Formartine and Buchan Railway

Introduction

This railway is closed, it developed into a network of lines serving the area to the north of Aberdeen. The railway provided a service to Fraserburgh and Peterhead from Aberdeen (Dyce). Typically this consisted of three trains in each direction daily. Further lines were built to St Combs (closed) and to Boddam (also closed). The last of the line, from Dyce to Fraserburgh, closed in 1979 in what should have been more enlightened times. Maintenance had been minimal for some years, shown by the imposed 20 mph limit for the whole line. Alan H. Sangster, in the superb The Story and Tales of the Buchan Line, commented

The railway had no special scenic merits to place it in the same class as better known lines, such as the West Highland or Kyle of Lochalsh Railway, but it had its own local rural charm and character which gained it much affection by its users and people in the Aberdeen area.
John Thomas, in Forgotten Railway Scotland, described the route
Railway promoters found it expedient to oblige an influential landowner (and potential shareholder) by bending the railway away from his estate or bringing it closer, whichever course suited his whim. ... The finished line was not so much the fulfilment of the engineer's vision as a graph recording the whims and fancies of farmers and landowners.
This may go some way to explain the route of the line which served Peterhead, originally considered the main route, with a circuitous route, leading to its demise in the road era. The line served many castles and big houses. There were had fine terminii with trainsheds at Peterhead and Fraserburgh. Many of the station had loops, although single track throughout - save for a section north of Parkhill which was briefly doubled. The southern portion of the former line may re-open between Dyce and Ellon. The route is now a long distance footpath, the Formartine and Buchan Way . This footpath, built over several years in the early 1990s, safeguarded the route after closure for potential re-opening. As a condition of the opening the section of the Great North of Scotland Railway from Aberdeen to Dyce was doubled in 1861.



