Portions of this railway provide a passenger and goods service between Aberdeen and Keith (53 miles). (The line extends beyond Keith to Inverness by the former Highland Railway.) A branch to Dufftown exists, used by the Keith and Dufftown Railway Association. The goods yard at Elgin East was originally a Great North of Scotland Railway terminus.
From the original core line from Aberdeen to Keith the company expanded greatly. The company owned and purchased a number of other local lines. Reaching locations such as Aboyne, Ballater, Old Meldrum, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Portsoy, Buckie [GNSR], Banff, Elgin [GNSR] and Boat of Garten. All these lines are now closed. Some remain as long distance footpaths. The company is often referred to as the GNoSR or GNSR.
The Great North of Scotland Railway Association was created to bring together everyone interested in the former company and its lines.
With the increased traffic due to the large number of branches the main line, between Aberdeen and Keith, was doubled. Their closure in the 1960s, and a reduction in traffic, led to the line being reduced to a single line in the 1970s, long the source of bottlenecks ever since. The City of Aberdeen has expanded greatly since the 1960s (and continues to grow) and the line was redoubled from Kittybrewster [2nd] (north of the city centre) through to Inverurie in 2019. In addition, a new Kintore station is due to open in 2020.
/ /1805 | Aberdeenshire Canal Opened from Port Elphinstone to Aberdeen Harbour. The [Great North of Scotland Railway] later used its course for its line between Port Elphinstone and Aberdeen Waterloo. |
/ /1845 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Company formed. |
26/06/1846 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Act receives Royal assent. The route was to be Aberdeen to Inverness with Grange to Banff and Portsoy, Orton to Garmouth, Alves to Burghhead branches. |
/ /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). |
/ /1849 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Shortened route from Keith to Kittybrewster proposed. |
/ /1850 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Authorisation to extend the line from Kittybrewster to Guild Street given. This was allowed to lapse. |
/ /1850 | Nairn and Elgin Railway Nairn and Elgin Railway promoted. Offered £40,000 by the [Great North of Scotland Railway] to continue to Keith. |
25/11/1852 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] First Sod cut at Westhall near Oyne. |
/ /1854 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Authorisation to build line from Kittybrewster to Aberdeen Waterloo given. |
/09/1854 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Huntly to Kittybrewster inspected. |
12/09/1854 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Huntly to Kittybrewster opened to freight. Passing places at: Kittybrewster, Kintore, Inverurie, Insch and Huntly. |
19/09/1854 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Huntly to Kittybrewster official opening. |
20/09/1854 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Huntly to Kittybrewster opened to passengers. Stations at: Kittybrewster, Buxsburn, Dyce, Kintore, Inverurie, Pitcaple, Oyne, Insch, Kennethmont, Gartly, Huntly |
20/09/1854 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Aberdeen Kittybrewster opened. |
01/12/1854 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Kinaldie, Buchanstone and Wardhouse opened. |
25/05/1855 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Keith to Huntly authorised. |
24/09/1855 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Kittybrewster to Aberdeen Waterloo opened to goods. Kittybrewster rebuilt on Waterloo line. |
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). |
01/04/1856 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Aberdeen Kittybrewster closed. |
01/04/1856 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Aberdeen Waterloo opened. |
10/10/1856 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Huntly to Keith opened. Stations at: Huntly, Rothiemay, Grange and Keith. |
/ /1857 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Inveramsay opened. |
/ /1858 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Woodside opened. |
/ /1860 | Great North of Scotland Railway Great North of Scotland Railway sells its Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway shares. |
/ /1860 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Kittybrewster to Dyce doubled (but not used). |
18/07/1861 | [Formartine and Buchan Railway] Opened from Dyce ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) to Mintlaw. |
18/07/1861 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Double track from Kittybrewster to Dyce brought into use on opened of [Formartine and Buchan Railway]. |
13/05/1862 | [Deeside Extension Railway] Line leased by [Great North of Scotland Railway] to block authorisation of a new line from Stonehaven to Kintore. |
13/05/1862 | [Deeside Railway] Line leased by [Great North of Scotland Railway] to block authorisation of a new line from Stonehaven to Kintore. |
01/07/1863 | [Montrose and Bervie Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] [Aberdeen Junction Railway] Circumbendibus project proposed between the Great North of Scotland Railway and the Montrose and Bervie Railway to provide a new route to the south. This receives Royal assent and would have been called the [Aberdeen Junction Railway]. |
