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.
This completed the West Coast Main Line route north to Aberdeen, the fourth largest town in Scotland at the time (now third) and an important port, the line also serving a number of towns either directly (eg Stonehaven) or with branches (Brechin and Montrose [CR]).
The North British Railway had running powers from Kinnaber Junction to Aberdeen. (Back in 1847 when the line was independent the NBR had invested in the line when it was short of funds and works north of Montrose had stalled.)
From Montrose to Aberdeen the line carries both local trains and long distance services of the East Coast and West Coast mainlines.
/ /1845 | Aberdeen Railway Act receives Royal assent. The line with run from Guthrie and Friockheim north largely by the coast to Aberdeen with branches to Brechin and Montrose. |
/ /1846 | Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Aberdeen Railway Act passed to allow the Arbroath and Forfar Railway to be leased by the Aberdeen Railway. |
/ /1847 | Aberdeen Railway
Great North of Scotland Railway Fusion Act made available to merge the Aberdeen Railway with the Great North of Scotland Railway. This Act was not used. |
/ /1847 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Viaduct built, 189m in length. (Date often given as 1840, which is very unlikely.) |
/ /1847 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen Railway authorised to buy land at ^The Inches^ for the Aberdeen [Guild Street] station approach and station. Considerable infill on the west bank of the River Dee was required for both the approach and station site (and the docks developed to the east). |
/ /1848 | Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Aberdeen Railway Arbroath and Forfar Railway leased by the Aberdeen Railway. |
01/02/1848 | Aberdeen Railway Guthrie Junction and Friockheim Junction (merging at Glasterlaw Junction) to termini at Brechin and Montrose [CR] (dividing at Bridge of Dun) opened. Stations opened at Guthrie, Glasterlaw, Farnell Road, Bridge of Dun, Brechin, Montrose [CR]. Coaches connected with trains at Montrose [CR] allowing passengers to continue north. |
07/06/1849 | Aberdeen Railway Deviation authorised for the Montrose [CR] branch. Tramway to harbour to be built (not built at this time). |
01/11/1849 | Aberdeen Railway Line extended from Dubton Junction to Limpet Mill (a temporary terminus north of Stonehaven). Stations at Marykirk, Laurencekirk, Drumlithie, Stonehaven and Limpet Mill. |
/ /1850 | Aberdeen Railway Dubton station opened at Dubton Junction. |
/ /1850 | Aberdeen Railway
Great North of Scotland Railway Amalgamation Act repealed. |
/ /1850 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen (Guild Street) authorised to be built on the south side of Guild Street. |
/ /1850 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Junction (excluded) to Glasterlaw Junction (excluded) closed. Friockheim Viaduct out of use. Guthrie used as exchange. |
01/02/1850 | Aberdeen Railway Line extended north from Limpet Mill to Portlethen. Limpet Mill, a short lived terminus, closed. Muchalls and Portlethen opened. |
01/04/1850 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen Ferryhill opened, with the extension of the line north from Portlethen. New stations at Cove and Aberdeen Ferryhill. |
/ /1851 | Aberdeen Railway Craigo and Newtonhill opened. |
/ /1853 | Aberdeen Railway The Aberdeen Railway is granted an extension of time to the Act to complete the line for the difficult section of line between Aberdeen [Ferryhill] and Aberdeen [Guild Street]. |
22/09/1853 | Aberdeen Railway A portion of The Inches purchased by the Aberdeen Railway (originally approved 1847). |
02/08/1854 | Aberdeen Railway Extension of the line to the new Aberdeen Guild Street terminus from the temporary terminus Aberdeen Ferryhill, which closed. |
03/08/1854 | Aberdeen Railway
Deeside Railway The Deeside Railway is granted running powers over the Aberdeen Railway between the Aberdeen (Guild Street) terminus and Ferryhill Junction. The payment required was established in 1855. |
/ /1856 | Aberdeen RailwayScottish Midland Junction RailwayScottish North Eastern Railway The Aberdeen Railway merged with Scottish Midland Junction Railway to become Scottish North Eastern Railway. |
/ /1856 | Aberdeen Railway Fordoun and New Mill Offset opened. |
