Aberdeen Railway
Introduction
This line ran from Aberdeen to near Forfar [2nd] with branches to Brechin and Montrose. The line is intact from near Montrose to Aberdeen (forming a major part of both the West Coast Main Line and East Coast Main Line routes). It carries both passengers and freight. A branch from Bridge of Dun to Brechin remains as a preserved railway. A station at Laurencekirk has been re-opened.
The company merged with the Scottish Midland Junction Railway to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway.
Why built
This completed the West Coast Main Line route north to Aberdeen, an important port, serving a number of towns.
Service
From Montrose to Aberdeen the line carries both local trains and long distance services of the East Coast and West Coast mainlines.
Dates
| / /1840 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Viaduct built, 189m in length. Date to be re-confirmed, seems unlikely! |
| / /1845 | Aberdeen Railway Act receives Royal assent |
| / /1847 | Aberdeen RailwayGreat North of Scotland Railway Fusion Act made available to merge the Aberdeen Railway with the Great North of Scotland Railway (not used). |
| / /1848 | Arbroath and Forfar RailwayAberdeen Railway Merged with Aberdeen Railway. |
| /02/1848 | Aberdeen Railway Brechin to Bridge of Dun opened. |
| 01/04/1850 | Aberdeen Railway Limpet Mill, a short lived terminus, closed. |
| 01/04/1850 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen Ferryhill opened, this terminus was at the end of a portion of line opened in April 1850. |
| / /1854 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen Guild Street terminus opened. |
| 02/08/1854 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen Ferryhill closed. |
| / /1856 | Aberdeen RailwayScottish Midland Junction RailwayScottish North Eastern Railway The Aberdeen Railway merged with Scottish Midland Junction Railway to become Scottish North Eastern Railway. |
| /10/1866 | [Aberdeen Railway] New Mill Offset renamed New Mill Siding |
| 04/11/1867 | [Aberdeen Railway] Aberdeen Guild Street closed |
| 23/03/1872 | [Aberdeen Railway] Boiler explosion at Dubton. |
| 01/02/1908 | [Aberdeen Railway] Friockheim to Glasterlaw closed to passengers |
| 01/10/1912 | [Aberdeen Railway] Cove renamed Cove Bay |
| / /1914 | [Aberdeen Railway] Friockheim viaduct out of use |
| 30/04/1943 | [Aberdeen Railway] Montrose to Broomfield Junction closed to passengers. |
| 04/12/1950 | [Aberdeen Railway] Muchalls closed |
| 04/08/1952 | [Aberdeen Railway] Brechin to Bridge of Dun (excluded) closed to passengers. |
| 04/08/1952 | [Aberdeen Railway] Montrose to Broomfield Junction to Dubton Junction closed to passengers. |
| 02/08/1954 | [Aberdeen Railway] Aberdeen Guild Street opened |
| 11/06/1956 | [Aberdeen Railway] Cove Bay closed |
| 11/06/1956 | [Aberdeen Railway] Portlethan closed |
| 11/06/1956 | [Aberdeen Railway] Newtonhill closed |
| 11/06/1956 | [Aberdeen Railway] Carmont closed |
| / /1962 | Denburn Valley Line Aberdeen Railway Arbroath and Forfar Railway Scottish Midland Junction Railway Scottish Central Railway Caledonian Railway Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway Buchanan Street Extension (Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway) A4 Pacifics introduced on the Aberdeen Joint to Glasgow Buchanan Street 3 hour Grampian run. |
| 20/06/1963 | [Aberdeen Railway] Broomfield Junction to Dubton Junction closed to freight |
| 03/09/1966 | Denburn Valley Line Aberdeen Railway Arbroath and Forfar Railway Scottish Midland Junction Railway Scottish Central Railway Caledonian Railway Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway Buchanan Street Extension (Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway) A4 Pacifics from Aberdeen Joint to Glasgow Buchanan Street withdrawn. |
| 19/06/1967 | [Aberdeen Railway] Montrose East to Broomfield Junction closed to freight. |
| 04/09/1967 | Aberdeen RailwayArbroath and Forfar Railway Forfar North Junction (excluded) to Bridge of Dun (excluded) closed to all traffic. |
| 04/09/1967 | Scottish Midland Junction Railway Arbroath and Forfar Railway Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway Newtyle, Eassie and Glammiss Railway Aberdeen Railway Stanley Junction to Kinnaber Junction closed to passengers. Coupar Angus, Alyth Junction, Forfar and Bridge of Dun stations closed. |
| / /1979 | [Aberdeen Railway] Brechin Preservation Society formed. |
| 04/05/1981 | [Aberdeen Railway] Brechin to Kinnaber Junction (excluded) closed. |
| 21/06/1981 | [Aberdeen Railway] New Aberdeen Signaling centre opened |
| 17/05/1985 | [Aberdeen Railway] Portlethan re-opened |
| 17/05/2009 | [Aberdeen Railway] Laurencekirk station scheduled to re-open. This will be the 65th "Modern Era" re-opening in Scotland. |
Route described
The line ran from a triangular junction midway between Forfar [2nd] and Arbroath north to Aberdeen by a largely coastal route with branches to Brechin and Montrose. From near Montrose to Aberdeen the line remains open as part of the East Coast Main Line and a portion from Bridge of Dun to Brechin is in preservation as the Caledonian Railway (Preserved).