01/07/1863 | [Montrose and Bervie Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] [Aberdeen Junction Railway] Circumbendibus project ([Aberdeen Junction Railway]) project abandoned. Montrose and Bervie Railway shares sold by the Great North of Scotland Railway. |
23/06/1864 | [Denburn Valley Line] Denburn Valley line to connect the [Great North of Scotland Railway] at Kittbrewster to the Scottish North Eastern Railway at Guild Street authorised. |
/ /1865 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Financial difficulties arise - no share dividends paid until 1874. |
/ /1866 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Buchanstone closed. |
30/07/1866 | [Banff Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway] [Banff Macduff and Turriff Extension Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Aberdeen and Turriff Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
30/07/1866 | [Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. (Alternative date 14/6/1858). |
30/07/1866 | [Alford Valley Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Alford Valley Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
30/07/1866 | [Keith and Dufftown Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Keith and Dufftown Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
30/07/1866 | [Formartine and Buchan Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Formartine and Buchan Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
30/07/1866 | [Strathspey Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Strathspey Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
30/07/1866 | [Deeside Railway] [Deeside Extension Railway] [Aboyne and Braemar Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Deeside lines leased for 999 years by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
12/08/1867 | [Banff Portsoy and Strathisla Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Banffshire Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
04/11/1867 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Aberdeen Waterloo closed on the opening of the [Denburn Valley Line] from Kittybrewster to Aberdeen Joint. |
/ /1874 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] First share dividends since 1865 paid. |
/ /1874 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Pitmeddan opened. |
01/08/1875 | [Deeside Extension Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Deeside Extension Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. |
01/10/1875 | [Deeside Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Deeside Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. (Alternative date 1/8/1875). |
31/01/1876 | [Aboyne and Braemar Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Aboyne and Braemar Railway absorbed by the Great North of Scotland Railway. |
01/07/1880 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Dyce to Kintore opened. |
11/08/1881 | [Morayshire Railway] [Great North of Scotland Railway] Morayshire Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway. (Alternative date: 1880). |
/ /1882 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Don Street, Bankhead and Stoneywood opened. |
01/05/1882 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Kintore to Inveramsay opened. |
01/04/1884 | [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Portsoy to Tochieneal opened. Stations opened: Portsoy (New), Glassaugh and Tochieneal. |
01/04/1884 | Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Railway A new Portsoy [2nd] station opened on the Moray Coast Railway (Great North of Scotland Railway) and old one, Portsoy [1st], closed. |
12/08/1885 | Moray Coast Railway (Great North of Scotland Railway) Lossie Junction (Morayshire Railway) to Garmouth opened. Stations opened: Calcots, Urquhart and Garmouth. |
01/05/1886 | [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Tochieneal to Garmouth opened. Stations opened: Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Portessie, Buckie, Nether Buckie, Port Gordon and Fochabers. |
01/05/1886 | [Banff Portsoy and Strathisla Railway] [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Grange curve opened. |
/ /1887 | [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Nether Buckie renamed Buckpool. |
/07/1887 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Aberdeen Suburban service begins; Bankend and Stoneywood opened. (Alternative date for station openings 1882). |
19/07/1887 | [Banff Portsoy and Strathisla Railway] [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Grange curve authorised retrospectively. |
01/01/1888 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Hutcheon Street and Don Street opened. |
27/10/1888 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Inveramsay to Insch opened. |
/ /1890 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Forms Hotel Committee. |
/ /1891 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Palace Hotel The railway buys the hotel. |
22/08/1891 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Palace Hotel, Aberdeen, opened. |
/ /1893 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Schoolhill opened. |
/ /1894 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] [Deeside Railway] Aberdeen suburban service extended to Culter on the [Deeside Railway]. Holburn Street, Pitfodels and West Cults stations opened. |
01/08/1896 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Insch to Kennethmont opened. |