01/04/1856 | Great North of Scotland Railway Kittybrewster [1st] to Aberdeen Waterloo opened completely (with horse tramway to the Aberdeen Railway^s terminus at Aberdeen Guild Street). Kittybrewster [1st] and Aberdeen Waterloo stations opened. Original Aberdeen Kittybrewster terminus closed. |
/ /1862 | Aberdeen Railway Approval to lift road up onto bridge over line at Bridge of Dun. |
/ /1862 | Aberdeen Railway Additional works and improvements at Stonehvaen authorised. |
01/04/1863 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Junction to Glasterlaw Junction re-opened. Friockheim Viaduct brought back into use. |
/ /1864 | Aberdeen Railway Authorisation to close Aberdeen Guild Street to passengers when replaced by Aberdeen Joint, except for Deeside Railway traffic. |
/10/1866 | Aberdeen Railway New Mill Offset renamed Newmill Siding. |
01/11/1867 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Junction (excluded) to Glasterlaw Junction (excluded) closed again. Friockheim Viaduct out of use. |
04/11/1867 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen Guild Street closed replaced by Aberdeen Joint. |
/11/1869 | Aberdeen Railway
Montrose and Bervie Railway Broomfield closed. Remained in timetables until 1877. |
23/03/1872 | Aberdeen Railway Boiler explosion at Dubton. |
/ /1878 | Aberdeen Railway Authorisation to buy land to enlarge Bridge of Dun station. |
16/07/1878 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Junction to Glasterlaw Junction re-opened. Friockheim Viaduct brought back into use. |
17/07/1883 | Aberdeen Railway Company no longer obliged to built a tramway to Montrose Wet Dock. |
/ /1885 | North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway
Aberdeen Railway The North British Railway and Caledonian Railway are granted running powers over the independent Montrose Harbour lines. |
/ /1886 | Aberdeen Railway Agreement allows the North British Railway to use Broomfield Siding and Broomfield Junction on the Montrose [CR] branch, crossed by Montrose to Bervie trains following the NBR's take over. |
/ /1886 | North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway
Aberdeen Railway Formal agreement between the North British Railway and Caledonian Railway about use of the Montrose Harbour sidings. |
/ /1899 | Aberdeen Joint (Caledonian Railway)
Aberdeen Railway Authorisation to rebuild and enlarge Aberdeen Joint station and considerably widen the lines, (from two tracks to five to six), south from Denburn Junction to Ferryhill Junction. |
/ /1905 | Aberdeen Railway Widening at Polmuir Road authorised. This was the extension of a bridge over Polmuir Road to allow Ferryhill Shed [2nd] to be considerably expanded to the west of the original shed building. |
/ /1907 | Aberdeen Railway Permission to buy land to extend Laurencekirk station. |
/ /1907 | Aberdeen Railway Caledonian Railway authorised to purchase land for a new marshalling yard, Craiginches Yard. |
01/02/1908 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Junction (excluded) to Glasterlaw Junction (excluded) closed again. |
26/04/1910 | Aberdeen Railway Authorisation to rebuild station. |
26/04/1910 | Aberdeen Railway Reconstruction of Laurencekirk authorised. |
13/12/1910 | Aberdeen Railway Alterations to Aberdeen Guild Street goods authorised. |
13/12/1910 | Aberdeen Railway Authorisation for further sidings at Craiginches Yard and remodelling of Aberdeen Guild Street Goods. |
01/10/1912 | Aberdeen Railway Cove renamed Cove Bay. |
/ /1914 | Aberdeen Railway Friockheim Viaduct out of use. Line lifted in 1917 for war effort and Friockheim Junction box closed. |
/ /1915 | Aberdeen Railway Agreement with Montrose Town Council to stop up and divert Rosehill Road (just south of Broomhill Junction). A level crossing was closed and road diverted to run along the west side of the line to Broomhill Junction. |
/ /1921 | Aberdeen Railway
Aberdeen Harbour Trustees Tramway Caledonian Railway authorised to build line from Aberdeen Guild Street goods to Aberdeen Corporation Electricity Works. |
30/04/1943 | Aberdeen Railway Montrose [CR] 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 [CR] to Broomfield Junction to Dubton Junction closed to passengers. Dubton station closed. |
11/06/1956 | Aberdeen Railway Carmont, Cove Bay, Newtonhill and Portlethen closed. |
/ /1962 | Aberdeen Joint (Caledonian Railway)
Aberdeen Railway
Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Scottish Midland Junction Railway