This line runs through agricultural hinterland. The line had branches to the market town of Brechin, port of Montrose and terminated at the port and former garrison of Aberdeen.
Portions of line and locations
This line is divided into a number of portions.
Guthrie to Aberdeen
This was the double track mainline of the Aberdeen Railway. The southern portion, now closed, was part of the Strathmore Route. North of the former Kinnaber Junction it remains open. A short portion at Bridge of Dun is in preservation.
Although the site of Guthrie station, just to the west of the junction, has been largely landscaped (except for the main station building), the junction remains recognisable.
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Looking east at Guthrie Junction. The route to Arbroath was to the left and the Aberdeen Railway was to the right. ...Ewan Crawford //
44934 piloting 73008 past Guthrie Junction on up Granite City. ...G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 18/07/1953
Guthrie Junction. N.B.R. 4.4.2T 67491 on Arbroath-Forfar Local. ...G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/04/1953
Up Special passing Guthrie Junction on a windy day. 5P 4.6.0 45497. ...G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/08/1953
This was where the routes from Forfar [2nd] and Arbroath merged to run north to Aberdeen. The line from Forfar was the principal route, the Strathmore line.
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Black 5 4-6-0 45155 passing the site of Glasterlaw Junction with an Aberdeen - Buchanan Street express in the spring of 1953. View north along the ...G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/04/1953
This station was immediately east of Glasterlaw Junction on the main line north from Perth via Forfar [2nd] to Aberdeen, the Strathmore line.
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This station is closed and the main building is now a private house. The road under-bridge to the north of the site has been removed. The line is closed here.
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This is a station on the Caledonian Railway (Preserved line) which runs from Bridge of Dun to Brechin. The station was formerly on the Strathmore main line between Perth and Aberdeen via Forfar.
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Works plate of the Caledonian Railway's D5314, built by BRC&W in 1959 and still going strong....
David Spaven 01/09/2018
Thomas the Tank Engine No.1 about to depart Bridge of Dun to Brechin Station during a Thomas Special day ...Colin Harkins 23/07/2016
Formerly Haymarket based D5314 backs on to the stock of the 11.35 departure from Bridge of Dun to Brechin on 1st September 2018. The former Strathmore ...David Spaven 01/09/2018
This station was the junction between the main line of the Aberdeen Railway and the branch to Montrose [CR].
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View west to Forfar at Dubton in 1996. Behind the camera the routes to Montrose and Aberdeen diverged. ...Ewan Crawford //1996
This is the famous location where the East Coast Main Line and West Coast Main Line routes met until the late 1960s.
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Kinnaber Junction signal box, as seen from the Buchan Belle railtour on 1st June 1974....
Bill Roberton 01/06/1974
The 'Last Train to Brechin' railtour held at the outer home signal for Kinnaber Junction. It had to reverse and cross over to the Up Main to continue ...Charlie Niven 02/05/1981
View south at Kinnaber Junction from a northbound train in 1989. British Rail closed what had become the goods only branch to Brechin in 1981. ...Ewan Crawford 25/01/1989
4472 Flying Scotsman takes the East Coast route at Kinnaber Junction on 16 May 1964 with the Queens College RTS 'Flying Scotsman ...John Robin 16/05/1964
This was a two platform station. Nothing remains of the station except the signal box, a disused loading bank and a siding (at the north end east side of the line accessed from the south). The siding formerly served a goods shed.
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60009 (running as Osprey) passes Craigo signal box with the 'North Briton' to Aberdeen on a murky 9 March 1991. The signalbox was re-activated in 2019 ...Bill Roberton 09/03/1991
This is a 13 span double track over the River North Esk.