Dates

  /  /    Formartine and Buchan Railway
Abbey of Deer Platform dates unknown.
23/07/1858Formartine and Buchan Railway
Act receives Royal ascent. (Dyce to Peterhead, Mintlaw to Fraserburgh, with a branch to Ellon).
19/04/1859Formartine and Buchan Railway
Ellon deviation authorised.
18/07/1861Formartine and Buchan Railway
Opened from Dyce (Great North of Scotland Railway) to Old Deer and Mintlaw. Stations opened at Parkhill, Newmachar, Udny, Newburgh Road, Esslemont, Ellon, Arnage, Auchnagatt, Brucklay [1st] and Old Deer and Mintlaw.
18/07/1861Great North of Scotland Railway
Double track from Kittybrewster [2nd] to Dyce brought into use on the opening of the Formartine and Buchan Railway.
  /  /1862Formartine and Buchan Railway
Newburgh Road renamed Logierieve.
03/07/1862Formartine and Buchan Railway
Old Deer and Mintlaw to Peterhead opened. Stations opened at Longside, Newseat, Inverugie, Peterhead.
21/07/1863Formartine and Buchan Railway
Junction for Fraserburgh re-authorised as Maud in place of Mintlaw.
24/04/1865Formartine and Buchan Railway
Maud to Fraserburgh opened. Stations opened at Brucklay [2nd], Strichen, Mormond, Rathen and Fraserburgh.
09/08/1865Formartine and Buchan Railway
Peterhead Harbour line opened.
30/07/1866Formartine and Buchan RailwayGreat North of Scotland Railway
Formartine and Buchan Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway.
  /  /1867Formartine and Buchan Railway
Old Deer and Mintlaw renamed Mintlaw.
  /  /1869Inverness and Ross-shire Railway
Parkhill [IandRR] renamed Kildary to save confusion with Parkhill on the Formartine and Buchan Railway.
  /  /1880Formartine and Buchan Railway
Lord Haddo's Railway proposed.
  /  /1890Formartine and Buchan Railway
Newseat station rebuilt.
  /  /1894Formartine and Buchan Railway
Inverugie loop removed.
  /  /1894Formartine and Buchan Railway
Logierieve loop removed.
  /  /1894Formartine and Buchan Railway
Rathen loop removed.
  /  /1895Formartine and Buchan Railway
Ellon rebuilt for Boddam Branch (Great North of Scotland Railway) opening.
02/08/1897Formartine and Buchan Railway
Ellon becomes a junction on the Boddam Branch (Great North of Scotland Railway) opened.
16/12/1901Formartine and Buchan Railway
Udny North signal box closed.
01/05/1903St Combs Light Railway (Great North of Scotland Railway)
Line opened from Fraserburgh (Formartine and Buchan Railway) to St Combs. Stations opened at: Philorth Bridge, Cairnbulg and St Combs.
  /  /1914Formartine and Buchan Railway
Peterhead Harbour railway cut back to Roanheads.
  /  /1915Formartine and Buchan Railway
RNAS Lenabo opened. (Royal Naval Airship Station, for spotting German Submarines).
  /  /1917Formartine and Buchan Railway
Railway to RNAS Lenabo opened.
05/11/1918Formartine and Buchan Railway
Longside North signal box closed.
03/08/1919Formartine and Buchan Railway
Esslemont loop opened.
31/05/1920Formartine and Buchan Railway
Parkhill to Elrick Signal Box doubled.
07/09/1923Formartine and Buchan Railway
RNAS Lenabo Railway closed.
  /  /1924Formartine and Buchan Railway
Parkhill to Elrick Signal Box begins to be used as single track.
  /  /1925Formartine and Buchan Railway
Esslemont loop and Up platform closed.
23/10/1925Formartine and Buchan Railway
Elrick Signal Box closed. Formal singling between Parkhill and Elrick Signal Box.
23/10/1925Formartine and Buchan Railway
Parkhill loop and box closed.
23/10/1927Formartine and Buchan Railway
Mintlaw North Signal box closed.
16/05/1932Formartine and Buchan Railway
Ellon north signal box closed.
21/07/1935Formartine and Buchan Railway
Maud Junction North and South signal boxes replaced by new South signal box.
  /  /1947Formartine and Buchan Railway
Peterhead Harbour line closed and lifted.
  /  /1948Formartine and Buchan Railway
Fraserburgh section becomes main line and Peterhead line becomes branch.
04/04/1950Formartine and Buchan Railway
Parkhill closed.
15/09/1952Formartine and Buchan Railway
Esslemont closed.
  /  /1955Formartine and Buchan Railway
Fraserburgh station roof cut back.
15/06/1959Formartine and Buchan Railway
Mintlaw South signal box closed.
15/06/1959Formartine and Buchan Railway
Brucklay signal box closed.
18/01/1960Formartine and Buchan Railway
Train stuck in snow north of Newmachar.
05/01/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
Arnage signal box closed.
05/01/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
Lonmay signal box closed.
04/05/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
Peterhead to Maud junction closed to passengers. (Alternative date 3/5/1965). Peterhead, Inverugie, Newseat Halt, Longside and Mintlaw closed.
04/05/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
St Combs Light Railway closed completely. Kirkton Bridge Halt, Philorth Bridge, Cairnbulg and St Combs closed.
17/05/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
Peterhead signal box closed.
02/10/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
Fraserburgh to Dyce junction closed to passengers. (Alternative date 4/10/1965). Fraserburgh, Rathen, Mormond Halt, Strichen, Brucklay [2nd], Maud, Arnage, Ellon, Logierieve, Udny and Newmachar closed.
09/12/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
Newmachar signal box closed.
10/12/1965Formartine and Buchan Railway
Longside South signal box closed.
27/06/1966Formartine and Buchan Railway
Strichen signal box closed.
27/06/1966Formartine and Buchan Railway
Fraserburgh signal box closed.
27/06/1966Formartine and Buchan Railway
Udny South signal box closed
06/07/1966Formartine and Buchan Railway
Auchnagatt signal box closed.
18/10/1967Formartine and Buchan Railway
Ellon south signal box closed.
05/03/1969Formartine and Buchan Railway
Maud Junction south signal box closed.
04/09/1970Formartine and Buchan Railway
Peterhead to Maud junction closed to freight. (Alternative date 4/9/1970).
06/10/1979Formartine and Buchan Railway
Closed to freight between Dyce junction (excluded) and Fraserburgh.
23/10/1979Formartine and Buchan Railway
Wagons and fixed assets recovered from line by train.
15/09/1984Great North of Scotland Railway
Dyce station re-opened, the platforms on the main line brought back into use and a carpark opened on the infilled Formartine and Buchan Railway platforms.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Dyce to Maud

