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Aberdeen Railway

From Alfawiki
Aberdeen Railway
Company typeRailway company
IndustryRail transport
Founded1845
FateMerged with Scottish Midland Junction Railway to form Scottish North Eastern Railway in 1856
Headquarters
Aberdeen
,
Scotland, United Kingdom
ProductsRailway transport services

The Aberdeen Railway was a Scottish rail company responsible for constructing a route connecting Aberdeen with Forfar and Arbroath, partly achieved by leasing and enhancing a pre-existing railway line.

Commissioned in phases from 1847 to 1850, the railway featured branch lines extending to Brechin and Montrose. Its terminus in Aberdeen was located at Ferryhill, which was situated away from the city center. Although reaching central Aberdeen posed difficulties, this was eventually accomplished in 1854.

Relying on railways to the south for connections to central Scotland, the Aberdeen Railway merged with the Scottish Midland Junction Railway in 1856, resulting in the formation of the Scottish North Eastern Railway.

By the 1960s, two distinct routes linked central Scotland with Aberdeen. The process of rationalisation prioritized the retention of the Dundee route, leading to the closure of the original Aberdeen Railway line in 1967. Both routes converged on shared track north of Kinnaber Junction near Montrose, a section that remains operational. The former Brechin branch now functions as the heritage Caledonian Railway (Brechin).

History

Plans for establishing a railway to Aberdeen date back to 1827 when Robert Stevenson evaluated its feasibility; however, no immediate development followed.

Railway politics

During the 1840s, vigorous promotion of Scottish railways centered on establishing links between central Scotland and England’s network. The preferred route was debated, with support for the Caledonian Railway via the Southern Uplands. The Caledonian Railway received parliamentary approval through the Caledonian Railway Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c. clxii), authorizing £1.5 million in capital investment—a substantial sum at that time.

In that same parliamentary session, several other railways were authorised: the Scottish Central Railway (SCR), which connected Perth with key central Scottish lines; the Scottish Midland Junction Railway (SMJR), linking Perth to Forfar; and the pre-existing Arbroath and Forfar Railway, distinguished by its unusual 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. The northernmost segment was represented by the Aberdeen Railway, authorised on 31 July 1845.

The Caledonian directors adopted a strategy of expanding their network by leasing independent railways instead of outright purchases, thereby minimizing initial capital outlay. Agreements with both SCR and SMJR granted Caledonian control over routes from Carlisle to Forfar and extended access towards Aberdeen. The act authorising the Caledonian was formally titled An Act for making a railway from Carlisle to Edinburgh an Glasgow and the North of Scotland, to be called the Caledonian Railway.

Although SCR and SMJR were authorised concurrently with Caledonian, obtaining parliamentary consent for leases—often seen as anti-competitive—proved to be a significant obstacle.

Authorisation of the Aberdeen Railway

Initial plans for the Aberdeen Railway proposed a route passing through Forfar and Brechin; however, the final legislation established a connection with the Arbroath and Forfar Railway (A&FR) at Guthrie, located roughly halfway between Arbroath and Forfar. This adjustment minimized the length of newly constructed track but necessitated converting the A&FR's gauge. The route was planned to run west of Montrose before following the coastline to Aberdeen, including branch lines to Montrose and Brechin. The Aberdeen Railway intended to lease the A&FR. The authorised capital amounted to £830,000, and the Aberdeen Railway Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c. cliii) was granted royal assent on 31 July 1845, coinciding with approvals for the Caledonian Railway, Scottish Central Railway (SCR), and Scottish Midland Junction Railway (SMJR).

The leasing of the A&FR received formal approval and was promptly negotiated by the Aberdeen Railway Company, culminating in a perpetual lease agreement by late 1845.

Initial construction and opening phases

Construction commenced without delay, leading to the opening on 1 February 1848 of the sections from the A&FR junctions to Montrose and Brechin—both branch lines. Brechin was served via Bridge of Dun; Montrose via Dubton, which at that time marked the northern extremity of the authorised main line. At this stage, only 17 miles (27 km) of track had been completed.

