A brief history of time

The Formartine and Buchan Way  was established as  a recreational footpath and cycle way in 1987 and follows the route of the old railway line from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh and Peterhead. It now provides a 'wildlife corridor' and as such is of particular interest to Grey Granite.

Grey Granite first travelled the route in her carry cot in July 1951, the first of her annual rail journeys from England to Buchan for holidays in Rosehearty which continued until Dr Beeching's axe fell in 1965. She has always regarded the line with great affection and now that she has opportunity to follow her own inclinations has resolved to walk the length of the line accompanied by Rufus, her Border Terrier. It is their intention to complete the walk in short stages during the 150th anniversary year of the opening of the first section of the line. This blog will record these expeditions and the  wildlife encountered during the walks with notes on places of interest along the route.

Approval to build a railway line from Dyce to Peterhead with a branch at Mintlaw to Fraserburgh was granted to The Formartine and Buchan Railway Company on the 23rd July 1858 when  the Formartine and Buchan Railway Act was passed. The 29 mile stretch joining Dyce and Mintlaw (Old Deer) was opened 3 years later on 18th July 1861 with the remaining 13 miles to Peterhead following a year later on  3rd July 1862. The 15 mile Fraserburgh branch took a further 3 years before opening on  24th April 1865.

The line was operated by the Great North of Scotland Railway Company (GNSR) which was incorporated into the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923 before becoming part of the nationalised railway system (British Rail) on 1st January 1948.


Lord Beeching's cuts of the early 1960's condemned the line to closure with the last regular passenger trains running to Peterhead in May 1965 and to Fraserburgh in October 1965. Freight trains used the line to Peterhead until September 1970, and to Fraserburgh until October 1979.