Dyce to Maud.

This is a two platform station with a car park in the village of Dyce on the east side of Aberdeen Airport.
...

More details

See also
Great North of Scotland Railway
170434 departs from Dyce, heading to Aberdeen, on 19 October 2012.The signalbox has since been demolished (August 2019) with the restoration of double ...
John McIntyre 19/10/2012
158736 pulls away from Dyce on a short working from Aberdeen to Inverurie on 25th October 2023. For aviation and railway enthusiasts, the accessible ...
Mark Bartlett 25/10/2023
This is the replacement, for the building which burned down, at Dyce seen in June 2019. Sea Salt + Sole. ...
John Yellowlees 02/06/2019
A bicycle facility at Dyce station. ...
John Yellowlees 02/06/2019
4 of 51 images. more


This is a disused three arch single track viaduct over the River Don.
...

More details
Class 4MT tank on the Don viaduct with up Buchan train in 1959. ...
David Murray-Smith /04/1959
View west showing a DMU forming a down Buchan line train crossing the River Don on Parkhill Viaduct, north of Dyce, in the summer of 1960. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/08/1960
2 of 2 images.


This was a single platform station, with the platform on the east side. There was a goods yard to the north of the station on the west side, approached from the south. The GNoSR had a sand pit in the goods yard.
...

More details
Ballast on the trackbed at the former Parkhill station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
View looking north. There is a tremendous amount of traffic going in to Aberdeen from Peterhead, Ellon etc by road, I would think it will be cheaper ...
Alan Cormack 23/10/2016
The former Parkhill station, looking south. ...
Ewan Crawford //
This picture, looking south towards Dyce, is of the new bridge being constructed for the Aberdeen bypass as it crosses the Buchan line at Goval just ...
Alan Cormack 16/10/2016
4 of 6 images. more


This was the northern end of double track section which started to the south at Parkhill. This was used during seasonal periods of high traffic, but only for a few years: 1920-24.
...

More details
Looking south at Elrick. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Double-take time! Elrick's signal test gantry seen from the brake van of the daily Fraserburgh-Aberdeen goods on 27th March 1973. This was located ...
David Spaven 27/03/1973
2 of 2 images.


This was a two platform station to the north east of Summerhill, now known as Newmachar. The main station building was on the northbound platform, the town side.
...

More details
1965 view from a Fraserburgh-Aberdeen service arriving at Newmachar. An NBL Type 2 waits to cross with a northbound train. ...
Brian Haslehust 16/08/1965
The rain was coming down sideways at Newmachar so just a quick snap rather than an exploration of the remains. This is the view towards Dyce in ...
Mark Bartlett 25/10/2023
View from the 3.15pm Fraserburgh-Aberdeen service arriving at Newmachar on Saturday 2nd October 1965, the last day of passenger services on the line. ...
Brian Haslehust 02/10/1965
Newmachar cutting, looking north. This deep cutting, to the north of the station, was known as 'Satan's Den'. In Winter it was often blocked with ...
Ewan Crawford 03/02/1997
4 of 14 images. more


This was a two platform station with a passing loop. The main station building, of one storey, was on the southbound platform.
...

