Golfers Railway Concessions 1892 to 1922
Railway concessions were first granted to members of Dunfermline Golf club in 1892, after some wrangling with the North British Railway Company.
Edinburgh Evening News, Monday, June 13, 1892.
DUNFERMLINE AND THE NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY COMPANY
At a meeting of the Dunfermline Town Council today, some plain speaking was indulged in on a letter received from Mr Conacher, the manager of the North British Railway Company, anent certain railway reforms which had been asked by Dunfermline. Bailie Brown said that some trifling concessions had been made, but as a matter of fact the main question brought under Mr Conacher’s notice had been practically ignored. The Dunfermline Golf Course had asked for golfer’s tickets, and they had been told they would get £50 worth of first class tickets at a cheaper rate. He regarded the offer as a deliberate insult to the golfers. He would propose that the council take steps to show how much they were dissatisfied Mr Conacher’s letter, and that they press for a re-consideration of the questions raised.
Bailie Brown’s motion was adopted.
CITIZEN, SATURDAY, MAY 20 1893
Mr Conacher, manager of the N. B. Railway, has informed the Dunfermline golf Club that first-class return tickets for members from Edinburgh to North Queensferry may now be had at 1s 9d each, subject to their being taken in quantities of not less than £25 value; and from Dunfermline to North Queensferry at 10d each, subject to their being taken in quantities of not less than £25 value.
THE GLASGOW HERALD, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 1895
Dunfermline – Cheap Railway Fares for Golfers. Mr J. W. Robertson, secretary of the Dunfermline Golf Club has received a letter from Mr D. Deuchars, of the North British Railway Company, stating that the company will be glad to supply lots of not less than £5 worth of golfers’ third-class tickets between Dunfermline Lower Station and North Queensferry at a fare of 7d (return), on the understanding that the tickets are only to be issued to members of the club when travelling to and from North Queensferry for the purpose of playing golf. A proportionate concession is to be made to members of Dunfermline Club resident in Edinburgh. Hitherto the company refused to go beyond a concession for first-class tickets. The ordinary third-class return ticket to and from Dunfermline to North Queensferry is 11d.
A report on the 1899 AGM stated “From the financial statement it appeared that £308 8s 3d had been drawn by the Clubmaster of North British Railway tickets.”
This example from 1914 may be one of the last to be issued, as the concession was withdrawn after the outbreak of WWI.
In 1921, the Club asked the NBR to reinstate the concession. This was initially refused, but was reinstated in 1922
Club minutes – 3rd September 1921
The Secretary stated that he had recently approached the North British Railway Company requesting them to revert to the pre-war practice of allowing Golfer’s Tickets at reduced rates, and that he had just received a reply from the Company stating that they were not prepared to do so but that they had made an arrangement, where parties of not fewer than twelve golfers were travelling together in each direction allowing each to travel for single fare and one-third for the double journey, plus fractions of threepence, with a minimum fare of 2/- the ticket being valid on day of issue only. It was pointed out that the Conditions as to the minimum fare prevented members travelling from Dunfermline from participating in the concession, but the Secretary was instructed to post the Company’s reply in the Club House for information of Edinburgh Members. It was agreed to allow the matter of railway fares to be over for the present.
Club minutes – 6th May 1922
The Secretary reported that he had recently been informed by the North British Railway Company that they had decided to restore the Golfers’ Ticket, the return fare from Edinburgh being 1/9 and from Dunfermline 1/- the tickets to be issued only through the Club. The Railway Company have intimated that they will run cheap return fares in the afternoon from Edinburgh and Dunfermline to North Queensferry on Saturdays, on which days the golfer’s tickets are not available. The Meeting expressed satisfaction at the granting of the concession.
The concession seems to have faded out after 1922. There is no further mention of concessions in the club minutes, or as a source of revenue in the club accounts.
However, the original scheme increased the popularity of the course, which expanded to include the entire Cruicks Estate in 1893.