20/09/1896 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Kennethmont to Gartly opened. |
30/11/1896 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Gartly to Huntly opened. |
/ /1897 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Buxsburn renamed Bucksburn. |
02/08/1897 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] [Boddam Branch] opened to passengers. |
/ /1898 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Cairnie Junction station opened to save dividing trains for portions for the [Banff Portsoy and Strathisla Railway] at Huntly. |
/ /1898 | Ardmore Distillery Opened by William Teachers beside the [Great North of Scotland Railway] at Kennethmont. |
17/01/1898 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Rothiemay to Keith opened. |
17/01/1898 | [Banff Portsoy and Strathisla Railway] [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Doubled Grange Curve, North Grange to South Grange, opened. |
17/01/1898 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Huntly to Avochie signal box (near Rothiemay) opened. |
/06/1899 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Cruden Bay Hotel and tramway opened. |
08/09/1899 | [St Combs Light Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Line authorised. |
/ /1900 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Doubled Rothiemay to Avochie opened. |
/ /1901 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Inverurie works - Carriages - opened. |
/ /1902 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Inverurie works - Locomotives - opened. |
/ /1902 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Elgin station re-built. |
10/02/1902 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Inverurie (New) opened. |
10/02/1902 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] [Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway] Inverurie (New) station opened further north. The new station had a bay platform for the Old Meldrum trains. |
/ /1903 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Persley opened. |
/ /1903 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] [Alford Valley Railway] [Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway] [St Combs Light Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Railcars used on the Alford, Lossiemouth, Old Meldrum and St Combs lines. |
/07/1903 | [St Combs Light Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Kirkton Bridge opened. |
/ /1904 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Railcars scrapped. |
/ /1905 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Inverurie works - Permanent Way - opened. |
/ /1906 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] [Highland Railway] Amalgamation of the Great North of Scotland Railway with the Highland Railway falls through. |
/ /1910 | [Denburn Valley Line] Station Hotel acquired by the [Great North of Scotland Railway]. |
/ /1918 | [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Fochabers renamed Spey Bay. |
01/01/1923 | North British Railway
Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway
Great North of Scotland Railway
Forth and Clyde Junction Railway
Kilsyth and Bonnybridge Railway
Gifford and Garvald Railway
Newburgh and North Fife Railway
Lauder Light Railway
Great Central Railway Grouped into London and North Eastern Railway. |
31/10/1932 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Boddam to Ellon and Cruden Bay Hotel Tramway closed to passengers. |
/ /1941 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Cruden Bay Hotel Tramway closed to all traffic. |
/ /1945 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Line closed completely. Stations used as railway offices. |
/ /1945 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Entire line occupied by wagons awaiting repair. |
/ /1947 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Cruden Bay Hotel demolished from 1947 to 1952. Remains used to build Charles Alexanders house at Bush near Montrose. |
31/12/1948 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Boddam to Ellon officially closed. |
/ /1950 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Track lifted. |
07/11/1960 | [St Combs Light Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) St Combs to Fraserburgh closed to freight. |
23/06/1962 | RCTS Railtour Excursion train hauled by [Caledonian Railway] 123 and [Great North of Scotland Railway] 49 from Ayr to Stranraer. |
20/04/1964 | [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Lossie Junction to Buckie closed to freight. |
04/05/1965 | [St Combs Light Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) St Combs to Fraserburgh closed to passengers. (Alternative date 3/5/1964). |
06/05/1968 | [Banff Portsoy and Strathisla Railway] [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) [Morayshire Railway] Elgin to Buckie to Cairnie Junction closed to passengers. |
06/05/1968 | [Banff Portsoy and Strathisla Railway] [Moray Coast Railway] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Buckie to Cairnie Junction closed to all traffic. |
/ /1980 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Narrow-gauge Port Errol Railway (Cruden Bay to Slains Castle) opened. |
/ /1984 | [Boddam Branch] ([Great North of Scotland Railway]) Port Errol Railway track moved to Banff to become the West Buchan Railway. |
/ /1999 | [Great North of Scotland Railway] Listed, but decrepit, station buildings at Huntly replaced with new building. |
These locations are along the line.