Scottish Central Railway
Caledonian Railway
Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway
Buchanan Street Extension (Caledonian Railway) A4 Pacifics introduced on the Aberdeen to Glasgow Buchanan Street 3 hour Grampian run. |
20/06/1963 | Aberdeen Railway Broomfield Junction (excluded) to Dubton Junction (excluded) closed to freight |
03/09/1966 | Aberdeen Joint (Caledonian Railway)
Aberdeen Railway
Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Scottish Midland Junction Railway
Scottish Central Railway
Caledonian Railway
Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway
Buchanan Street Extension (Caledonian Railway) A4 Pacifics from Aberdeen to Glasgow Buchanan Street withdrawn. |
19/06/1967 | Aberdeen Railway Montrose [CR] (also known as Montrose East) to Broomfield Junction closed to freight. |
04/09/1967 | Scottish Midland Junction Railway
Aberdeen Railway Perth (Stanley Junction) to Laurencekirk (Kinnaber Junction) closed to passengers. |
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 Signalling Centre opened |
17/05/1985 | Aberdeen Railway Portlethen re-opened |
/02/1998 | Aberdeen Railway Proposed re-development of Aberdeen Guild Street Goods and the bus station. |
26/02/1998 | Aberdeen Railway Tiphook container derailed off a bridge during shunting at Stonehaven. |
19/01/2000 | Aberdeen Railway Transport Minister Sarah Boyach opposes electrification of the Aberdeen line. |
/11/2002 | Aberdeen Railway Aberdeen Guild Street Goods shed demolished. |
/ /2005 | Aberdeen Railway In excess of 96% of those surveyed in Newtonhill support re-opening of the station. |
/08/2006 | Leven Railway
Aberdeen Railway A footbridge from Cameron Bridge, on the former Leven Railway, is offered to the Caledonian Railway [Preserved], which operates the Brechin branch of the former Aberdeen Railway. |
17/05/2009 | Aberdeen Railway Laurencekirk station re-opened. This was the 65th Modern Era re-opening in Scotland. |
/07/2011 | Aberdeen Railway A petition to Transport Secretary Keith Brown signed by nearly half the residents of Newtonhill ask for the station^s re-opening. |
12/08/2020 | Aberdeen Railway HST derails after hitting landslide at Carron Water Bridge [West Carmont]. The train was halted en route south from Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street High Level due to flooding to the south of Carmont. After reversing and returning through Carmont to Stonehaven a landslip is hit derailing the train some of which is destroyed by fire. The line is closed for investigation, clearance and repairs. |
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.
This line is divided into a number of portions.
This was the double track mainline of the Aberdeen Railway. Opened partly in 1848 and in stages until completely opened in 1854. 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 some buildings), the junction remains recognisable.
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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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This station was immediately north 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 stone road under-bridge to the east of the site has been removed (it was Tudor styled).
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This is a station on the Caledonian Railway [Preserved] which runs from Bridge of Dun to Brechin. The station was formerly on the Strathmore main line between Perth and Aberdeen via Forfar [2nd].
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This station was the junction between the main line of the Aberdeen Railway and its branch to Montrose [CR].
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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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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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This is a 13 span double track viaduct 315 yds long overall crossing the River North Esk, 58 ft over the river.
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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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This was a two platform station. The main station building was on the southbound platform. This, and the goods shed, were built in stone. Neither has survived. A building by the former northbound platform still exists, in use as a house, another station building.