More details
Udny station, seen from the 2.15pm Fraserburgh-Aberdeen on Saturday 2nd October 1965, the last day of passenger services on the line. ...
Brian Haslehust 02/10/1965
The Aberdeen platform of Udny station, in the village of Udny Station, seen from the road overbridge looking towards Newmachar and Dyce on 25th ...
Mark Bartlett 25/10/2023
The Angus Railway Group's 'Buchan Belle' on 1 June 1974 calling at Udny, which had closed on 4 October 1965. The train was formed by SC56392 and ...
Bill Roberton 01/06/1974
On 21st January 2021, as part of my permitted daily exercise, I was on the ⁦Formartine and Buchan Way and passed this Permanent Way hut, which is ...
Alan Cormack 21/01/2021
4 of 15 images. more


This was a single platform station on the east side of the line. There was a single storey cottage style station building.
...

More details
Logierieve, seen from the 2.15pm Fraserburgh-Aberdeen on Saturday 2nd October 1965, the last day of passenger services on the line. ...
Brian Haslehust 02/10/1965
Looking south over the former Logierieve station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Buchan tanks. 80111 at Logierieve on down passenger. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/05/1959
4 of 4 images.


This was a single platform station for much of its existence, a loop and second platform being added in 1919 - although this loop was only used in busy seasons. The station was around 1 km south east of Esslemont itself.
...

More details
The 1861 station at Esslemont in May 1959 looking north towards Ellon. The station closed to passengers in 1952. [Ref query 9807] ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/05/1959
View looking north at the former Esslemont station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
2 of 2 images.


This disused single track four arch viaduct is south of Ellon station. The railway closed in 1979.
...

More details
The viaduct at Ellon over the River Ythan has a telegraph pole still in situ on the east parapet with a support forged from a rail. ...
John Gray 23/08/2017
The viaduct at Ellon over the River Ythan is now on The Formartine and Buchan Way. ...
John Gray 23/08/2017
The view south towards Dyce on the River Ythan viaduct at Ellon. The line is now The Formartine and Buchan Way. ...
John Gray 23/08/2017
Looking north towards the Ythan Viaduct on 21 April 2015. Beyond the river stood Ellon Station and the junction for the Boddam branch. The line across ...
Andy Furnevel 21/04/2015
4 of 6 images. more


Ellon was a three platform junction station. Its remains are on the Formartine and Buchan walkway. It was the junction between the line to Fraserburgh and Peterhead and the branch to Boddam. The station was opened to the west of the original village and Ellon Castle.
...

More details
The fine station building at Ellon, seen from the 2.15pm Fraserburgh-Aberdeen on Saturday 2nd October 1965, the last day of passenger services on the ...
Brian Haslehust 02/10/1965
The annual Railway Relay Race from Peterhead to Ellon took place on 6th August 2017. This is a minor road crossing and the remains of a bridge ...
Alan Cormack 06/08/2017
I spotted this old railway carriage a few years ago at the road junction of the A90 /A952 a couple of miles north of Ellon. It's on a metal chassis. I ...
Alan Cormack 15/08/2017
I spotted this old railway carriage a few years ago at the road junction of the A90 /A952 a couple of miles north of Ellon. It's on a metal chassis. ...
Alan Cormack 15/08/2017
4 of 21 images. more


This was a two platform station with the main station building on the northbound platform.
...

More details
Looking north at the former Arnage station. ...
Ewan Crawford 03/02/1997
BR Standard class 4 2-6-0 76108 brings a down passenger train into Arnage station on 15 May 1959. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/05/1959
The Formartine and Buchan Excursion on a photostop at Arnage on 24 May 1969. View is south towards Ellon, with D5323 at the head of the train. ...
A Snapper (Courtesy Bruce McCartney) 24/05/1969
Leaving. 80005 at Arnage on up Buchan passenger train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 15/05/1959
4 of 6 images. more


This was a two platform station with a passing loop. The stone station building, on the northbound platform, remains in use as a house. The southbound platform had a timber building.
...

