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Quarry Line To Cruden Bay

(Update 19th Sept. 2016 and October 2016)

Returning to the mainline track bed I continued towards Buller's. It looked as if the track bed would go on forever and the railway easily reopened if the thought was there.
However, I was stopped from getting there on the track bed by a garden fence and the line being blocked on the other side of the railway bridge by a Sawmill that had taken
over the ground right up to the railway perimeter. Walking this section of track bed was quite comfortable and a real pleasure in the sunny conditions of the day, but with
so much long grass it really needs to be nice and dry, as it was in this instance. You do need to tread carefully as there is some rough ground and the odd pothole that
could catch you out.

 


Map. From the Bullars Halt Site towards Longhaven..

 
An attractive tree-lined edging to the wide track bed as it goes towards Cruden Bay.  Right: A long right hand curve led me up to the dead end where the owner of the house up ahead has
fenced off the railway.

   
From the same spot, looking back towards Boddam. Is that a train whistle I hear!        Right: The 'road' block. The only way out was to climb over the fence on the right and walk along the
                                                                                                                                                  edge of the field, where thankfully a break in the fencing by the railway bridge allowed me to get out.

   
The bridge looks quite good from this side. The well-groomed garden probably helps to keep people at bay. Right: The view from the bridge towards Boddam shows a neat scene and a
very pleasant modern house. The garden has been extended by back-filling the low cutting towards the bridge Behind the house on the left you can see the stone structure by the quarry
track bed and to the right the quarry area.

   
The view towards Cruden Bay. The saw mill has blocked my progressing towards Bullars. The only thing was to walk around the main road, which is a fair little walk compared to the
direct distance on the track bed. Right: 
The western side of the railway bridge tells a different story. Both stone and metal work are badly corroded. Again, I asked permission to enter
the grounds. Update: You can get through to the track bed but you will have to ask permission at the Saw Mill.

   
Ditto.                                                                          Right: Back on the main road with the railway embankment running towards Bullars where it comes to another abrupt end.


An interesting culvert below the embankment that lads to North Haven by the North Sea just
ahead. There is an interesting mix of dressed granite and red brick used for the tunnel.
I tried to get up onto the track bed but it was just too difficult on both sides. The path leads
 to the Bullars.
Update: I have since found that you can get up onto then track bed from
the other side. There is an opening on the right.

 
At the road junction for the Buller's O'Buchan the railway has virtually been wiped away for about half of a mile. The buttment is in quite good condition but some of the outer stones are getting to a stage
where they could fall from their settings.
  Right: The embankment from the north west side, looking towards Boddam. You can see the Sawmill, and there is also a fence blocking the track bed,
but which doesn't look impossible to pass.  Update. I have since found that you can get past the fence.

Buller's Halt stood a little way to the left of this scene, where the track bed has been completely demolished. 
The trackbed runs towards Boddam. The Sawmill is seen in the background.
   This side road takes visitors
to the Bullers O'Buchan .


Left: The site of Bullers O' Buchan Halt and the over-bridge before the south embankment was removed and the new road bypassing this spot. It must have been quite a dangerous corner for road traffic
and of course, for hight limitation for lorries. The Halt was on the embankment to the left, just out of site.   Right: Present day setting. The S bend in the old road is still the same. The new, wider road
runs along the darker green strip running horizontally just behind. You can see the roof of the house behind the embankment to the right of the embutment in both photos. Likewise, the white house
seen center  left in my photo is also, just, seen to the left of the embutment in Ben's photo. Likewise, the field beyond the S Bend in the distance is still being cultivated today.

 
Looking back at the remains of the road bridge, with the quarry in the background. This was approximately the site of Buller's Halt, which stood on the removed embankment. The power station
chimney at Boddam can be seen in the distance, as well as the Sawmill chimney.
  Right: The track bed is seen winding its way into the distance. The quarry link can just be made out as it runs to
the quarry to the far right. Again, the Power Station chimney at Boddam is seen.

Update Sept. & October 2016

I managed to return to this site and to walk over the track bed northwards to where it is cut-off by the Saw Mill and back again. From here I walked over the the Bullar's and the small hamlet.
I returned to the old road and walked down towards Cruden Bay, past the site of the old Halt where I got back onto the track before a short distance. My aim was to walk the track bed down
to the road junction at Cruden Bay but the way is blocked by the meeting of three field fences, so had to return back to the over bridge and onto the main road. However, instead of walking
the road I decided to take the path leading to the ruins of Slain's Castle and the path down into Port Erroll village.


On the embankment appx. half way between the Saw Mill (Behind) and the site of Bullars Halt.


This wide view shows how much of the south side over the over bridge and it's embankment has been removed.


