Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of the closure of the Fordell Railway.

Tony Connor, of Hillend, sent in these images and words for this week's Memory Lane.

He said: "The Fordell Railway, which stretched six miles from St Davids Harbour by Inverkeithing to just south of Cowdenbeath, originates from around 1770 when it was constructed as a horse-drawn wooden wagon way.

"Around 1833 it was converted to an iron railway, which allowed the Fordell Coal Company to double the quantity of coal transported on the line.

"In 1868 it changed to steam locomotive power with the first engine called 'St Davids'. Four more were bought over the railway's lifetime – 'St George' in 1870, 'Alice' in 1880, 'Fordell' in 1901 and 'Lord Hobart' in 1912.

"The railway's busiest period was from 1835 through to the start of the First World War when it carried 50,000 to 78,000 tonnes per year.

"The main reason St David's ceased to be a popular harbour for shipping was probably down to the fact it was tidal, whereas the newer harbours in Kirkcaldy and Methil could function in both low and high tide.

"It was also easier to transport the coal on the main line direct to the other ports. The lifespan of the railway stretched for nearly 200 years with the final shipment leaving St David's Harbour on Saturday August 10 1946, loaded onto the ship 'Cuban'.

"Its 40 tonnes of Fife coal went to the west coast of Scotland via the Forth & Clyde Canal.

"Within a few years the communities which grew up around the coal industry at both St David's Harbour and Fordell village ceased to exist and are now just a distant memory."

The first picture, taken by Napier Landale and from the collection of A W Brotchie, is of the 'Cuban' and the final journey.

The second picture shows the steam yacht 'Crystal' on the right, the property of The Earl of Buckinghamshire who was the then owner of Fordell Estate and The Fordell Coal Company.