More details
Auchnagatt station, seen from the 2.15pm Fraserburgh-Aberdeen on Saturday 2nd October 1965, the last day of passenger services on the line. ...
Brian Haslehust 02/10/1965
BR Standard tank 80020 calls at Auchnagatt on 9 April 1955 with an Aberdeen bound train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 09/04/1955
BR Standard 2-6-4 tank 80004 calls at Auchnagatt on 9 April 1955. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 09/04/1955
View looking north at the former Auchnagatt station from the roadside. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 8 images. more


This was a four platform station. There were two platforms on the line east to Peterhead and two platforms on the line north to Fraserburgh. The signal box, a substantial building with a granite lower level, was at the south end of the Peterhead southbound platform. The main station building, a single storey granite building, remains in the 'V' of the junction.
...

More details
Platform paraphernalia at Maud in 1977. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1965 while freight trains ceased in 1979.
...
Bill Roberton //1977
Makers plate from a Harrisons and Camm of Rotherham railway wagon dating from 1913. The old van is on a short section of track awaiting restoration at ...
Alan Cormack 06/08/2017
NBL D6152 at Maud, on 1st May 1965. This was the final day of passenger services from Peterhead. ...
Brian Haslehust 01/05/1965
GNSR First Aid box at Maud Station in 1977. I wonder if this artefact survived the closure and is still in existence today?
...
Bill Roberton //1977
4 of 56 images. more





Maud to Peterhead

Maud to Peterhead. When first opened this was considered the main line, the line to Fraserburgh the branch.

This was a four platform station. There were two platforms on the line east to Peterhead and two platforms on the line north to Fraserburgh. The signal box, a substantial building with a granite lower level, was at the south end of the Peterhead southbound platform. The main station building, a single storey granite building, remains in the 'V' of the junction.
...

More details
Platform paraphernalia at Maud in 1977. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1965 while freight trains ceased in 1979.
...
Bill Roberton //1977
Makers plate from a Harrisons and Camm of Rotherham railway wagon dating from 1913. The old van is on a short section of track awaiting restoration at ...
Alan Cormack 06/08/2017
NBL D6152 at Maud, on 1st May 1965. This was the final day of passenger services from Peterhead. ...
Brian Haslehust 01/05/1965
GNSR First Aid box at Maud Station in 1977. I wonder if this artefact survived the closure and is still in existence today?
...
Bill Roberton //1977
4 of 56 images. more


This halt was barely even a halt - just a very small wooden platform a few feet long. The halt was only open in the 1930s and was for visitors to the nearby abbey.
...

More details


This was a platform for curling events. Pitfour Lake lies just to the north in the grounds of Pitfour House.
...

More details


This was a two platform station with a passing loop. The main station building was on the westbound platform. The goods yard was on the south side of the station and approached from the west.
...

More details
Last day of passenger services at Mintlaw on 1st May 1965, and a good complement of passengers for a westbound service, headed by an NBL Type 2. ...
Brian Haslehust 01/05/1965
The remains of Mintlaw station, on the Peterhead line, photographed in 1977. Mintlaw and the other branch stations had closed twelve years earlier in ...
Bill Roberton //1977
D40 4-4-0 62272 leaving Mintlaw with an up train on 4 July 1951. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1951
Up platform of Mintlaw Station on the Maud to Peterhead section of the Formartine and Buchan railway. ...
John Williamson 01/09/2007
4 of 9 images. more


This was a two platform station with a passing loop on a single track railway. There was a goods yard at the east end, north side of the line, approached from the east.
...

More details

See also
RNAS Longside Branch
NBL Type 2 D6152 pauses at Longside with a westbound service. The picture was taken on the final day of passenger services between Peterhead and Maud. ...
Brian Haslehust 01/05/1965
The station, signal box and goods yard at Longside on the Peterhead line, photographed on 4 July 1951, looking west towards Maud. Longside station ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1951
Scene at Longside, midway between Maud Junction and Peterhead, on 4 July 1951. Ex-GNSR D40 4-4-0 no 62272 is entering the station with a down train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1951
Looking east at the former Longside station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 7 images. more


This was a single platform station on the north side of the line.
...

