Dufftown

Location type

Station

Names and dates

Dufftown (1862-1968)
Dufftown (2000-)

Station code: DUT National Rail
Opened on the Keith and Dufftown Railway.
Opened on the Strathspey Railway.
Open on the Keith and Dufftown Railway [Preserved].

Description

This is a preserved two platform station, one of the platforms being a bay and the other the former westbound through platform. Dufftown is the terminus of the Keith and Dufftown Railway Association line, a heritage railway. The original station building still stands on the platform. As with many former GNoSR stations the station name is displayed in a window above the platform frontage. A railway cottage also still stands nearby.

The former goods yard, on the south west side of the line, approached from the Keith direction, is now used for stock storage.

This was the terminus of the Keith and Dufftown Railway from Keith, opened in 1862. It was extended by the Strathspey Railway west through Craigellachie to Boat of Garten in 1863.

The station had a passing loop, two platforms and the goods yard.

With a link made to the Morayshire Railway at Craigellachie, the station was served by Great North of Scotland Railway trains travelling from Elgin East to Keith and from Boat of Garten to Keith.

Signal boxes opened in 1894. The north box, a minor box, was at the north end of the westbound platform. The south box was on the east side near the south side of the loop opposite the goods yard turn out.

The large goods yard had three sets of sidings leading off a goods loop on the west side of the line, a loading bank to the west, plain sidings and a goods shed to the east (on the west side of the south end of the westbound platform). The goods yard's headshunt finished with a turnplate from which a siding ran into the Glenfiddich Distillery.

The station closed to passengers in 1968 when the Keith to Elgin East route closed beyond Craigellachie. The signal boxes closed, the south box being replaced with a ground frame. The station's loop was lifted at the platforms - the line by the eastbound platform being lifted and westbound (by the building) retained. The goods loop was retained,

Around the time of closure to passengers, grain silos were erected in the goods yard which was enlarged to serve them. The line was cut back from Aberlour to Dufftown in 1971. A loop was installed to the east of the station, the second line (eastbound) through the station being lifted.

Goods ceased around 1983. Railtours, notably the 'Northern Belle' visited for many years until final closure, quite some time after freight ceased, in 1991.

After a period of abeyance, the line was taken over by the Keith and Dufftown Railway Association whose base of operations is at the station. The line was progressively cleared out from Dufftown in 1997 and the station reopened for trips to Drummuir in 2000. Regular heritage trains now operate from here to Keith Town.

A shed, which was erected at Drummuir in the early preservation period, has been moved to the north end of the station.

The next station west was Craigellachie and east Drummuir (although a halt, Drummuir Curlers Platform was closer still).

The trackbed to Craigellachie (and beyond) is walkable.

Local

Keith and Dufftown Railway

The Glenfiddich Distillery and Balvenie Distillery are located by the station.

Tags

Station terminus preservation heritage restored footpath

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
10/10/2021


Nearby stations
Drummuir Curlers Platform
Craigellachie [2nd]
Dandaleith
Aberlour
Drummuir
Towiemore Halt
Dailuaine Halt
Rothes
Tauchers Platform
Sourden
Mulben
Carron
Auchindachy
Imperial Cottages Halt
Orton Junction
Fiddich Viaduct
Parkmore Junction
Parkmore Lime Quarry
Mortlach Distillery Siding
Delriach Viaduct
Tourist/other
Balvenie Distillery
Glenfiddich Distillery
Kininvie Distillery
Convalmore Distillery
Balvenie Castle
Parkmore Distillery
Glendullan Distillery
Mortlach Distillery
Pittyvaich Distillery
Loch Park
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.


Northern Belle


Beginning in 1984 Grampian Railtours ran a popular summertime excursion train twice weekly from Aberdeen. A meal was served on board and passengers could visit the Glenfiddich Distillery.


Chronology Dates

17/05/1861Strathspey Railway
Act receives Royal assent for line from Dufftown to Abernethy [Strathspey].
21/02/1862Keith and Dufftown Railway
Keith to Dufftown opened. Stations at Earlsmill, Botriphinie and Drummuir.
01/07/1863Strathspey Railway
Line opened from Dufftown to Abernethy [Strathspey] via Strathspey Junction. Stations opened at: Strathspey Junction, Aberlour, Carron, Blacksboat, Ballindalloch, Advie [1st], Dalvey [2nd], Cromdale, Grantown-on-Spey East and Abernethy [Strathspey].
15/11/1971Strathspey Railway
Aberlour to Craigellachie to Dufftown (excluded) closed to freight.
  /  /1984Great North of Scotland Railway Keith and Dufftown Railway
Introduction of the twice weekly 'Northern Belle' which ran from Aberdeen to Dufftown
24/03/1991Keith and Dufftown Railway
The 'Last train to Dufftown' tour visits Dufftown, the last train until the railway was reinstated for preservation.
01/04/1991Keith and Dufftown Railway
Closed from Dufftown to Keith (closed).
  /  /1997Keith and Dufftown Railway
Prototype Sprinter at Dufftown, line clearance at Drummuir.
  /  /2000Keith and Dufftown Railway
The Keith and Dufftown Railway Association trains begin running from Dufftown.
18/08/2001Keith and Dufftown Railway
First passenger train runs from Dufftown to Keith on the re-opened Keith and Dufftown Railway, with the re-opening of the line beyond Drummuir to Keith Town.
  /06/2011Keith and Dufftown Railway
Seeks funding to re-located shed from Drummuir to Dufftown.

News items

20/06/2023All aboard for the 1940s [Grampian Online]
16/06/20231940s weekend: Journey to the past with the glorious Keith and Dufftown Railway [Press and Journal]
12/04/2023Pictured: Egg-cellent Easter for rail passengers [Grampian Online]
03/01/2023Three Keith organisations set to receive funding boost [Grampian Online]
02/12/2022Pictures: All Aboard! Keith and Dufftown Railway celebrate the opening of new Dram Tram [Grampian Online]
22/11/2022From the buffers to brand new wedding and whisky venue 1950s Dufftown carriage set to charm visitors [Press and Journal]
16/11/2022Keith and Dufftown Railway unveil newly renovated function train - the Dram Tram [Grampian Online]
20/06/2022Keith and Dufftown Railway's World War II event returns in memory of late founder [Grampian Online]
02/10/2021Get on track to volunteer at Britain's most northerly heritage railway in Dufftown [The Courier]
07/09/2021Siblings' donation treats Dufftown over-60s to day out on 'whisky train' [Grampian Online]

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The North of Scotland v. 15 (Regional railway history series)

Forgotten Railways: Scotland

Old Grantown to Aviemore: Upper Strathspey

Speyside Railways: Exploring the Remains of the Great North of Scotland Railways and Its Environs

Strathspey Railway: Guide book