Mintlaw to Longside

The 2.5 mile stretch of line from the main Fraserburgh Mintlaw (A952) road to Longside forms a pleasant but not particularly interesting walk. Unfortunately, the tranquility of the walk  is spoilt by the noise of traffic from the Longside Peterhead (A950) road which follows the Line closely along the valley of the South Ugie Water. 

There are several distance posts along the first part of the line.

The woods contain an interesting mix of trees. These include rowan, elder, ash, snowberry, guelder rose, dog wood, hawthorn, silver birch, cherry and the occasional conifer. There is a great sprawling tangle of roses which it is not possible to identify at present.

Guelder rose

An incredibly contorted hawthorn growing close to the crossing with the minor road to Moss of Longmuir

Bridge 718, close to a disused quarry, now a sawmill, retains remains of telegraph wires. This was the first railway line to be opened with telegraph wires along its entire length.

'The Howes o Buchan' refers to a distillery, Glen Ugie,  in this area which had recently (1865) been converted in to a sawmill, but gives the position as being on the left of the line going towards Mintlaw

Approaching Longside the track runs through uncultivated fields which look damp and were referred to in 'The Howe o'Buchan' as being  probably liable to flood. Here the line is on an embankment along which willows form a leafy tunnel. At the end of the willow tunnel there is a tangled bank which includes  patches of great mullein.

First view of Longside from the Line, looking across the Ugie. Beyond the tree is  the start of the 'flood plain' area

Just before Longside Station the walkway has a short diversion to enable the main road to be crossed. The steps which facilitate this are made of pink granite slabs and clearly show drill marks. This is close to Auchlee Bridge. Longside Golf Course is on the opposite bank of the river.

Beyond the bridge there is a steep embankment on the side of track furthest from the river, this is currently covered in greater bindweed and brambles. There are allotments between the track and the golf course. The station is very disappointing. Only the two overgrown platforms remain festooned in ivy leaved toadflax.

Fox and Cubs or  Orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum) brightens up the bed of the line in the station

The station platform looking towards Peterhead. The branch line to RNAS Lenabo (operational from1914-1919) ran roughly South for 3miles from slightly East of the station. Details may be found at http://www.forestry-memories.org.uk/picture/number373.asp

Looking along the platform from the East. On the North side there are large houses, the nearest with an amazing steel balcony overlooking the golf course, built close to the platform

Along much of this stretch the line passes through the flat countryside on a shallow embankment giving views across fields to Mormond Hill. At the point from which this picture was taken it is possible, with the eye of faith, to see both  the white horse and the stag at the same time. The branch line to Fraserburgh passes along the near side of the hill.

Abbey Bridge to Aden Park

The Line is already starting to look autumnal with reddening rowan berries and willowherb turning to seed

Grey Granite and Rufus joined the line at Abbey Bridge, where from 1932 to 1947 there was a short wooden platform for the use of pilgrims to Deer Abbey. This, according to an old photograph, resembled the wooden fishing platforms seen in Norway, and suggests that the pilgrims were not numerous. The OS map indicates an Abbey Kiln, currently not visible from the Line. the ruins of Deer Abbey, a small (15 monks at most) Cistercian foundation may be glimpsed through the trees.

A sapling, probably a pin oak, planted to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of Buchan Countryside Group, Deer Abbey is just visible in the background.

The Ugie flows between the Line and the Abbey ruins, this section has many trees including rowans, alders, ash, aspens, willows, oaks and pines. The estates of Pitfour and Saplinbrae House can be seen through the trees on the opposite bank of the Ugie. The occasional heron stalks the river bank. Above the sound of the river are frequent harsh screeches from peacocks on one of the estates.The sides of the track are covered in wildflowers including the ubiquitous willow herb, just turning to seed, violets, vetches, greater bird's foot trefoil and a patch of monkey flower. As the track approaches the village of Old Deer there is a signed footpath directing one to the village along the bank of  a burn . A network of paths is being developed in this area. 

Bridge 707 carries the road to Old Deer and Stuartfield over the line.