More details
The fine building at the former Newseat halt on the Maud to Peterhead line has been restored as a private dwelling. The mile-post finishes it off ...
John Williamson 01/09/2007
1 of 1 images.


This was a single platform station on the north side of the line. There was a single storey station building.
...

More details
View looking east at a former level crossing to the east of Inverugie. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Scene at Inverugie, Aberdeenshire, first station out of Peterhead, on 4 July 1951. View is west towards Maud Junction with an unidentified coach ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1951
2 of 2 images.




This was a terminus with an island platform with two faces. One, the southern, ran into the trainshed. The covered area was extended over the platform with a canopy which extended out from the trainshed.
...

More details
Ex-GNSR D40 4-4-0 no 62272 photographed at Peterhead in the summer of 1951. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1951
A North British Loco Type 2 at Peterhead, in June 1964. ...
Brian Haslehust 17/06/1964
Ex-GNSR D40 4-4-0 no 62272 standing alongside the signal box at Peterhead on 4 July 1951. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1951
B12 4-6-0 61511 on the turntable at Peterhead in the summer of 1951. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/07/1951
4 of 15 images. more


The branch to the harbour served the west side of the North Harbour where there were several sidings alongside a timber yard and the North Pier. The site was directly west of the graving dock. A small building remains here today. A street tramway continued to a turnplate by Bridge Street. From here further tramways continued north to several sidings on the centre pier of the North Harbour, Scotts ...

More details
In the left background members of the GNoSR Association stand on the trackbed of the South Breakwater railway at Peterhead Harbour of Refuge on 20 ...
Brian Taylor 20/06/2015
The South Breakwater at Peterhead Harbour of Refuge on 20 June 2015, showing clearly the position of the rails used in construction and early ...
Brian Taylor 20/06/2015
What the Peterhead Prison Railway was used to build; the breakwaters of Peterhead Harbour. ...
Ewan Crawford //
3 of 3 images.





Maud to Fraserburgh

Maud to Fraserburgh.

This was a four platform station. There were two platforms on the line east to Peterhead and two platforms on the line north to Fraserburgh. The signal box, a substantial building with a granite lower level, was at the south end of the Peterhead southbound platform. The main station building, a single storey granite building, remains in the 'V' of the junction.
...

More details
Platform paraphernalia at Maud in 1977. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1965 while freight trains ceased in 1979.
...
Bill Roberton //1977
Makers plate from a Harrisons and Camm of Rotherham railway wagon dating from 1913. The old van is on a short section of track awaiting restoration at ...
Alan Cormack 06/08/2017
NBL D6152 at Maud, on 1st May 1965. This was the final day of passenger services from Peterhead. ...
Brian Haslehust 01/05/1965
GNSR First Aid box at Maud Station in 1977. I wonder if this artefact survived the closure and is still in existence today?
...
Bill Roberton //1977
4 of 56 images. more


This was the second station named Brucklay. Brucklay [1st] ultimately became called Maud. Both stations were named for Brucklay Castle which was to the south west of the second station, slightly further north west of the original.
...

More details
Brucklay looking to Aberdeen in 1977. Following line closure, the derelict station building has since been converted into a house and the road bridge ...
Bill Roberton //1977
BR Standard class 4 2-6-0 76108 leaving Brucklay with an up passenger train on 16 May 1959. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 16/05/1959
An up train at Brucklay on 16 May 1959 behind BR Standard class 4 2-6-0 no 76108. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 16/05/1959
Looking north over the former station at Brucklay. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 9 images. more


This was a two platform station with a passing loop on a single track line. The main station building was on the east/north bound platform, on the town side of the station. There was a goods yard on the north side, approached from the west.
...