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This is a double track viaduct south of Drumlithie (and north of Fordoun which is further south).
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This was a two platform station with the main building on the southbound platform.
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This was a two platform station with minimal passenger facilities. It was largely a small goods station. This is an area of low population west of Stonehaven.
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This was a short lived halt, with a short timber platform on each side of the line, at Den Cottage, just over a mile north of Carmont. The halt was provided for Louisa Emslie, whose father Tom was a ganger residing at Den Cottage (located on the south side of the line and now derelict).
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This is a double track masonry bridge over the Carron Water between Carmont and Stonehaven. It is one of three bridges over the Carron Water, this being closest to Carmont and located in a water course^s defile.
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This is a double masonry track bridge over the Carron Water between Carmont and Stonehaven, north of Carron Wood.
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This is a double track bridge over the Carron Water between Carmont and Stonehaven.
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This signal box was between Stonehaven and Carmont. The box was on the north side of the line. The box was quite some way west of Dunnottar at Auquhirie, about three miles west of Dunnottar House by road.
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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 detailsThis is a two platform station. When built, this station was quite far outside Stonehaven - built nearly a mile west at Arduthie - but the town has expanded to include it. The station is on high ground above the harbour.
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This was a 14 span double track viaduct and is now a 10 span girder viaduct. It crosses Glen Ury and the Cowrie Water.
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This four span double track viaduct is north of Glenury Viaduct and Stonehaven and south of Limpet Mill and Muchalls.
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This 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. The main station building was on the northbound platform.
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This is a four span double track viaduct north of the former Muchalls station.
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This 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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This is a five span double track viaduct. It is not far north of the former Newtonhill station.
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This is a two platform station. The station is a modern re-opening on the site of the original station, slightly to its south.
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This works was south of Cove Bay station and was rail served. ...
More detailsThis was a two platform station. The main station building was on the southbound platform, the village side of the station. The buildings were replaced with new larger buildings on both platforms. These were of Caledonian Railway turn of the century design.
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This is an important freight yard south of Aberdeen.
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This is a double track arched and girder viaduct. The overall length is 283 yards and it is 50 ft high. The central portion consists of six girder sections over the River Dee and roadways, and with five arches at the north end. It is also known as the Ferryhill Viaduct.
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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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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. Contemporary pictures show a station with a trainshed just north of the Dee Viaduct.
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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 Aberdeen Guild Street terminus on a short branch.
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This goods yard was on the east side of Aberdeen Guild Street station, the northern terminus of the Aberdeen Railway.
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This was the terminus of the Aberdeen Railway. A short lived terminus Aberdeen Ferryhill existed near Ferryhill Junction to the south before the last portion of the line opened.
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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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This fine eight arch double track masonry viaduct crossed the B965 ^Station Road^, Vinney Water and Lunan Water. It was on the Friockheim Junction to Glasterlaw Junction (^Friockheim Fork^) 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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This single track branch, opened 1848 and closed 1981, ran from Bridge of Dun to Brechin. It is now preserved as the ^Caledonian Railway^ - the line unfortunately not connected the railway network.
This is a station on the Caledonian Railway [Preserved] which runs from Bridge of Dun to Brechin. The station was formerly on the Strathmore main line between Perth and Aberdeen via Forfar [2nd].
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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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This single track branch, opened 1848 and closed 1963, ran from Dubton to Montrose [CR], passing under the North British Railway and being met by the Montrose and Bervie Railway close to Montrose [CR].
This station was the junction between the main line of the Aberdeen Railway and its branch to Montrose [CR].
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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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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. It was approached from the east. The shed closed in 1939 and was demolished.
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This station was a terminus. Also known as Montrose East. It was the terminus of the 1848 Aberdeen Railway branch from Dubton and was approached from the north east, the line going from Montrose turning first north and then north west to reach Dubton. (The main line of the Aberdeen Railway was extended north to Portlethen in 1849.)
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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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