(Looking towards Deer abbey)

A footpath behind the beech trees on the left leads to the Old Deer road, lined with an avenue of magnificent beech trees, and to Aden Park

Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) a member of the willow herb family and less evil than its name suggests, grows in the shade of the bridge.

The stable yard at Aden Country Park

The Line continues beyond the bridge to an entrance to Aden Park. At this point the Line in interrupted by the main  road  (A950) which has to be crossed before continuing to Mintlaw Station.

Fraserburgh (Kirkton) to Rathen

Heather, properly ling, (Calluna vulgaris) on the line close to Philorth Halt

Even on a dull afternoon with intermittent attempts at rain there is much of interest even on the dullest section of the Line. There were swallows flying low over the fields, trawling for insects and gathering on the track side telegraph wires. Are they preparing to depart?. Near Rathen station there was fragrant honeysuckle to smell, dog rose hips starting to turn crimson and the flame colours of montbretia growing out of the platform.

Rufus enjoyed looking down on the Afghan hound at Knockmonean, catching small moths and starting a stampede of cattle.

Until 1926 Philorth Halt was a private station for the use of Lord Saltoun. Annabell,  the lady who now lives at the station, was brought up on the Philorth Estate and remembers when it was a working station. In addition to the single platform for passengers there was a goods siding and loading bay for cattle and goods going to and from the estate. This was on the Fraserburgh side of the halt and the platform at which the cattle were loaded may still be seen, the masonary is less well finished than on Lord Saltoun's platform and the level of the bay is slightly higher than the platform. The station had a central waiting room which opened on to the platform, accommodation for the agent, Mr Ritchie at the period Annabel recalls, and his family, storage room for workmens' tools and a small room with a fireplace for the use of railway workers. Annabel remembers travelling to school in Fraserburgh by train during the winter and on 'coorse' days in summer. To catch the train you had to go out on the platform and put your arm out, like catching a bus today. It was unusual for Lady Saltoun to catch the train but when she did so the agent's wife would warm the children to behave. The agent was also employed at Fraserburgh Station.

Cairnbulg Castle seat of the Frasers, Lords Saltoun, was extensively restored in the late Victorian era, as seen looking across the field from Philorth Halt.

Grey Granite was shown several rail 'chairs' which were left at the station when the line was removed.

Cast iron chair with remaining section of line. The small piece of hardwood, called a rail key, was used to wedge the rail in place. The rails were set in the chairs to lean at a slight angle so that the flaring proflie of the flanged wheel sat snugly on the head of the rail.

Cross section of a rail chair, the key would have been on the right.

Grey Granite does not yet know if this is a broken chair or a different type. It still retains the chair bolt with which it was fixed to the wooden sleeper.

Rufus was honoured to be given refreshment at the station and told to help himself in future should he be thirsty.

Maud to Deer Abbey

Maud Station at the junction of the lines from Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

Maud was also the junction of several roads. Originally the settlement was called Bank of Behitch after a natural embankment used by carters to unhitch horses. When the station was first opened in July 1861 it and the growing settlement became  Brucklay Junction before changing to New Maud, to distinguish it from nearby Auld Maud,  eventually becoming known just  as Maud.

This section of line follows the valley created by the South  Ugie Water. The track meanders along the valley bottom in several gentle bends, these make for a more interesting walk than the long straight sections on the Maud to Fraserburgh branch.

Along the track there are several interesting relics of the railway. There are many original cast iron fence posts. These were usually manufactured by Harper and Co of Aberdeen and some bear an inscription to this effect. There are occasional surviving mile posts, the example pictured indicates 32.5 miles from Aberdeen.

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A lengthman's hut, unlike wooden examples seen so far, this hut is constructed from concrete panels and probably dates from the 1950s

Rosebay willow herb growing by an occupation crossing, this led to a small stone quarry close to the track

Common toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

Along the track there is a range of  tree species including ash, mountain ash, elm, willow, elder, hawthorn and apple. Wild flowers include heartsease, scabious, bluebells, hardheads, vetches and willowherbs.