This was the short lived Aberdeen terminus of the Great North of Scotland Railway.
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This two platform through station was opened with the Denburn Valley Line (Great North of Scotland Railway). It replaced Kittybrewster [1st], which was to its immediate east and located on the Aberdeen Waterloo branch. The line was opened as a double track between Denburn Junction and Kittybrewster Junction in 1867.
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This depot was both a roundhouse and shed. Approach was from the north and the shed was located on the west side of the line.
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This yard was located to the east of Kittybrewster [2nd] station. It was served from the north. A loop came off the main line to the south of the station and rejoined at Kittybrewster Junction north of the station. This crossed the Aberdeen Waterloo line to the south of the station.
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This junction was located north of Kittybrewster [2nd] station.
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This was a two platform suburban station in Aberdeen. The station was between Kittybrewster [2nd] and Woodside [GNSR]. The eastbound/southbound platform had a small building, later joined by a small building on the facing platform. There were no goods facilities.
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This was a suburban station in Aberdeen. It was a two platform station. There were no goods facilities.
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This was a two platform suburban station in Aberdeen. The main station building was on the eastbound platform. There were no goods facilities.
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This five arch two track viaduct crosses the Bucks Burn, and a road, immediately west of Bucksburn station.
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This was a two platform station. The main station building was on the northbound platform with a smaller one on the southbound. Both had substantial glazed canopies.
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This was a two platform suburban station in Aberdeen. There were buildings on each platform. There were no goods facilities.
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This was a two platform station with no goods facilities. The platforms were north of Market Street with the waiting rooms close to the road bridge crossing the line. A stone built recess into the embankment on the west side, for the northbound waiting room, remains.
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This is a two platform station with a car park in the village of Dyce on the east side of Aberdeen Airport.
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This works provided creosote coated sleepers for the Great North of Scotland Railway. The works was within the 'V' of the junction north of Dyce station. The former Dyce Buchan signal box was retained after its closure in 1928 as an office for the works foreman.
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This station was 400 yds north of the later Dyce station, opened with the opening of the Formartine and Buchan Railway. The station closed in 1861.
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These sidings were opened in 2007 around the time of the closure of the goods yard at Aberdeen Guild Street. In addition to the provision of the sidings the loop at Dyce was extended and coloured lights replaced semaphore.
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This small station had a level crossing to the east. The platforms were in timber with small timber shelters.
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This was a two platform station. The main station building, with crow-stepped gables, was on the Aberdeen bound platform. This was the original platform when the line was single track.
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This level crossing was controlled by a signal box, a gate box. The crossing is south of Kintore [1st] station.
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This was a three platform station. There were two platforms on the main line and a bay platform at the north end, on the west side, for the Alford branch. There was a goods yard also at the north end on the west side, approached from the north. There was a turntable for the branch locomotive.
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This new two platform station is under construction to the north west of Kintore. In addition the railway, which had been reduced to a single track, was re-doubled in 2019 (see below).
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This location is south of Inverurie. The Port Elphinstone Mills (1858-2009) were served with sidings after their opening.
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This location is south of Inverurie. There was a halt of some description in 1854 - perhaps railway staff only. It did not remain in use as a station.
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This viaduct is just north of Port Elphinstone. It carried the railway over the River Don and the course of the former Aberdeenshire Canal (just to the south of the river).
