“The return of the railway to Levenmouth – the home of Robinson Crusoe – after half a century opens up this forgotten corner of Fife again,” smiles Andy Duff. 

Leven used to be one of Scotland’s most popular resorts. Now the railway is breathing new life into this land of big skies, sweeping waters and tight-knit communities, with direct trains (from June 2) heading across the Forth from Edinburgh in just an hour. 

Duff, of the Largo Communities Together development trust, is sitting proudly in a microcosm of Levenmouth: The Aurrie, an old Baptist church he resisted turning into flats or holiday homes, as is de rigueur further along the coast in the tourist honeypot of East Neuk.

Instead he transformed it into a community space that serves Lower Largo, Upper Largo and Lundin Links with events and a café. 

“This whole coastline from the extreme east here to Wemyss in the west is getting a boost from the eight-mile railway, with new businesses and upgraded paths and cycleways. Our community is right behind it. In July our Largo Arts Week will be bigger than ever, with 60 local artists opening their doors,” he adds.