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Rebuilt Scot no 46115 Scots Guardsman races across Marykirk Viaduct on 17 April with The Great Britain IV on its way to Inverness ...John Gray 17/04/2011
The sun starts to lift the har as 70013 heads north over Marykirk viaduct with The Great Britain 3. ...John Robin 11/04/2010
This was a two platform station. It was not convenient for the village of Marykirk, being some distance to the north.
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This is a two platform station. The original station building remains on the down (northbound) platform. There was a larger building on the southbound platform, also with canopy, but this has not survived.
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The Laurencekirk Heritage Mosaic on the southbound platform, seen from the northbound platform. ...John Yellowlees 18/08/2017
The 1530hrs Edinburgh to Aberdeen in the down platform Laurencekirk on Saturday 25 August 2018. ...
David Prescott 25/08/2018
This was a two platform station.
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The 12.07 First Scotrail Class 170 Aberdeen - Edinburgh approaches Fordoun on 20 October 2012. Photographed from the road bridge alongside the station ...John McIntyre 20/10/2012
The morning HST service from Leeds to Aberdeen passes the former station at Fordoun (closed 1956) between Laurencekirk and Stonehaven on 20 October ...John McIntyre 20/10/2012
This was a two platform station with the main building on the southbound platform. There was a goods shed and siding on the west side of the line, approached from the north. ...
More details
The second of the two photographs taken at Drumlithie station in the mid 19th century and supplied by Gordon Will. His relative Robert Morrison was a ...Gordon Will Collection //1854
An old and much faded photograph taken during the early years at Drumlithie station, Aberdeenshire, located on the main line 7 miles south of ...Gordon Will Collection //1854
This was a two platform station with minimal passenger facilities. It was largely a small goods station.
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60009 Union of South Africa runs north through Carmont on 1 May 2014 bound for Aberdeen with the Great Britain VII. ...John Gray 01/05/2014
This is the 11:42 Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street passing the signal box at Tannachie. The station here was latterly called Carmont having gone ...Alan Cormack 10/01/2017
The level crossing at Carmont, south of Aberdeen, in October 1998. The gates are set against the (quiet) road but opened to allow me to cross. ...David Panton /10/1998
This is a ten section double track girder viaduct. It crossed the Carron Water and now crosses the A92. It is west of Stonehaven station. ...
More details
This is a two platform station.
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An Inverurie service approaches Stonehaven on 18th September 2018 past lovely semaphores. ...David Panton 20/09/2018
A2 Pacific 60527 Sun Chariot photograhed on the northern approach to Stonehaven on 2nd April 1956 with an Aberdeen - Kings Cross train.See ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 02/04/1956
'New Era' cut-down HST sets come into service on Scotrail next year. The driver training set makes a dummy stop at Stonehaven, heading north, on 26 ...David Panton 26/09/2017
An Aberdeen to Kings Cross HST approaches Stonehaven on 20 September 2018. HSTs will soon make up most (or all?) services here, but the ScotRail ones ...David Panton 20/09/2018
This was a 14 span double track viaduct and is now a 10 span viaduct.
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A drone can be very useful! Leeds-Aberdeen HST nears the end of its journey as it crosses the Glenury Viaduct just north of Stonehaven Station.The ...John Gray 11/09/2018
This four span double track viaduct is north of Glenury Viaduct and Stonehaven and south of Limpet Mill and Muchalls. ...
More detailsThis was a short lived station, a temporary terminus from November 1849 to February 1850. It was a short lived station while the culvert at Limpet Cornmill and the rest of the line north to Portlethen was built. ...
More detailsThis is a four span double track viaduct south of the former Muchalls station. ...
More detailsThis was a two platform station. There was a goods siding at the south end, east side of the line, approached from the south. ...
More details
The last 0952hrs Aberdeen to Kings Cross HST of 2018 is only 14 minutes into its journey as it crosses Muchalls Viaduct on a sunny New Year's Eve. It ...G W Robin 31/12/2018
Black 5 No 45407 ascends the gradient past Muchalls with the Great Britain VI on the way to Aberdeen on 24 April. In the background is the ...John Gray 24/04/2013
The peace memorial alongside the former station at Muchalls, north of Stonehaven, in April 2011. The memorial, on a mound behind the site of the up ...Brian Taylor 17/04/2011
This is a four span double track viaduct north of the former Muchalls station. ...
