Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway

As the railway network further south took shape, Aberdeen was connected to the south by the Aberdeen Railway, in 1850. Already consideration had been given to further railway routes in that part of Scotland, and this resulted in the Great North of Scotland Railway (GNoSR) being given its authorising act of Parliament, the Great North of Scotland Railway Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. ciii), on 26 June 1846.

At that time there were ideas that this could be supplemented by a long branch line through Oldmeldrum and Turriff to Macduff and Banff, but it was seen that at this early date, financing such a line would not be possible. In October 1853 the GNoSR decided to encourage local interested parties to promote a branch line to Banff, and there was a further meeting on 23 October 1854.

As the scheme was developed it became obvious that available finance would enable the line to be built only as far as Turriff, a distance of 18 miles, forming a junction with the GNoSR at Inveramsay. It was submitted to the 1855 session of Parliament; the GNoSR agreed to take £40,000 of shares in the new company, and to work it for 50% of gross receipts. The Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway was authorised by the Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict. c. lvii) on 15 June 1855, with capital of £120,000.

The engineer was John Gibb and Son and the contractor for the construction of the line was John Brebner of Aberdeen; he was to be paid £109,550 for the work.

Colonel Yolland carried out an inspection for the Board of Trade in September 1857 and found everything acceptable, so the line was opened to the public on 5 September 1857.

Passenger train services

Train services in the early days were three (or for brief periods four) round trips daily. None of the passenger trains ran beyond Inveramsay. By 1895 there were five trains each way daily, and that pattern continued until closure. However the 1938 public (Bradshaw) timetable shows an additional Sunday round trip, running from Macduff to Wartle only.

Locations

Inveramsay; opened 5 September 1857; closed 1 October 1951;

Wartle; opened 5 September 1857; closed 1 October 1951;

Rothie; opened 5 September 1857; renamed Rothie -Norman 1 March 1870; closed 1 October 1951;

Accidents

A fatal accident took place on the line on 27 November 1882, as the 4:20 p.m. mixed train from Macduff to Inveramsay was crossing the Inverythan Road Bridge, between Auchterless and Fyvie. The train was formed with five goods wagons and a brake van in front of four passenger coaches. The engine and the first two wagons crossed the bridge, but one of the wagons had derailed, and the remaining four goods vehicles and the first two passenger coaches fell 30 feet to the roadway, and were completely destroyed.

Five passengers were killed, and 18 others injured. An examination of the wreckage revealed a manufacturing defect in one of the cast iron girders of the bridge, which suffered brittle fracture and collapsed.

A derailment took place at Wartle on 2 July 1885; two passengers and the train guard were injured. The Board of Trade inspecting officer, Colonel Marindin, found that the immediate cause was distortion of the track, and that the distortion was probably caused by expansion of the rails in the summer heat. There was no evidence that fishplates had been greased to allow for this.