The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Final ‘Royal Line’ day remembered
As crowds thronged at Ballater to clamber on the train to Aberdeen Joint Station, there was poignancy to the number on the front of the engine – 2B.
In this case, it was not to be.
For this was the last passenger train along the Deeside railway, on February 26 1966, trundling along the tracks of the “Royal Line” graced by monarchs from Queen Victoria onwards.
It was axed in the swingeing Beeching cuts of the 1960s.
Among those taking the historic day trip to Ballater and back on the line’s last day 55 years ago was Keith Jones, then a teenager, today a respected railway historian. He still remembers the day well.
“I went up on the morning train and came back on an afternoon train,” he said.
“I was 17… when you are interested in railways, it was really quite common for all the local railway enthusiasts to turn out on the last day of operation for a farewell journey.
“But it was sad to see the end of an era on the Deeside line.”
There was a real sense of occasion on the day the line closed, almost exactly 100 years after it opened – as reported in The Press and Journal.
Ironically, the end of the line for Deeside gave Ballater station one of its busiest days, after years of dwindling numbers.
The P&J reported a “rueful” veteran railman surveying the crowds and saying: “Just half of all this when the line was still running and it would not be closing tonight.”
Other station staff were reported as saying there had been “nothing like it since the arrival of the Glasgow evacuees during the war” and it was “worse than an Aberdeen holiday”.
During the day, Ballater – and other stations along the line – were besieged by railway enthusiasts buying everything that could be moved, such as pictures, chairs, lamps, signs and other equipment.
Stationmaster W Stewart told The P&J: “There is not a seat left on Deeside. We have been mobbed all day, particularly by youngsters.”
Throughout the day, trains to and from the Granite City were packed, with queues building up at the ticket office.
The last train down the track to the Aberdeen Joint Station – with five coaches instead of the normal two – was seen off by a huge crowd.
Mr Stewart sent it on its way with a peal from the station’s handbell, as old as the station itself at 100 years.
The P&J poetically summed up the atmosphere at the end of the historic night in Ballater.
The paper stated: “The lights in the signal cabin went out, the lights in the station went out, the doors were closed and everyone went home, leaving the silent station to its ghosts.”
Even today, 55 years after it closed, there are fond memories of the Deeside railway.
“I suppose it’s that connection to royalty and beautiful scenery and a nice, relaxed way of seeing the countryside,” said Keith.
“It was probably thanks to the railway that Ballater and Deeside developed as a tourist area.
“For many years on Aberdeen holidays and high days, people would take the train up to Ballater.
“This was before you could go off to the sun for your holidays, and probably a trip up to Ballater was a highlight of many people’s year.”