View from the southern end of the embuttment, showing the new road curving past the site of Bullers Halt and where it cuts off the
embankment. The plastic bales stand on the track bed. Just as the halt served the Bullars a modern bus stop on the Aberdeen-Peterhead
service does the same job today. This was very conveniant to me as this is where I got off the bus from Aberdeen to start my walks.


The new road by the site of Bullars Halt and where it cuts the railway off. Shows how the embankment and south side of the railway bridge has
been demolished.

Half way on the embankment, looking southwards towards Bullar's Halt site and to Cruden Bay.


Above the culvert bridge that leads to North Haven. This was fenced off but is now passable. Top right you se the dome of the Boddam RAF base.
Directy ahead the track bed is cut off by the Sawmill and the back-filled over bridge.


The culvert below the track bed. This leads on a rough track from the AA90 to North Haven & the
Bullars O' Buchan.


From North Haven. The culvert with the track bed running from left to right across the top. Taken from the path half way from the Bullars.


A wide angle view from the path near North Haven & Bullars O' Buchan.


From close to the Saw Mill, the embankment runs southwards to the site of the halt then curving down to the farm over bridge and down to
Cruden Bay on the far right. The stack seen in the background is the remains of  Foutainblue Farm. Top right, you see the new road cutting
off the old road and the railway.

==================================================================

Continuing my walk from Longhaven where I rejoined the track bed by the old farm access over bridge.

 
The railway track bed is found again towards Cruden Bay. It ran off the embankment and became a shallow cutting before going below the bridge in the distance, towards Cruden Bay.

    
Left: This is where I first thought where the Halt had been . Right: This sight has all the feel of a railway station that fooled me when I first came across this site. 
This is on a rising gradient and the shallow cutting led to the embankment where the Halt stood.

 
Looking back towards Boddam. The path by the gate, running up to the main road had been a farm level crossing. Right: The bridge is in quite good condition but some of the ground on
the right is crumbling. This was simply a farm access bridge from the main road.

 
Central view, looking towards Cruden Bay

  
A view from the bridge, towards Boddam. Right: A view from the bridge, looking towards Cruden Bay, seen in the distance. The track bed is clear enough to walk up to the  treeline but from a
previous visit to that end of the line I knew that there was no easy way out, therefore I decided to walk the main road to the outskirts of the village.

Update. 17th Sept 2016

On this visit I attempted to try and walk the track bed as far as possible down to the Ex over bridge remains at the road junction for Peterhead and Aberdeen. Just before the site of
the old Brick Works. However, I only got about a quarter of the when my path was blocked at the site where three farms joined together and heavily fenced off. That was a
disappointment as I had to turn back towards the farm over bridge to get back onto the main road. However, even if I had been able to get to the Ex over bridge at the road junction I
couldn't be certain that I could get back down off the railway as seeing this from the ex over bridge on a previous vsit I was unable to get up on the track bed at that spot, so perhaps
it was for the best.


A view of the bridge on the Cruden Bay side. The bridge is gated and locked, which meant another
scramble to get back up to the main road and walk into Cruden Bay.


The south side of the farm access bridge. 


View from the over bridge. Northwards towards Boddam. Your eye is led to the plastic-covered bales that stand on the track bed
and beyond you see the embankment running northwards to the next station stop which was Longhaven.


View from the farm access over bridge. Southwards towards Cruden Bay. Ex Foutainblue farm to the left. Note the tall rushes which keep this section
very wet and boggy.

  
Two views of the farm access bridge from the main road.


A view, southwards from the over bridge. A discarded boat lays on the track bed up ahead. The track bed drops quite steeply and curves towards the gap
in the trees and the Ex road over bridge at the Fraserburgh-Peterhead road junction.


Telescopic view from the fence that stopped me getting down to the end of the track bed at
the road junction by the demolished over bridge. The high church appears closer than it
really  is, on the southern outskirts of the village.

====================================================

-

 Left: A telephoto view of the bridge from down the main road to Cruden Bay. The line ran in a cutting then on an embankment on the approach to Cruden Bay.
This is looking towards Boddam.
Right: A culvert close to the trees that blocks the way from walking the track bed to the demolished road bridge, as mentioned.

Update December 2016 (By Fraser Ross).

This fills cvers the section from the farm access bridge own to the Ex under bridge by the Fraserburgh-Peterhead road junction
that I didnt manage to get onto on my previous walk.


Looking northwards toward the farm access bridge in the distance.


The abandoned boat. 


North face of the culvert with the railway embankment above.


Cruden Bay Woods culvert.


The track bed is just about noticeable at this spot.

===============================================================================

TO CRUDEN BAY BRICK WORKS

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