DNRlwyCraigmillToAuchterhousebThe new line left Rosemill, where the incline railway ran due north. A new station was opened at Dronley,
including a new passenger station at Auchterhouse.
ROSEMILL JUNCTION TO AUCHTERHOUSE VIA DRONLEY
(New Line Formation)
(Includes Photos from Flash Earth and Google Street Views)
(Update May 2014)
Added: Photos of track bed between Auchterhouse and Newtyle (New route and divergence to Newtyle 'new' station site).
Video: Clip at Dronley station site. Photos from between Auchterhouse & Millhole. Link to photos of the clearance and
drainage work through Pitnappie Cutting.
DNRlwyCraigmillToAuchterhouseb
The new line left Rosemill, where the incline railway ran due north. A new station was opened at Dronley,
including a new passenger station at Auchterhouse.
CopyofRosemillGoodsSidingsFRomRoad1.jpg
Rosemill Goods Sidings, looking north.
CopyofRosemillGoodsYardRoadEntrance.jpg
The entrance to Rosemill Goods sidings and Rosemill Quarry (right) from the south road, looking north
0146DightyRlwyBridgeApril2010.jpg
The new line crossed the Dighty streamto the west of Rosemill Junction.
0112DightyRlwyBridgeRailingStoneApril2010.jpg
One of the bridge end slabs with the railing post still attached. (See below).
0145BalbeuchlyJctAtRosemillJctc.jpg
The railing post marks the site of Balbeuchley Junction. The branch was gated when not in operation.
Here you see the above railing post in place at the eastern end of the railway bridge. (Elliot Simpson)
0137TemplansRoadBridgeEast.jpg 0140TemplansRoadBridgeNorth.jpg
Left: Templeton Road Bridge from the west. Right: Ditto from the east
0139TemplansRoadBridgeEast.jpg 0138TemplansRoadNorth.jpg
Left: View from Templeton Road. Looking west towards Dronley. Right: Ditto Looking east towards Rosemill.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=7762615 Photo bridge from track bed and the track bed north of Dronley
DNTempletonRoadBridgeDMartinb.jpg
The Templeton Road bridge, which is now part of the walkway (David Martin)
0115RosemillJctTemplansRoadBridgea.jpg 0116RosemillTemplansRoadBridgeb.jpg
Left: Templeton Road bridge. Looking west. Right: Templeton Road bridge. Looking east. Compare David's photo with my 17th April 2010 ones since the track bed has been made
a public foot path from Rosemill to Dronley.
DronleyStnGoodsYardNewd.jpg
Dronley is quite a small village but certainly had a conveniently placed station. There was a small goods siding on the north side of
the road bridge. (Flash Earth)
DRONLEY STATION (April 17th 2010)
Dronley was a simple one platform station, with basic building and facilities. There was a small goods platform on the north side of the
over bridge. The platform is still visible and appears to be in good condition but quite overgrown.
DundeeBlairgowriePassengerPassingDr.jpg
A Standard Class Loco with a single coach for Blairgowrie enters Dronley station. (Tom Mahoney).
0126DronleyStationSiteFromSouthe.jpgnleyStationSiteFromSouthe.jpg
Close to the same spot on the 17th April 2010
0117DronleyStationSitea.jpg 0118DronleyStationSiteb.jpg
Looking north towards Auchterhouse
DronleyStnSiteApril2012.jpg
Central point where the station building stood (April 19th 2012).
0120DronleyStationSited.jpg 0121DronleyStationSitee.jpg
Looking south towards Dundee
Dronley/DNDronleyStationRemainsDMartinb.jpg DNNthEndOfDronleyStationb.jpg
Left: The remains of Dronley Station. There was only a single platform. Right: Reverse view from above right, with the remains of Dronley Station in the trees. (David Martin)
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0128DronleyGoodsSidingPlatforma.jpg
0125DronleyRoadBridgeSiteWest.jpg 0122DronleyRoadBridgeSitea.jpg
Left: Ex over bridge crossing at Dronley Station (Looking North). Right: Ditto. (Looking South)
0123DronleyStationEntranceSite.jpg 0124DronleyExBridgeNorth.jpg
Left: Old Station Entrance. A path has been cut from the track bed down to the man road. Right: Embankment (North Side) with fence tensioning post still in place.
3147DronleyStn(WireTensionPost(April2014).JPG
Wire tensioning Post by the old entrance to Dronley station. (17th April 2014).
0127DronleyGoodsSidingSitea.jpg
Ex Goods siding site from village road
0243DronleyGoodsPlatformbApril2013_zps209fcb43 0242DronleyGoodsPlatformaApril2013_zps571a2797.jpg
April 2013. Remains of Dronley Goods platform
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0129DronleyGoodsSidingb.jpg
0244DronleyGoodsPlatformdApril2013_zpsce5ca7bb.jpg
Dronley Goods siding (North End). The single dead-end siding's stop block was to the left. The trailing point came back in from just
ahead of platform and ran along the length of the platform. Looking south, with the station site on the far side of the Ex road bridge.
3034_zpsfa1abda8.jpg /IMG_3144_zpsbf80f8e2.jpg
Left: Dronley Station House (From the station site). (April 2014).
Video: Dronley Station Platform by bike! (A video by David Martin. (Feb. 2010)
Video Clip: Dronley Station Remains (April 2012)
0130DronleyTrackbedNorthOfGoods.jpg /0135HorseRidersNearDronleyWood.jpg
Track bed to the north of Dronley station site. Left: Towards Auchterhouse. Right: From Dundee.
0132ExBridgeNearDronleyWoodWest.jpg
Ex over bridge on the Dronley Woods road. Looking west.
