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LONGHAVEN STATION TO BODDAM

Final Page

This walk continues from my walk from Hatton via Cruden Bay back in 2002. The walk was completely along the main road and into Boddam, due to not being able to get onto the trackbed around the Longhaven station area. However, there are some nice views of the trackbed as it drops down to the top of the road by Stirling Hill, with sea and cliff background then drops quite steeply to the outskirts of Boddam before levelling out for the final mile or so to Boddam station site.

The Loop bridge is in shadow on the far right. The back-filled trackbed can just be seen, following the light coloured
grassy stretch, which is the top of the cutting. I had to take the main road into Johnshaven and Boddam from here.

The pleasant view continues until the line drops down to Boddam

The trackbed can clearly be seen passing the ruined building, which was possibley a trackman's hut,
with Longhaven Station site in the background

The trackbed starts to drop through a shallow cutting .

The final 2-3 miles of the line had been very attractive with fine sea and cliff views

The line dropped heavily by Stirling Village and down into Boddam. The railway drainage appears to be still doing
its job! This photo was taken in 1975.

Remains of a bridge by Stirling Village at the bottom of the gradient

Driver's eye view from the old bridge and the final mile into Boddam

View from the bridge road, in 1975

The end of the trackbed. Fenced off from the embankment to the station site. Buchaness lighthouse and
keeper's house, in the background. The lighthouse is now automatic and the houses are a ruin..

The first (or last bridge), at Boddam

End of the line. All that remains of Boddam Station. The RAF Camp took over the site but this too has now closed
and the land sold and may become a housing etstate.

A quarry railway, worked by prisoner  under armed guard lay on the opposite side of the road at Stirling Hill  and had
 an extensive layout, which ran from the quarry to the military pier at Peterhead. It was an isolated railway built to high standrds with it's own fleet of locomotives, coaches and wagons. This trackbed can also be followed along
the main road and there was a very pleasant viaduct as you entered Peterhead. The railway is a story on it's own.

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Would the Boddam branch have existed had GNSR built through to Peterhead. Just three miles away! With modern traction, staffing, signalling and speed increases Peterhead could have been within 50 minutes of Aberdeen and the extensive growth of Boddam, Cruden Bay and Ellon over the years could create substantial patronage. While much of the trackbed is in reasonable condition and quite easily rebuilt many bridges have gone or would need replacing. Building stations and platforms are redicuously expensive these days, albeit probably only one platform would suffice in most cases unless some double tracking was necessary for a reasonable service. There would be little need for more than the stations mentioned, with Hatton a possible addition. While it is unlikely, it's certainly not an impossiblity as road traffic becomes more unbearable and expensive. Stranger things have happened.

Boddam Old Station Photos

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Email: reidcrcwdr@aol.com.

Web sites with reference to Cruden Bay, the raliway, Slain's Castle and the Bullar's.

Cruden Bay Trams
http://www.crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk/newrailway.htm

Slain's Castle
http://www.crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk/newplaces.htm

Cruden Bay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruden_Bay

Cruden Bay Historical Notes
http://www.danielsd.demon.co.uk/cruden/cruden.htm

Cruden Bay (Gazzateer)
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/towns/townfirst5008.html

Ellon to Boddam Branch
http://www.railscot.co.uk/Boddam_Branch/body.htm

Focus On Aberdeenshire (Cruden bay)
http://www.londongolftours.com/docs/tours/focus_on_aberdeenshire.htm