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The original station at Inverurie was south of the current station. It had an island platform for the Aberdeen bound trains and Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway branch. The branch platform terminated with a turntable and was also a loop back onto the main line. The main station building was on the northbound platform with another on the island platform, which was accessed by ...
More detailsThis is a two platform station with a large granite build single storey station building on the westbound platform. The station has a large car park. The station building has something of the appearance of distilleries to its design, with a ventilator (or is it a cupola?)! Internally the building has fine dark stained wood panelling. One room was the private waiting room of the Earl of Kintore ...
More detailsThis was the railway works of the Great North of Scotland Railway after relocation from Kittybrewster. The site is no longer in railway use and is being redeveloped for a number of uses. The works extended to 24 acres.
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This was the junction station for the Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway. It opened with the branch. Although it also served the local area, with a low population and largely farmland, its chief purpose was as an interchange station. The station opened with the opening of the branch and closed with its closing to passengers.
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This was a two platform station. The station building on the eastbound platform survives long after closure of the station. The signal box, at the east end of the westbound platform, survived long after its closure, demolished in the 2000s. The line has been slewed to midway between the platforms.
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This was a two platform station. There was a goods yard on the south side reached by a reversing spur, itself reached by reversing east from the westbound line through the station.
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This station was at Mill of Buchanstone, just north west of the Rettie cottages. There was a siding to the south of the line, served from the east, and a small building on the north side of the line.
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This is a two platform station with a fine single storey stone building on the eastbound platform, dating from 1880. A modern has been added over the street entrance. There is a good example of a Great North of Scotland Railway waiting shelter on the westbound platform. The station is at Rothney, to the south of Insch. There is a fine footbridge between the platforms.
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This was a two platform station. A stone station building still stands on the former eastbound platform. There was a small timber building on the westbound platform. There was a level crossing at the east end of the station. There were no goods facilities.
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This summit, near Laighmuir, is the highest point on the former Great North of Scotland Railway at 594 ft.
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This was a two platform station. The westbound platform and building remain intact. The station is at the west end of a long loop from Insch station.
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This was a two platform station. The main station building, two storeys, still stands on the former westbound (down) platform. The building is now in use as a house. The remaining track is by this platform, slightly slewed. An alternative spelling is 'Gartley'.
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This is a two platform station. There is a modern station building on the westbound platform. On the east side of the line is an extensive goods yard, served from the south. Latterly the yard dealt with timber traffic but in the past it saw potato traffic.
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This temporary signal box controlled the east end of Deveron Viaduct. When the line was doubled, the single track viaduct required replacement. In the interim this box controlled the east end of the short single track section over the old bridge.
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This is a formerly double track viaduct over the River Deveron east of the former Rothiemay station. The viaduct carries one track today.
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This was a two platform station on a double track line. There was a goods yard on the north side, approached by reversal from the east.
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This was an exchange station. The main line remains open here but is now a single track with little hint of the former station. A platelayers hut remains, this was south of the station on the west side of the line. The track is the former westbound line, the eastbound being lifted. The kink of the line round the station has been straightened.
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This was a two platform station for much of its existence. From 1859 to 1886 it was the junction station for the Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Railway with the junction at the east end of the station. Because of this it had a turntable at the east end, north of the line. There was a bay at the east end of the eastbound platform. The station had a loop before the main line was doubled. The main ...
More detailsThis signal box was east of Keith Junction. It opened with the doubling of the line from Rothiemay in 1898.
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This refers to the actual junction. For the station see Keith. This junction was formed in 1858 between the Great North of Scotland Railway and the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway further added to with the opening of the Keith and Dufftown Railway in 1862.
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Keith Shed opened with the extension of the Great North of Scotland Railway to Keith.
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This is a one platform station, with a second out of use platform on the former route to Dufftown. There is a passing loop to the east of the station, inconvenient when trains are running late.
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