More detailsThis was a two platform station. A signal box on the west side of the line remained until April 2019. The site is now controlled from Aberdeen.
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The 'Great Britain XII' has the appearance of a ghost train as it runs through an east coast Haar at Newtonhill on its way to Aberdeen hauled by A4 ...John Gray 01/05/2019
The 09.52 LNER service from Aberdeen to Kings Cross passes through the site of Newtonhill Station, closed in 1956. The signalbox closed on 28 April ...Bill Roberton 25/03/2019
Newtonhill signalbox and associated building (lamp room?). The 'box closed on 28 April 2019. ...Bill Roberton 25/03/2019
This is a five span double track viaduct. It is not far north of the former Newtonhill station. ...
More detailsThis is a two platform station. The station is a modern re-opening on the site of the original station, slightly to the south of the original.
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Taken from the 21:00 Edinburgh to Aberdeen at Portlethen on 18th November 2018. Lots of workers, but I presume they were not tending the flower beds ...Alan Cormack 18/11/2018
This works was south of Cove Bay station and was rail served. ...
More detailsThis was a two platform station.
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Main line south of Cove Bay in 1961 showing abandoned cutting on right. The site is the disused Black Hill Quarries. [Ref query 29 September 2018] ...David Murray-Smith //1961
This is an important freight yard south of Aberdeen.
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66412 in Malcolm livery in Craiginches Yard, Aberdeen, on 25 September 2009, having arrived with a container service from Mossend. At the time, 66412 ...John McIntyre 25/09/2009
60002 today at Craiginches Sidings, shunting cement wagons with lots of squealing of flanges, with company of a PW crew and plant. ...Alan Cormack 12/04/2017
This is Craiginches cement sidings in an industrial area of Aberdeen. Colas Rail 60076 Dunbar, which was named here in March 2016 by the then Scottish ...Charlie Niven 20/06/2016
Craiginches Siding, looking south. I have never seen this container gantry crane move, it's electrically powered but the cable has been removed from ...Alan Cormack 12/04/2017
Also known as the Ferryhill Viaduct.
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This is the bridge over the River Dee looking south, it has getting refurbished for the last few months. Taken from the Duthie Park, behind the ...Alan Cormack 16/03/2017
A class 40 heads south from Aberdeen over the Dee Viaduct on 25 May 1975 ...John McIntyre 25/05/1975
The Dee viaduct seen on a February afternoon in 1973, with an unidentified diesel shunter crossing on its way from Craiginches yard back to Guild ...John McIntyre /02/1973
This was the junction between the Deeside Railway and the Aberdeen Railway. The junction was just north of Ferryhill Shed [1st] and the Dee Viaduct and south of Ferryhill (Aberdeen) (which survived until 1854 to be replaced by Aberdeen Guild Street), later replaced by Aberdeen Joint. The junction gave access to the branch from Aberdeen Joint.
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This arch over Wellington Brae was built in 1853-54 and extended laterally at the beginning of the 20th Century. Originally it took the Aberdeen ...Charlie Niven 17/11/2018
A Class 08 shunter stands next to Ferryhill SB (just in view on the extreme left) before heading to Guild St yard in April 1977. ...John McIntyre /04/1977
27023 is seen moving between Ferryhill SB (to the right) and Ferryhill MPD (to the left) in 1974. ...John McIntyre //1974
An unidentified Class 26 heads south at Ferryhill Jct with a parcels train in the evening of 07 May 1975 ...John McIntyre 07/05/1975
The original Ferryhill Shed was in the 'V' of the junction between the Aberdeen Railway and the Deeside Railway with approach from the north.
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This was a short lived terminus in Aberdeen, south of the later Aberdeen Guild Street, which replaced it in 1854, and north of Ferryhill Junction. Nothing remains of this former terminus.
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This junction was south of Aberdeen Guild Street. From this junction the Denburn Valley Line ran through Aberdeen Joint (today's Aberdeen station) leaving the original Guild Street terminus on a short branch. ...
More detailsThis was the terminus of the Aberdeen Railway. A short lived terminus Ferryhill [Aberdeen] existed at Ferryhill to the south before the last portion of the line opened.
