A RAIL station’s last master joined local school pupils to celebrate the restoration of their local stop.
They were joined by Fife Provost Jim Leishman to open the first phase of a long restoration project at North Queensferry railway station.
Taking part in the ceremony was Alex Sharkey, Network Rail area manager, last station master Bill MacKinnon and pupils from local schools who helped in the unveiling the replica North British Railway 1890 station clock.
Plans to revamp the building were the brainchild of North Queensferry Station Trust.
It was formed to find an alternative use for the disused station building.
The building now houses a visitor information centre, caf, original waiting room which can be hired out to local community groups and a gallery room where the Station Story exhibition is being organised by the North Queensferry Heritage Trust.
Only 118 days after the opening of the Forth Bridge on March 4 1890, the new station at the bridgehead was opened to the public on July 1 of that year.
Only the building on the southbound platform remains as a rare example of a late Victorian wooden constructed station.
This now faces a large mural depicting local scenes, designed by schoolchildren and put place in 1990 for the centenary of the Forth Bridge.
The building, owned by Network Rail, is listed Grade B by Historic Scotland and in 2012 was leased from First ScotRail to North Queensferry Station Trust.
Support for the project was received from Transport Scotland, First ScotRail, the Railway Heritage Trust, Fife Council and local volunteers.
Work on the first stage of the project started in July 2013 with the refurbishment of the roof and reinstatement of water and electrical services.
Joinery work was required to refurbish all doors, windows, flooring and panelling, followed by an intensive clean of the interior and redecoration.
The window covers, which kept the interior in the dark for nearly a quarter of a century, have also been removed.
The second phase will begin after the opening and the whole refurbishment project is expected to be completed by early next year, the year the Forth Bridge celebrates its 125th anniversary
leclark@thecourier.co.uk