Inchture station to the Turnpike crossroads (referred to as Crossgates Tramroad station) at Inchture. It was constructed with light T-section rails and was mainly horse operated. It opened on 1 February 1848. It was extended later to a brick works and clay pit, and occasional locomotive use took place for goods traffic and possibly for harvest workers' special trains, although locomotives were prohibited from the time the Caledonian Railway took over the line. The Inchture tramway closed on 1 April 1916, or 1 January 1917.` Perth station The Perth General station was aligned north–south and the Dundee line approached from the east; the passenger trains passed the station southwards and then reversed into the station. In 1861 separate platforms outside the main station and at right angles to it, were opened for them; they were referred to as the Dundee Dock. Through passenger trains running beyond Perth entered the Dundee Dock and then reversed out of it, continuing their journey southward. The Dundee Dock was in use until 1887. Absorbed by the Scottish Central The 1845 spate of railway authorisations had created many small companies, and the mood now was for consolidation. The Scottish Midland Junction Railway and the Aberdeen Railway linked up to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway, itself to exist for only ten years. The dominant Scottish Central Railway offered terms to the Dundee and Perth Railway, which were accepted, and the SCR absorbed the D&PR by Act of Parliament of 26 July 1863. The leased Dundee and Newtyle line went with the D&PR to the SCR. The SCR too had not long to remain independent. In 1865 the Caledonian Railway absorbed both the SMJR and the SCR. The SCR was dismayed by the poor quality of the infrastructure and rolling stock it had taken over. The wooden Tay bridge at Perth was obviously in poor condition and was replaced by 1864 The SCR considered the terminus at Dundee West to be a modest and inadequate structure, but worse than that, it was in a dangerous condition, and from 1863 it was extended and reconstructed, opening fully in October 1866. The North British Railway The North British Railway had become dominant in Fife and had long run through trains to Dundee; however these involved crossing the Tay from Tayport to Broughty Ferry by ferryboat, operated as a train ferry, and then being dependent on the Dundee and