ELLON STATION
Updated November 11th 2008
This
is a great view of Ellon station in 1906. It shows passengers on the
footbridge either to leave the station, catch the train on
the
Down platform for stations to Peterehad and Fraserburgh, or to Aberdeen
from the Up platform, where as small group already
wait.
A coach or luggage van is at the Boddam platform. The locomotive on the
right is on a train and appears to be arriving from
either
Boddam or the Maude line. It's a shame the character on the right is
blurred as he is either one of the station staff or a
driver
or shunter. He stands confidently close to the edge of the platform
awaiting his next turn of duty.
Ellon
Station 1955. Very much in situe. The Boddam junction would still have
been connected as it was used for
storing
old coaches and wagons for some years. It was said to be one long
train of wagons, with gaps between
farm
crossings. (GNSR Collecton)
Ellon
station and goods yard. The rundown has began. There being no signals on
the running line or in the yard, apart
from
a ground protecting signal. The Station Hotel is on the far left, with
the down platform and station building.
The
water tank is at the north end of the platform. Two water columns stand
at the south end of the island platform.
The
Boddam branch junction may still be intact as wagons were stored
on the line until the early 60's.
(Author
unknown).
The deserted 'down'
platform, partly hidden in massive overgrowth today, with a large
block of flats built up to the platform edge.
The large island platform reduced to single line to and from
Fraserburgh, with the ex Boddam branch on the left side of the
platform.
The goods yard is still quite extant but already starting to
disappear under numerous industrial units. The line and curve where
the
Boddam branch went off to the north of the station has already
been built upon by a large industrial unit.
The footbridge has also gone. (John McKintyre)
A view from the DMU on a 1970's Special as
it approaches the Island Platform at Ellon.The large overall roof on
what was the
'up' platform and the arrival & departure platform for
the Boddam trains shows how well the station buildings were designed and
built mainly for thebenefit of Cruden Bay Hotel customers. The buildings
on the down platform (left) were far more sparse, with a
basic design used for most of the larger stations on the Formartine
& Buchan Railway. The Water tank no longer sits on top
of the cystern building. (John
McKintyre).
Below are cropped photos from John's originals giving closer detail of the platforms and buildings
The
grand canopy looking rather dejected and awaiting demolition shortly
after this event. You can just make out the cut-out
along
the platform edge where the signal cables and angle joints were.
The
down platform for Peterhead and Fraserborough. The wooden pillared
entrance to the station building was
similar to
a number of stations on the Buchan lines, such as at Mintlaw.
The goods yard is quickly disappearing under an industrial
estate.. However. As the throught end of the yard is still
quite clear and the island platform more or less complete it could
well be used for a reopened station.
My thanks to John McIntyre for the use of his photos that were taken during the "Buchan Belle" DMU railtour to Fraserburgh in June 1974.