HATTON & STATION SITE
(UPDATE 2017)
Hatton
Station Layout. (NLS)
Hatton Station Hotel. There are some old pictures to be seen in the lounge. I'm standing on what would have been the station track, or the old bridge.
According to the Hotel proprietor the new road here, and into Station Road has returned to it's original spot prior to the railway being built. The road
in front of the Hotel was the main road when the railway existed. One of my memories of visting Boddam in the 40's & early 50's is of the bus, coming
in from Aberdeen, stopped in front of the hotel, which was also a 'watering' stop. While the bus waited I recall looking down on the station, whichwas pretty muchintact with the track still in place. The road in front of the station was the main road then and the village road crossed over the
railway bridge, while the bus headed north to Boddam. Another memory is of passing under a bridge and looking up and seeing a gang of men
and some wagons. This would have been when they were actually picking up the track in 1950. .
Hatton Goods Shed. This is the
only remaining GNSR Goods Shed, and in the original colours too. I was
told by the people living in the Station House that the owner of the
station site plans to demolish the shed.
It would be criminal to totally destroy it and would hope that it
would be offered to a railway preservation group such
as the Royal Deeside Society.
Right: Hatton Goods Shed is still in GNSR Green. An
interesting link with the old railway.
The down station platform and
buildings would have been on the flat ground to the left. Right:
Hatton Goods Shed. The building on the right is built right up to the
goods platform edge. The station was on the
left of the goods shed, which is now the new road. Perhaps a bit ironic
in that the bus stop and shelter now stand on this spot.
Hatton Mill (1849). Now a hotel and Lounge Bar. Right: View from the overgrown station yard towards the village.
The station was to the left of the shed on which the road and the trees seen here now are. Right: Is this the original station entrance or where the old road used to be! The road passed in front of the hotel
and immediately crossed the railway on to Boddam or intostation road. The hotel road is now a side road.
Apart from the Goods Shed the Goods Platform edge was the only other part of the old station remaining at this time. The modern building is built on the track bed and alongside the length of the good's
platform. Sadly, this platform is no more, now under a housing estate..
009RailwayShovelHattonStnSite.jpgOld sleepers and Track Clip sack. Is this a railway shovel!
Railing
Finals. They are very well designed and finished and I wonder if they
were really part of the station.
It is of a very delicate design and the metal finely smoothed with intricate detail.
Station Road. The station was on the left. Simmer's Bakery is seen up ahead. It was famous for it's meat pies. I visited the shop and was pleased to find that they were still serving up these great pies and enjoyed a few
moments sitting in the park on the left enjoying one along with a nice drink. Right: Simmers Of Hatton Bakery. Still known for their Butter Biscuits and Scotch Pies.
Left: The river Cruden running towards Cruden Bay. Right: Hatton/Cruden School.
Hatton Station House. The man living in the house just out of sitght on the far left is the grandson of the last Hatton Stationmaster.
Update: 2017. The station site is now a small modern housing estate. So, they have made sure the station can never return to this site ever again.
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From Google Earth. Nice new homes for a fair
number of families. However, a very sad sight for railway lovers.
Nothing whatsoever left of the railway and station.
Plus its' quite obvious that the railway can never return to this site
any more. New thinking will have o be done should the branch ever come
up for reopening.
The station was immdiately to the left. The station more wherethe Bus stop is today, with the road bridge just up ahead, where the line ran at an angle to reach the
track bed which is in the line of trees on thr right of the road. The station Hotel is on the right by the original road
Looking south from Station Road. No more Goods Shed and Goods loading platform.
The new tarred road is on what was the main road into the station forecourt.=========================================================================