sjedouglas]

Thank you. I think the tunnels are pretty much used as an unofficial cycling route by some but as both ends of the former railway end on a Motorway, tying an official route into the cycle network might be difficult. The photos I take of tunnels are all done through long exposures and light painting. I look a bit stupid when I'm dancing around a tunnel, swinging the torch around but the results are definitely worth it.

[@paulharvey9149]

@@sjedouglas There's a decent path down the valley from Pottiehill Viaduct onto the minor road to Dron - turn left to Dron Church and then right for Bridge of Earn; or turn left for Aberargie (near the former Baiglie Inn).

[@charliechats9910]

Fascinating video of a seldom seen closed railway in Scotland. Charlie, Aberdeen

[@bryankirk3567]

Good lad. Keep on.

[@jjar2561]

how could it not be worked out to have the M90 and keep the railway?!

[@TheClanAdventures]

Spent many a time in and around the tunnels and burns. We have done lots of gold panning at the burn at the Glenfarg with great success. Have you been to the Powmill viaduct very high and can be part of a great off track walk to the The Caldron Linn, Cauldron Linn(waterfall)a walk in and out.

[@chrisfleming5109]

There used to be a ford Sierra in the first tunnel.

[@garyley4270]

Good video. This should not have been closed. The timetable Perth to Edinburgh today is a disgrace.

[@arlynmullins3387]

Excellent vid 10/10

[@KeithHPOW]

Superb video! Just wondering, did you find the abandoned farm and sawmill down the track under the north viaduct? An entire farm complex and a nearby sawmill with 1960s dated paperwork!

[@sjedouglas]

Thank you. I've yet to see the abandoned farm and sawmill. I know they're located somewhere near the Pottiehill Viaduct but when I'm in the area, I generally just stick to the tunnels. Next time I go, I'll need to check them out.

[@sunnyRajkarnikar]

+K-Burn Hi, would you say there's dripping sound towards the middle of the tunnels?

[@sjedouglas]

The only parts where the tunnel drips seems to be by the portals. Since the lining is thick concrete, very little water penetrates it. The Glenfarg tunnels are some of the driest I know.

[@neilbain8736]

The M90 has one of the sharpest curves a motorway can have, at that point.There's very tight topography and not much space for anything. The railway, road, culvert and river just north of Glenfarg all run side by side. The railway and road are level and the bridges over the culvert are only less than 10 feet. I had no idea the tunnels were accessible now or were made so late. Late Victorian engineering really seems to have taken off, with a lot of modern techniques, tools and materials having their roots in the technology being developed then. Farg is an amazing name. I'm surprise JRR Tolkein didn't pinch it. And I think Glen should be dropped from Glenfarg. Farg is more evocative. We can have the Farg River, the Hill of Farg, the warriors of Farg, etc.

[@louisalfonso9493]

you all probably dont give a shit but does any of you know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account? I somehow lost my password. I would love any help you can give me

[@santanadash7571]

@Louis Alfonso Instablaster :)

[@louisalfonso9493]

@Santana Dash Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@louisalfonso9493]

@Santana Dash It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thanks so much you saved my ass :D

[@santanadash7571]

@Louis Alfonso No problem xD

[@gb_291]

Just curious what is your accent

[@sjedouglas]

I guess it's what you'd call an RAF accent. My parents are both from England but I've lived in Scotland all my life so I've ended up with an odd mix of the two.

[@gb_291]

K-Burn cool thanks for sharing its interesting

[@geoffreylee5199]

Lazy engineering by the Highway Department, road and rail could have gone through that gap.