1876 – Looking to the future

 
By 1876, the construction of a railway line to North Queensferry was underway (the old line to the Railway Pier) and plans for the Forth Bridge were afoot. This was expected to improve the status of the village.

Dunfermline Press Saturday Jan 01 1876, Soiree and presentation at North Queensferry

Last Tuesday, a soiree was held in the Mission Hall to mark the departure of the Rev. Robert Kay who has laboured here during the last eight months as a missionary, in connection with the Free Church.
After tea, Colonel Elder gave a very interesting and favourable account of the present state of things at the Ferry and spoke encouragingly of the future. He remarked that things looked as if, at no distant date the Ferry would be made a burgh, with Provost, Baillies, etc, etc. He hoped that in a very short time, they would have a new and larger hall for their meetings, with a library and reading-room attached.

The Rev Mr Schiach, of Dunfermline, then addressed the meeting, expressing the sympathy which he and his Presbytery had with the works of the Mission from its commencement, and the deep interest they continued to take in it. He assured them that the Free Presbytery of Dunfermline would continue to support the station, and do what they could to get it made into a regular charge as soon as possible.
He looked to the Ferry as likely to become, at no distant date, the eye of the Modern Athens – the main outlet to the North, when the railway which is now in the course of construction is completed, and the Forth Bridge an accomplished fact. The Ferry must have its church as well as its Provost and Bailies.