More details
Half a mile to the east of Strichen the railway crosses a minor road. The bridge looks quite precarious but at least it survived unlike many on the ...
Alan Cormack 15/08/2017
The BLS Waterloo and Buchan Railtour pauses for a photostop at Strichen in April 1979 with railcar 55007 on the return leg to Aberdeen. ...
Ian Dinmore /04/1979
The 'Buchan Belle' railtour makes a photostop at Strichen in June 1974. ...
Bill Roberton 01/06/1974
Photostop at Strichen on a railtour from Aberdeen in 1979. ...
Ian Dinmore //1979
4 of 11 images. more


This was a single platform station.
...

More details


This was a two platform station with a passing loop on a single track line. The main station building was on the southbound platform.
...

More details
The platforms of Lonmay station looking north towards Fraserburgh in February 1997. Preparations for turning the trackbed into a footpath/cycleway ...
Ewan Crawford /02/1997
Looking south west about 1 mile from Lonmay station towards Mormond Hill and Strichen in August 2013. Thanks to the vegetation this view has changed ...
John Williamson 18/08/2013
An up fish express from Fraserburgh passing Lonmay in 1945. G.N.S.R. 4.4.0 6826. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow //1945
Up passenger entering Lonmay. G.N.S.R. 4.4.0 6824. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow //1945
4 of 5 images. more


This was a single platform station, although it may briefly have had a second platform in 1894. There was a signal box in 1894 and loop, which may predate the box.
...

More details
View looking north at the former Rathen station. ...
Ewan Crawford 03/02/1997
Not much left to go ... in February 1997 only two stretches of the F&BR trackbed were left to be converted into footpaths: Rathen to Mormond and north ...
Ewan Crawford 03/02/1997
Ex-GNSR D41 4-4-0 62229 at Rathen on 7 July 1950 with a Fraserburgh - Aberdeen train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 07/07/1950
NBL Type 2 D6150 with a freight near Rathen on 18 August 1960. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 18/08/1960
4 of 9 images. more


This was a single platform station south of Fraserburgh on the line south to Dyce.
...

More details
The former Philorth station is now a house. This is the view looking north from the former level crossing. ...
Ewan Crawford 02/02/1997
The former Philorth station, looking north. ...
Ewan Crawford //
GNSR 4-4-0 62276 Andrew Bain at Kirkton with a down passenger train in the summer of 1953. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 05/08/1953
D1 4-4-0 62230 passing Philorth Halt on 12 July 1950 with a Fraserburgh - Aberdeen train. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 12/07/1950
4 of 6 images. more


This terminus was in the east of Fraserburgh close to the quaysides of the harbour.
...

More details

See also
St Combs Light Railway (Great North of Scotland Railway)
Fraserburgh goods yard on 1 June 1974, with the 'Buchan Belle' railtour 2-car Met-Cam DMU parked alongside a loading bank. The last freight would ...
Bill Roberton 01/06/1974
Fraserburgh in the summer of 1965. NBL Type 2 D6123 is preparing to depart with a service for Aberdeen whilst sister locomotive D6144 shunts in the ...
Brian Haslehust 16/08/1965
NBL Type 2 D6144 shunting in the yard at Fraserburgh in August 1965. Like most of the class this loco had a very short life. Into service in 1960, ...
Brian Haslehust 16/08/1965
A Fraserburgh - Aberdeen goods passing Kirkton on 7 July 1951 hauled by ex-GNSR D40 4-4-0 62261. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 07/07/1951
4 of 112 images. more


This two road shed was to the immediate west of Fraserburgh station. The shed still stands, in other uses, but the station site has been completely cleared. ...

More details
The old locomotive shed at Fraserburgh in March 2017, looking north east towards the harbour from the car park of Fraserburgh leisure centre. The ...
Andy Furnevel 15/03/2017
Kittybrewster shed's palindromic Standard Class 4 tank no 80108 on the turntable at Fraserburgh in the summer of 1956. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 04/08/1956
Gresley K2 2-6-0 no 61779 on shed at Fraserburgh on 5 August 1954. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 05/08/1954
The former Fraserburgh locomotive shed in 1997. To the right was the station (now the B9033), goods yard (industrial estates and rough ground) and the ...
Ewan Crawford 03/02/1997
4 of 10 images. more