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B921

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B921
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (2)
From:  Auchterderran (NT214959)
To:  Coaltown of Balgonie (NT293995)
Distance:  6.5 miles (10.5 km)
Meets:  B981, B9097, B922, B969, A92, B9130
Old route now:  B9130
Highway Authorities

Fife

Traditional Counties

Fife

Route outline (key)
B921 Auchterderran - Coaltown of Balgonie
B921 Coaltown of Balgonie - Milton of Balgonie
Glenrothes

The B921 is a semi-urban B-road in central Fife which was substantially upgraded as one of the main distributor roads through the new town of Glenrothes.

The route starts on a mini-roundabout on the B981 (former A910) in Auchterderran and heads north along Woodend Road, with a very short dual-carriageway section by the church: a portent of things to come. The road moves almost seamlessly into Woodend itself where it bends sharply right on the far side of town and heads out across the fields. Now running northeastwards and descending gradually, it meets the B9097 at a wide junction which has clearly been rebuilt with big visibility splays. To the north lies a vast area of flooded quarry workings, which consumed the original line of the B9097, leading to the construction of this junction. The road then curves round to the north to cross the old railway line which served the quarries, before bending sharply to the right to enter Kinglassie.

Kinglassie lies in the shallow valley of the Lochty Burn, with the B921 following West End as it dips down to cross the burn before climbing gently along Main Street. After passing the shops, a kink to the right leads to a long straight which leads out of the village and into the fields once more. However, soon after reaching open country the road widens to become a full dual carriageway. This is the edge of Glenrothes New Town and as such the road has been altered beyond recognition from this point on. After passing a typical new-town over-engineered GSJ - Southfield Interchange - with an unclassified road there are then two flat roundabouts, Southfield Roundabout and Stenton Roundabout, both of which were clearly designed to allow the B921 to fly over the top on unbuilt flyovers. The first is with the B969, the second with an unclassified road, but little of the town to either side can be seen as it is hidden behind thick banks of trees.

The third roundabout is Bankhead Roundabout, where the B921 crosses the A92 - this time it is the A-road that has the flares for grade-separation. On the far side of the A92 the B921 becomes S2 once again, as it crosses over a fourth roundabout serving an industrial estate before ending at Coaltown Roundabout on the B9130. Originally the B921 continued ahead , but has been curtailed by the extension of the B9130.

History

Original B922 route before Glenrothes developed

The western end of the B921 is little changed from when it was first classified in 1922. However, from the start of the dualling the route follows a completely new line. The 1976 OS Landranger sheet shows the current line of the B921 as partially complete. The section between Stenton Roundabout and Bankhead Roundabout appears to be complete and awaiting the construction of the new roundabout with the next section of the A92 upgrade. Further east, the B921 still extends through Coaltown of Balgonie along what is now the B9130 before heading along what is now an unclassified road into Milton of Balgonie, where it ended on the former A911 line just to the north of the bridge over the River Leven.

The development of Glenrothes means that much of the old road has been completely lost to development. However, careful analysis of old maps allows us to piece together its route. The first section of the dual carriageway as far as the Golf Course Road junction is essentially an online upgrade. Continuing east, the old road kinked to the south through the industrial estate, before crossing back to the northern edge of the Southfield Roundabout. The old road then partially survives as the footpath through the trees to reach Stenton Road past the campsite, although there was a sharp kink to the south here around the old farm. Beyond Stenton Road, a cycle route follows the old road to Blair Avenue which is also on the line of the old road.

Halfway along Blair Avenue, the old road turned sharply to the right, roughly where Glendevon Road is, and crossed the modern B921. Aerial photography then shows that some of the old road survives west of the large industrial building. The old B921 continued due east to meet the A92 on the current southbound carriageway. After a short multiplex north onto Woodside Avenue, the old road headed due east once more through the services to pick up its current route, then continuing as above to Milton of Balgonie

The 1922 MOT Road List defines this route as: Auchtetrderran - Milton of Balgonie





B921
Junctions
Places
Related Pictures
View gallery (2)
B921 Glenrothes - Coppermine - 20973.jpgBankhead Roundabout, Glenrothes - Geograph - 1562419.jpg
Other nearby roads
Glenrothes
A92 • A911 • A912 • A914 • B922 • B969 • B9130 • C32 (Fife) • C34 (Fife) • C49 (Fife) • C87 (Fife) • C124 (Fife) • C125 (Fife) • C126 (Fife) • C127 (Fife) • C128 (Fife) • C129 (Fife) • C130 (Fife) • C131 (Fife) • C132 (Fife)
B900 – B999
B900 • B901 • B902 • B903 • B904 • B905 • B906 • B907 • B908 • B909 • B910 • B911 • B912 • B913 • B914 • B915 • B916 • B917 • B918 • B919
B920 • B921 • B922 • B923 • B924 • B925 • B926 • B927 • B928 • B929 • B930 • B931 • B932 • B933 • B934 • B935 • B936 • B937 • B938 • B939
B940 • B941 • B942 • B943 • B944 • B945 • B946 • B947 • B948 • B949 • B950 • B951 • B952 • B953 • B954 • B955 • B956 • B957 • B958 • B959
B960 • B961 • B962 • B963 • B964 • B965 • B966 • B967 • B968 • B969 • B970 • B971 • B972 • B973 • B974 • B975 • B976 • B977 • B978 • B979
B980 • B981 • B982 • B983 • B984 • B985 • B986 • B987 • B988 • B989 • B990 • B991 • B992 • B993 • B994 • B995 • B996 • B997 • B998 • B999
Former versions: B902 • B906 • B907(W) • B907(E) • B911 • B912 • B924(E) • B924(W) • B937 • B944 • B947
B953 • B963 • B969 • B973 • B974 • B975 • B976 • B978 • B980 • B981 • B983 • B984 • B985 (1) • B985 (2) • B987 • B988 • B991 • B995 • B996 • B998


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