The locations of stations at Brechin and Montrose generated controversy. Brechin’s station was situated nearer to the town than originally intended; Montrose initially operated from a temporary facility at Victoria Bridge until its permanent terminus opened on 8 February 1850. Although locals praised Montrose station as "the roomiest and best [station] in the northern part of the kingdom," it underwent reconstruction in 1864.

Financial difficulties soon confronted the Aberdeen Railway Company, requiring an additional £300,000 to proceed amid adverse commercial conditions. At an October 1848 shareholders’ meeting, a potential acquisition by the London and North Western Railway was considered but ultimately declined. Instead, preference shares were issued pursuant to the Aberdeen Railway Act 1848 (11 & 12 Vict. c. lxvii), mainly offered to existing investors. With funding secured, construction advanced northward: reaching Limpet Mill on 30 October 1848 and Portlethen on 13 December 1849. Passenger services over this expanded section commenced on 1 February 1850.

Difficulties in Aberdeen

The company encountered disputes with the Burgh of Aberdeen regarding terminal site selection; although Market Street was initially chosen, they had to settle for a temporary terminus at Ferryhill, located outside the city centre. The first steam locomotive arrived at Ferryhill on 16 March 1850, with public train operations beginning on 1 April 1850.

The independent Deeside Railway, constructing its line from Banchory, also faced challenges gaining access to Aberdeen. By arrangement, it utilized Aberdeen Railway’s Ferryhill terminus upon opening on 7 September 1853.

The permanent terminal in Aberdeen, named "Guild Street," opened on 2 August 1854. This extension involved crossing the River Dee via a laminated timber bridge design that was later reconstructed during the 1880s due to structural concerns. As the Great North of Scotland Railway increased in prominence, a larger joint station was developed and inaugurated on 4 November 1867 following Caledonian Railway’s acquisition of the Aberdeen Railway Company. The station’s designation changed from Aberdeen Joint Station to simply Aberdeen in 1952.

The Arbroath link

The regauging of the line was originally planned to align with the construction of the main line but was postponed due to budget limitations. Although the initial intention was to convert the existing track, it became apparent that the stone block track could not support main line demands. Consequently, a new standard gauge track was installed parallel to the old one, utilizing timber sleepers and wrought iron rails. This necessitated either modification or replacement of locomotives and rolling stock.

The Aberdeen main line connected through a triangular junction: the northern point at Glasterlaw, the southern (Arbroath) point at Friockheim, and the western point at Guthrie. Initially, the Guthrie branch was incomplete and not operational. The majority of Aberdeen Railway traffic used this Guthrie curve to travel to Perth via Forfar and the Scottish Midland Junction Railway. Traffic bound for Dundee frequently passed through Forfar and the Dundee and Newtyle Railway; until October 1849, this line maintained its distinctive gauge, requiring transshipment for several years. From 12 February 1851 until 31 July 1854, operations of the Aberdeen Railway were managed by the Scottish Central Railway.

The Scottish North Eastern Railway

On 29 July 1856, under the Scottish North Eastern Railway Act 1856, the Aberdeen Railway merged with the Scottish Midland Junction Railway to establish the Scottish North Eastern Railway (SNER), which took control of the route between Perth and Aberdeen.

Parliament, cautious about dominant railway companies, granted extensive running rights over much of the northern network to the North British Railway (NBR). In 1871, NBR received approval to construct a line from St Vigeans to Kinnaber Junction via Montrose, enabling access to Aberdeen along what had been the Aberdeen Railway route.

The Scottish North Eastern Railway was absorbed by the Caledonian Railway on 10 August 1866.

The Caledonian Railway and subsequent developments

The Caledonian Railway operated a principal network stretching from Carlisle to Aberdeen, emphasizing long-distance passenger services and heavy freight traffic. Its competitor, the North British Railway, developed a route through Edinburgh and Dundee to Aberdeen, utilizing Caledonian tracks under parliamentary running powers for its final approach into the city.

