Buchan Line

The 29-mile railway from Aberdeen Dyce to Mintlaw opened in July 1861, followed by the 13-mile section from Maud to Peterhead the following year. A 15-mile section north to Fraserburgh opened in April 1865.

The line was built by the Formartine and Buchan Railway Company, which was subsumed by the Great North of Scotland Railway (GNoSR) in July 1866. In August 1897, GNoSR opened a section from Ellon to Boddam. Finally, in July 1903, a branch from Fraserburgh to St Combs was constructed.

Most of the promoters were farmers wanting a line to transport produce and livestock to market. Since investment was sought from local landowners, their requests for the lines to be placed either away from or near to their land were catered for. But for the objections of The Earl of Aberdeen, several more stations would have been constructed.

Traffic was seasonal. When the herring fisheries were active, whale and seal oil was being landed, and at harvest time the line was busy with freight. Summer passenger trains ran for holidaymakers.

The area is prone to heavy winter snowfalls - in 1960, a train was stuck for 24 hours in a cutting at Newmachar.

Passenger services were withdrawn in 1965, as part of the Beeching cuts. Freight trains ran to Peterhead until 1970 and to Fraserburgh until 1979. The track was subsequently lifted and much of the route now forms the Formartine and Buchan Way, a long-distance footpath.