A bit about Methil

Prehistoric people lived on the land that Methil stands on 4000 years ago and the people who lived here relied on farming and fishing for a living. From the 17^th century, coal mining became the principal industry as demand for good quality coal grew. A new harbour was built at Methil to cope with demand.

The transport infrastructure allowed other industries to flourish such as steelmaking, engineering, whisky distilling, textile manufacture, papermaking and timber preparation. A six-fold increase in population made Methil the ‘melting pot of Fife’. Methil High Street shops bustled, and the community thrived.

From the second half of the 20^th century coal entered a period of terminal decline. New energy related industries opened – and closed – at Methil docks, building structures for the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors. Local employment opportunities are scarce and transport links are poor.

For 5 years, the Levenmouth Rail Campaign worked tirelessly for reinstatement of rail services to Levenmouth and the East of Fife, Scotland’s largest urban area without a train service. In August 2019, Transport Minister Michael Matheson announced that trains will return to Leven within 5 years, possibly sooner, and additional funding will link bus services and active travel routes.