Rivalry over prestigious traffic culminated in notable competitions in 1888 and 1895 between these companies, famously termed the Railway Race to the North. Kinnaber Junction served as a critical juncture for these contests, marking where routes converged en route to Aberdeen.

Following the Railways Act 1921, in 1923, the Caledonian Railway was incorporated into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), while the North British Railway became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), maintaining their rivalry though on a smaller scale.

After nationalisation in 1948, these railways were unified within the Scottish Region. Despite reductions in passenger and freight volumes by the mid-1960s, both routes into Aberdeen remained open until it was decided to retain solely the LNER route via Dundee, Arbroath, and Montrose. Consequently, Glasgow-Aberdeen services were redirected through Perth and Dundee in 1967.

The segment from Kinnaber Junction to Aberdeen continues in use for East Coast services. Moreover, since 1993 a heritage section of the Brechin branch has operated under Caledonian Railway Brechin Ltd.

Current operations

The route connecting Aberdeen and Kinnaber Junction is still in use, with passenger trains managed by ScotRail. A limited number of direct services to London are provided by London North Eastern Railway. Furthermore, the Caledonian Sleeper offers an overnight service to London Euston.

The segment running between Brechin and Bridge of Dun is preserved as a heritage railway and operated by the Caledonian Railway (Brechin).

On 12 August 2020, a derailment occurred near the site of the former Carmont railway station, tragically resulting in the deaths of three individuals: the driver, conductor, and a passenger.

Topography

Passenger stations currently open are highlighted in bold.

  • Aberdeen: Joint station inaugurated on 4 November 1867
  • Aberdeen Guild Street station; commenced operations on 2 August 1854; closed on 4 November 1867 following the opening of the Joint Station
  • Ferryhill; opened 1 April 1850; ceased operations on 2 August 1854 when the line extended to Guild Street
  • Cove; began service on 1 April 1850; renamed Cove Bay in 1912; closed on 11 June 1956
  • Portlethen; initially opened on 1 February 1850; closed on 11 June 1956; reopened on 17 May 1985
  • Newtonhill; opened in 1851; shut down on 11 June 1956
  • Muchalls; started service on 1 February 1850; closed on 4 December 1950
  • Limpet Mill; opened as a temporary terminus on 1 November 1849; closed on 1 April 1850 when the line was extended to Aberdeen
  • Stonehaven; operational since 1 November 1849
  • New Mill Offset; opened September 1855; renamed Newmill Siding in 1866, Newmill in 1891, Carmont in 1912; closed on 11 June 1956
  • Drumlithie; opened on 1 November 1849; closed on 11 June 1956
  • Fordoun; started service on 1 November 1849; ceased operations on 11 June 1956
  • Laurencekirk; inaugurated on 1 November 1849; closed on 4 September 1967; reopened on 18 May 2009
  • Marykirk; opened on 1 November 1849; shut down on 11 June 1956
  • Craigo; began service in February 1851; closed on 11 June 1956
  • Dubton; trailing junction from Montrose; opened on 1 February 1848; closed on 4 August 1952
  • Bridge of Dun; facing junction towards Brechin; opened on 1 February 1848; occasionally referred to as Bridge of Dun Junction; closed on 4 September 1967
  • Farnell Road; commenced operations on 1 February 1848; closed on 11 June 1956
  • Glasterlaw; opened on 1 February 1848; closed March 1849; reopened September 1880; finally closed on 2 April 1951; facing junction towards next station
  • Guthrie Junction and Friockheim Junction, connecting with the Arbroath and Forfar Railway line

Branches:

  • Montrose station; opened possibly temporarily on 1 February 1848; closed on 30 April 1934 when services were rerouted to the former North British Railway station
  • Brechin station; opened on 1 February 1848; ceased operations on 4 August 1952

Connections to other lines

Additional reading

O S Nock, The Railway Race to the North, Ian Allan Ltd, Shepperton, 1958

External links

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