Mormond Stag

The section of line from Cortes (Smithyhillock to Mormond Halt) passes close to the East side of Mormond Hill and gives relatively good views of the, once white, stag cut into the white quartz of the hillside. The stag is currently very overgrown and is just visible on the right of the picture between the gorse and heather. The stag was cut  in 1870 at the behest of Mr F W Cordiner of Cortes Estate to commemorate his wedding and to rival the Strichen horse. Part of  a track is just discernible crossing this section of the hill, is this part of the old Strichen to Rathen corpse road?

The pond by the line just West of Smithyhillock was home to two families of water hens as we passed. In the cutting  near Knockiemore Bridge there are several conspicuous clumps of orpine growing on the shaded bank.

Orpine (Sedum telephium)

SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNICS

Grey Granite was talking to a friend who remembered taking the train from Fraserburgh Station to Philorth Halt for Sunday School picnics during the middle years of the 20th century. The excitement included walking down to the station to catch the train for the short, (1.5miles) journey to the halt. Here everyone would disembark from the train, steam in those days of course, and walk to a field in the Philorth Estate. During the afternoon there would be races and games. The picnic food was traditionally a hot pie and a ‘baggie’ containing 3 or 4 fancy pieces. A small glass bottle of lemonade with a ‘crown’ top, which had to be removed with a bottle opener, was also provided.

The train journey to Aberdeen during this period was described as very slow, mainly because the train ‘stopped at every hen hoose’.

Brucklay Bridge to Maud Junction

Between the new road bridge at Brucklay and Maud Junction the line is very overgrown, Grey Granite found the growth of trees and vegetation beyond the bridge impenetrable. She was disconcerted by a small red plastic object, the size of a disposable lighter, emitting a pulsating red light, lying half concealed on the track just beyond the bridge and judged it wise to retreat. At present there is a detour along the B9106 and A950  to Maud, this will be in place until an agreement between Aberdeenshire Council and neighbouring landowners is reached. This is likely to be concluded very shortly and will enable work on clearing the line to begin. Whilst Googling Brucklay Bridge Grey Granite came upon the photograph below on an amazingly useful and  comprehensive website:

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/

From which the photograph of the old Brucklay Bridge ,below is taken

'A last look at the A950 road over-bridge at Brucklay before demolition, looking south from the former station towards Maud Junction. Until recently this bridge was almost totally obscured at ground level by trees and vegetation.'(19.01.2008) (Railbrit)

This photograph, taken looking along the track towards Maud from the road bridge over the line at West Atherb, shows the extent of the track clearing to be undertaken. Grey Granite understands that this will involve obtaining Tree Felling Orders before it may commence.

Brucklay Station

Grey Granite and Rufus drove to Brucklay (road) Bridge and decided to walk back towards Strichen to connect with the point at which they turned back when they approached Brucklay from the opposite direction. The track curves gently towards an old bridge over the line a few hundred yards away from Brucklay Station. This carries a minor road linking the splendidly named Rumbling Pots and World’s End with Nether Aucheoch. There are what Grey Granite presumes to be old sidings overgrown with rosebay willow herb, young willows, silver birches and raspberries. On the bed of the railway is an extensive area of red bartisia (Odontites verna) which Grey Granite has not seen elsewhere on the Line. Beyond the bridge are embankments, a fence made of old sleepers behind which is a plantation of young conifers.

It was almost possible to imagine a train steaming along this section of line. Grey Granite was delighted to hear and later see a pair of magnificent buzzards wheeling above the trees and occasionally perching on the highest tree tops. Smaller species visiting a bird feeder close to the line in the garden of Pine Lodge were indifferent to the raptors. Grey Granite caught a glimpse of a woodpecker opposite the station.

Brucklay Station originally served Brucklay Estate and New Pitsligo and  was the scene of a fatal accident on 25th July 1889. George Fowlie, an elderly crofter, was killed as he unloaded wood in the middle goods siding. The 2.40 p.m. train from Fraserburgh to Aberdeen was running slightly late and was inadvertently diverted from the through line to the siding where it hit a row of parked wagons which disintegrated on impact. The engine was derailed and most of the carriages were damaged, although fortunately the crew and most of the 30 to 40 passengers escaped injury.  A subsequent inquiry cited the financial difficulties of the GNSR resulting in outmoded and dangerous operating techniques and a signalling error for the accident. Plus ca change.