The map shows the junction site and the quarry line
Ennstone Thistle Quarry sign. This quarry was served from a short branch near Longhaven
The railway bridge at Longhaven. Looking towards the main road, with Boddam off to the right
LONGHAVEN GOODS LOOP FOR QUARRY
Between
Buller's O' Buchan Halt and Longhaven Station there was a junction with a short
branch going into a granite quarry. Reading about the Boddam Branch you would
have thought that Fish was the mainstay of the line but as you learn more it is
obvious that Granite and Brick also played their part in making the line viable
during the early years. Likewise, most maps that I have seen over the years all
show this quarry as 'Disused' but, as I found when arriving there, it is still
active. This quarry should not be mistaken with Longhaven Quarry, close by the
station sit and which is still in operation but was not connected to the railway,
although it may have used the station for transport. I am not sure how old this
quarry is, therefore it may not have existed when
the line was was in use.
This
walk began at the railway bridge on the opposite side of the road from the Post
Office
at Longhaven (28) and then along the trackbed back towards Cruden Bay, with a
divergence where the short branch went to the quarry. The walk then continued back on the main trackbed and onto Cruden Bay.
The map shows the junction site and the quarry line
Ennstone Thistle Quarry sign. This quarry was served from a short branch near Longhaven
The railway bridge at Longhaven. Looking towards the main road, with Boddam off to the right
From the road bridge
looking down on the loop that went into the quarry. Just ahead on the left you
can see
the indent where the track entered a cutting towards the quarry but which has
been back-filled
The view towards
Longhaven and Boddam from the road bridge. The railway has been back-filled
and cattle graze above the trackbed
The bridge
maker's name plate (James Abernethy & Co. Aberdeen, 1895)
In this view the site of the quarry loop and spur
can just be made out on the left
The railway fencing at
the loop cutting. Looking towards Cruden Bay
The railway bridge by the
quarry junction. The trackbed is back-filled beyond the bridge. Longhaven
Station
was
about 3/4 of a mile to the north
The bridge from
trackbed level, looking towards Boddam with the infilled trackbed
A wider view showing
the narrowing of the trackbed from the quarry loop
Opposite view. The
quarry line branched off to the left. The railway fence marks the opening of the
cutting, while the
main trackbed runs towards Cruden Bay. It would be interesting to learn if there
had been a signalbox here to control
the branch, or if it operated from a groundframe. If a ground frame it would
have operated from the key on the
single-line token, which would have locked and unlocked the points. I remember
using this method over at
Esselmont on the Fraserburgh branch ,when we turned back from there on one turn.
The train would be mixed
enroute and most likely leave the wagons on the loop and enter the
quarry either as a light engine or
with empty stone wagons and return with the loaded wagons and reform the train at this
loop
Another view showing
how the quarry line came in from the right
The well defined
trackbed runs towards Bullar's O' Buchan Halt
The Radar Dome at
Boddam appears closer than it really is
The quarry line came
in from the extreme right and entered the quarry by the stone structure. This is
now the
main road into the quarry. It was at this point that I was able to walk
across the field to the quarry trackbed
A fine 'telephoto'
view from the quarry line, with Benachie in the background
The quarry trackbed
looking towards the junction with the mainline
This is the entrance
into the quarry. I would guess that the road has been raised since railway days
as it looks a bit steep for railway use
It would be
interesting to learn what this building was used for. A chimney, perhaps!
The old trackbed,
looking towards the junction, where trains arrived and departed. According to
Alan Sangster's
book 'The Story and Tales Of The Buchan Line' there were two sidings
within the quarry
I was surprised to
find such a large quarry. It has obvioulsy been well used over the years.
I wonder what great Buchan structures were built or dressed from this stone!
Having said that,
I believe the Trafalgar Square fountains are made from granite from this
quarry!
The pink shade of
Buchan granite certainly shows up
Is this where 'Nessie'
holes up for the winter!
This would have been
the sight of the railway sidings. Two lines with a head shunt and points would
have allowed
the locomotive to run around the train. I was told that the owner isn't keen
on trespassers therefore, I didn't venture
any further than the pile of concrete slabs and departed as soon as I got my pictures
From the quarry a
wideangle view shows the embankment of the mainline running in front of the line
of trees,
towards Cruden Bay. This is the field I walked across from the trackbed to reach
the quarry and back again
Another surprise! All
the maps I have seen show the quarry as unused but these very new blocks prove
that
there is still work going on, albeit they are concrete rather than granite. They
appear to be Tunnel linings!
Unless someone can prove otherwise! Surely, not a tunnel to Norway!
This old fuel tank
appears to be still in use
This stone crusher
hasn't been used for some time
Back on the main
trackbed. Looking towards Boddam
