Saturday 7 February 2009

2D STRATHSPEY RAILWAY


The Strathspey Railway extended the Dufftown branch through to Boat of Garten, where it would link up with the Highland Railway line from Aviemore to Forres. After amalgamation of the early lines, Boat of Garten would become one of four points where the neighbouring Highland Railway and GNoSR systems were linked - the others being at Elgin, Keith and Portessie.

The line from Dufftown to Abernethy was authorised in 1861 and opened in 1863. The extension to Boat of Garten was authorised in 1865 and opened in 1866, when the line was amalgamated with the GNoSR.

The western section from Boat of Garten to Craigellachie closed to passengers in 1965, with the Dufftown section losing its passenger service in 1968. The line closed completely from Boat of Garten to Aberlour in 1968 but goods services ran between Dufftown and Aberlour until 1971.

STRATHSPEY RAILWAY

Authorised
Dufftown - Abernethy: 17/5/1861
Boat of Garten extension: 5/7/1865
Amalgamated with the GNoSR: 1/8/1866

Opened
Dufftown - Abernethy (Nethy Bridge): 1/7/1863
Abernethy - Boat of Garten (jn): 1/8/1866
New junction at Boat of Garten: 1/6/1868*

*: The original junction was 2m north of Boat of Garten station (HR). Traffic over this junction was suspended on 3/3/1868 and a new junction laid to the station, O 1/6/1868.

Closed
Boat of Garten - Craigellachie
18/10/65 (passengers)
Dufftown - Craigellachie*
6/5/68 (passengers)
Boat of Garten - Aberlour
4/11/68 (goods/completely)
Dufftown - Aberlour
15/11/71 (goods/completely)

Stations
136 STRATHSPEY JUNCTION (P 6/5/68 G/CC 4/11/68)
(RN CRAIGELLACHIE 1/6/1864)
137 ABERLOUR (P 18/10/65 G/CC 15/11/71)
138 DAILUIANE HALT (P/CC 18/10/65) no goods
139 CARRON
(P 18/10/65 G/CC 4/11/68)
140 IMPERIAL COTTAGES HALT
(P/CC 18/10/65) no goods
141 KNOCKANDO HOUSE HALT** (P/CC unknown) no goods
142 GILBEY'S COTTAGES HALT
(P/CC 18/10/65) no goods
143 DALBEALLIE
(P 18/10/65 G/CC 4/11/68)
(RN KNOCKANDO 1/5/05)
144 BLACKSBOAT (G 2/11/59 P/CC 18/10/65)
(unstaffed from 2/11/59)

145 BALLINDALLOCH (P 18/10/65 G/CC 4/11/68)
146 ADVIE***
(G 2/11/59 P/CC 18/10/65)
147 DALVEY (P/CC 1/9/1868) no goods
148 DAVEY FARM HALT
(P/CC 18/10/65) no goods
149 CROMDALE
(P 18/10/65 G/CC 4/11/68)
150 GRANTOWN
(P 18/10/65 G/CC 4/11/68)
(RN GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY 1/6/12, GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY EAST 5/6/50)
151 BALLIFURTH FARM HALT
(P/CC 18/10/65) no goods
152 ABERNETHY (G 25/1/65 P/CC 18/10/65)
(RN NETHY BRIDGE 1/11/1867. Unstaffed from 11/9/61)

*: Passenger services were withdrawn between Elgin and Keith via Craigellachie on this date.
**: Originally Knockando until 1/5/05 when Dalbeallie was renamed. Unadvertised private platform.
***: Resited three-quarters of a mile nearer Cromdale 1/9/1868.

Station openings
The main stations on the line O 1/7/1863, followed by Knockando in 1869, an unadvertised platform RN Knockando House Halt in 1905, and Dalbeallie in 1899.

The LNER opened a distillery halt at Dailuaine in 1934 and British Railways opened a number of railbus halts in 1959 at Imperial Cottages, Gilbey's Cottages, Dalvey Farm and Ballifurth Farm.

Closures
Dalvey, spelled Dalvie in early timetables, closed in 1868 and there is no record of when Knockando House Halt was closed.
Blacksboat and Advie closed to goods in 1959 and Nethy Bridge in January 1965.
Fourteen intermediate stations closed to passengers in 1965 when passenger trains were withdrawn, and the five halts, along with Blacksboat, Advie and Nethy Bridge, closed completely from this time.
Craigellachie, Carron, Knockando, Ballindalloch, Cromdale and Grantown-on-Spey East all closed completely in 1968 when goods services were withdrawn between Aberlour and Boat of Garten.
Aberlour closed completely in 1971 when goods services were withdrawn between Aberlour and Dufftown.

PICTURE: Craigellachie station in 1981 taken from the Boat of Garten platform, looking towards Dufftown (John G Williamson)

No comments:

Post a Comment