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D200 and class 47s in Guild Street Goods on the curve formerly giving access to the harbour in 1985. ...Crinan Dunbar //1985
Two BRCW Class 27s, and a Brush 47, in the stabling area next to Aberdeen station in May 1987. The last of these Type 2s were withdrawn during August ...Crinan Dunbar /05/1987
Friockheim Fork
This double track curve allowed running from Dundee East to Aberdeen. The fork had a chequered history, opening and re-opening a number of times. Opened 1848 and closed 1857. Re-opened 1863 and closed 1867. Re-opened for a final time between 1878 and 1908.
This junction had a very chequered history - opening and re-closing several times.
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Looking south at Friockheim Junction. The Aberdeen Railway came in from the left and the former route to Forfar is to the right. ...Ewan Crawford //
This fine eight arch double track viaduct crossed the Lunan Water. It was on the Friockheim Junction to Glasterlaw Junction curve which opened and closed on a number of occasions.
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This was where the routes from Forfar [2nd] and Arbroath merged to run north to Aberdeen. The line from Forfar was the principal route, the Strathmore line.
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Black 5 4-6-0 45155 passing the site of Glasterlaw Junction with an Aberdeen - Buchanan Street express in the spring of 1953. View north along the ...G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 06/04/1953
Brechin Branch
This single track branch ran from Bridge of Dun to Brechin. It is now preserved as the 'Caledonian Railway'.
This is a station on the Caledonian Railway (Preserved line) which runs from Bridge of Dun to Brechin. The station was formerly on the Strathmore main line between Perth and Aberdeen via Forfar.
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Works plate of the Caledonian Railway's D5314, built by BRC&W in 1959 and still going strong....
David Spaven 01/09/2018
Thomas the Tank Engine No.1 about to depart Bridge of Dun to Brechin Station during a Thomas Special day ...Colin Harkins 23/07/2016
Formerly Haymarket based D5314 backs on to the stock of the 11.35 departure from Bridge of Dun to Brechin on 1st September 2018. The former Strathmore ...David Spaven 01/09/2018
This junction was controlled by a ground frame. The east fork of the Forfar and Brechin Railway met the former Aberdeen Railway branch to Brechin at a junction which allowed running from the Forfar line to Bridge of Dun bypassing Brechin.
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The shed at Brechin was replaced at the same time as the Forfar and Brechin Railway opened (1895) and in readiness for the opening of Brechin and Edzell District Railway (1896).
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A small goods yard was opened with the passenger station, just to its south. A new goods yard opened further east during the station expansion.
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This is an artificial name for this location.
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The original engine shed was located at the east end of the station, north of the line close to a road overbridge.
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The imposing northern elevation of Brechin station adjoins Platform 1, and has been the subject of much restoration work by the Caledonian Railway. ...David Spaven 01/09/2018
D5314 prepares to run round the stock of the 13.40 departure from Brechin on 1st September 2018. The loco is framed by the columns of the former ...David Spaven 01/09/2018
Classic vehicles complement the classic traction for a period feel as D5314 rests at Brechin on arrival with the first train of the day from Bridge of ...David Spaven 01/09/2018
Montrose Branch
This single track branch ran from Dubton to Montrose [CR], passing under the North British Railway and meeting the Montrose and Bervie Railway.
This station was the junction between the main line of the Aberdeen Railway and the branch to Montrose [CR].
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View west to Forfar at Dubton in 1996. Behind the camera the routes to Montrose and Aberdeen diverged. ...Ewan Crawford //1996
This was the junction between the branch from Dubton to Montrose [CR] of the Aberdeen Railway and the later Montrose and Bervie Railway.
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64615 at Broomfield Junction with the 1960 RCTS/SLS Joint Scottish Tour. To the left is the line to Dubton, the train is coming off the Bervie line ...WA Camwell (Copyright Stephenson Locomotive Society) 16/06/1960
This set of sidings was to the north of Montrose [CR] station. It was approached from the north east, Dubton direction. ...
More detailsThis shed was immediately south of Montrose [CR] passenger station. ...
More detailsThis station was a terminus.
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Part of the converted waiting room at the former Caledonian Railway terminus in Montrose, now the residents lounge in a sheltered housing complex [see ...Andy Furnevel 18/09/2014
The former trackbed at Montrose CR has been turned into a garden. This was a terminus and the line to Dubton ran off to the right. A line continued to ...Jim Pattison //2009
A view of the former Caledonian terminus at Montrose, now sheltered housing. The building had a large trainshed and although this has been removed it ...Jim Pattison //2009
This quay was the end of the sidings into Montrose Harbour from Montrose [CR] station. It was later to also be served by lines from the North British Railway Montrose station, the present station.
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