Railways of Buchan, by Keith Fenwick, Douglas Flett
Booklet published by the Great North of Scotland Railway Association. Paperback, 96 pages (N8420)
From the introduction: Formartine and Buchan, two of the ancient Scottish provinces, form the north east shoulder of Scotland. Characterised by rolling countryside, never very high but with many ridges and hollows, it is always exposed to the wind. After centuries of hard work the area now contains some of the best agricultural land in Scotland and is renowned in particular for producing fine beef cattle. At one time it was said that the farmsteads could be seen from a distance as they often had trees planted for shelter but since the end of the First World War there has also been a considerable increase in the amount of woodland, particularly on the poorer ground to the north, which has helped to soften the former rather bleak appearance.
A few miles south of Fraserburgh, Mormond Hill, 769 feet high, overlooks the countryside. The hill itself has two well known landmarks carved into its surface - a horse on the south-west slope and a deer on the south-east. Sadly the summit ridge is now defaced by an array of radio equipment. Small harbours around the coast are still used for recreation but they are overshadowed by the large harbours at Fraserburgh and Peterhead. Even today despite quota restrictions, fishing still plays a big part in the local economy while the discovery of oil in the North Sea has had a major impact.
Buchan was not easy country for the railway builders since any route running north from Aberdeen had to cross the valleys of the Don and Ythan. Beyond the River Ythan the terrain became somewhat easier but the engineers were still faced with frequent rises and falls resulting from earlier glaciation. Moreover, settlements were well dispersed over the area, so whichever route was chosen would favour some over others. Sections include:
Early Schemes and Contests
Opening to Peterhead
The Fraserburgh Branch
Later Proposals and Developments
Along the Line to Peterhead
The Branches Described
Signalling
Train Services
Fish Traffic
Locomotives
Snow
RunDown
Life After the Trains
The condition of the book is generally excellent. There is an old price printed and a small price sticker, both on the rear side cover.
| Condition | New |