Date: 24/05/2021

After 150 years of obscurity this article finally brings together the complete story of the Bridge of Gairn Tramway. It features some famous people, introduces two key characters in the railway and cultural context of Upper Deeside and solves the mystery of why it was built but not used.

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The 1900 edition of 1:2500 scale map shows the location of the terminus of the former Bridge of Gairn Tramway. Lying to the west of the River Gairn the area was shown as vegetation 30 years after the line was abandoned. The location of the abutments for the bridge are also clearly visible. The bridge was reused for a road across the river at Daldownie in Glen Gairn. Map extract used with permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Location: Bridge of Gairn
Company: Bridge of Gairn Tramway (Aboyne and Braemar Railway)
04/05/2021 Charlie Niven

View west to Braemar from the trackbed at Bridge of Gairn, just west of Ballater. When the line arrived at Ballater in 1866 the trackbed did not extend beyond. Shortly afterwards earthworks were continued west, under a new road bridge west of the station, to Bridge of Gairn before work ceased. These earthworks remain in fairly good repair for some of the length, now being a dirt road as seen here. After Royal involvement blocked the railway's extension west to Braemar, one of several plans for this extension was for it to meet a tramway to Ballochbuie Forest, just east of Braemar, for timber extraction.
Location: Bridge of Gairn
Company: Aboyne and Braemar Railway
04/02/1997 Ewan Crawford

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Tags: x Bridge of Gairn x Ballater x Bridge of Gairn Tramway