0131ExBridgeNearDronleyWoodNorth.jpg DNRemainsOfBridgeAtNorthDronleyDMar.jpg
The northern Parapet. It is near total collapse (David Martin)
DNNthOfNewtyleStn.jpg DNNorthDronleyDMartinb.jpg
The track bed north of Dronley. (David Martin)
(Signpost to Dronley Wood from the track bed. (David Martin)
0133OldInclineAtEastfieldbb.jpg
From the same spot in April 2010, a cropped image showing how the old & new track beds started to come together at Eastfield. To the right of the
house you can just make out the bricked-up under bridge, with the old track bed from Balbeuchley Top and running (left) towards Auchterhouse.
0134ExBridgeByDronleyWood.jpg 3142HosieParkBridgea17thApril2014_zpsa8716356.jpg
Complete over bridge by Dronley Wood, between Dronley and Auchterhouse. Right: 17th April 2014.
0308DronleyAuchterhouseTrackbedBrid.jpg
The reverse view of the track bed and bridge. Taken from the Eastfield-Dronley Road
DNTrackbedAtNorthDronleyDMartinb.jpg DNRlwyTrackbedNrNewtonAuchterhouse5.jpg
Left: The track bed just to the south of Auchterhouse near Denhead. (David Martin) Right: A little further north and approaching Auchterhouse (new) station, on the B549.
DNEastfieldHosieparkTrackbeds.jpg
The track bed at Eastfield Hosiepark to the south of Auchterhouse, with Dronley Wood in the background.
My april 19th 2012.walk over the D&N track bed.
I set off from Downfield just after breakfast at 8.30 and walked the whole length to Newtyle. My main aim was to cover the 'divergence'line from Auchterhouse
to Newtyle, which I had not done before. I was only foiled covering the whole route due to the section north of Auchterhuse, which is used by a shooting
club sand the Tank Group there, which meant a walk around the site over a farm track, before meeting the road taking me down to the B549 by the single arch
over bridge. I then walked the main road up to where you get back onto the track bed of the divergence line at Jacob's Ladder. The track bed walk ends at
Water Backie, a quarter mile from the village.
After welcome refreshment at the Commerical Inn, by the old Station, I caught the next available bus into Auchterhouse, where I got back onto the trackbed
and walked back to Downfield. In spite of the poor weather conditions and getting quite wet at one point, I thoroughly enjoyed the day's outing, taking
around eight hours for the round trip, getting back to my lodge at 16.20. Not bad going and having only taken the bus for the few minutes ride into Auchterhouse.
The only remaining part of the two routes that I have not walked is the bit from Hatton Summit to Millhole. Perhaps I will manage to do that another time!
This section now contains photos from this latest visit and from my previous visit in 2010 and re-edited to suite.
Img_0001c.jpg
Approaching Eastfield Hosiepark
Img_0002b.
View westwards from the track bed at Eastfield Hosiepark
Img_0004c.jpg
Between Eastfield Hosiepark and Auchterhouse. The newer station is to the right of the white house on the left.
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/Img_0001c.jpg
Img_0005b.jpg
Farm by Dronley Wood (Eastfield Hosiepark). Looking north-east.
/Img_0006b.jpg
Eastfield Hosiepark towards Auchterhouse
Img_0007c.jpg
Looking south by Eastfield Hosiepark
Img_0008b.jpg
South of Auchterhouse, looking west
Img_0009b.jpg
The train driver's view on sighting Auchterhouse station. The white house stands on ex Goods siding.
Img_0011b.jpg _0010b.jpg
Left: Ex gatepost south of Auchterhouse station site. Right: Looking south towards Eastfield Hosiepark
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/Img_0004c.jpg
Img_0012b.jpg Img_0013b.jpg
Left: Looking south towards Eastfield Hosiepark. Right: Ex farm crossing gate, south end of Auchterhouse station.
3139AuchterhouseNewStnSite017thApril2014_zps978a9b85.jpg
An interesting gate in that it appears to block off the main running line. Was this a controlled crossing?
(17th April 2014).
On my visit In April 2013 I found that a ditch had been dug out on the east side of the track bed, up to the station site, which I gather
is to drain the ground and make it dryer for walkers and cyclists etc. After heavy rain two days before, the ground was very wet
and bogie along this length.
0252AuchterhpouseDrainageaApril2013_zps653442ff.jpg
You can see the drain is doing it's job already.
0253AuchterhouseDrainagebApril2013_zpse3cfd85b.jpg 0256AuchterhouseDrainagedApril2013_zpsfde110d7.
0254AuchterhouseDrainagecApril2013_zpscfbbf70d.jpg
The drain stops short of the old Up platform.
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/AuchterhouseOldNew.jpg
AuchterhouseSattionsSiteGoogleEarthb.jpg
Auchterhouse Stations site from Google Earth
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/AuchterhouseOldNew.jpg
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/AuchterhouseOldNewb.jpg
Img_0016c.jpg
Walking into Auchterhouse station site.
0333AuchterhouseDownPlatforEdgeRema.jpg 0339AuchterhousePlatformRemainsb.jpg
The down station platform edge is still showing through. The Up platform was to the left, with the track bed being backfilled
between them. The dip by the tree on the right is where the goods line ran back from the points on the main line.
0340AuchterhouseNewStationSite.jpg0346AuchterhouseNewStnOverallView.jpg
Left: The track bed between the platforms is well backfilled. This is approximately where the footbridge linked the two platforms.
Right: Overall view of Auchterhouse (new) station. Looking south. The house is built on the Goods siding.
DNTrainAtauchterhouse.jpg
Auchterhouse (New) station in the 50's. The building seen above and behind the coach
is that of the old station site.
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0322AuchterhouseNewStationBridgea.jpg
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/Img_0026b.jpg
AuchterhouseNewStnColourTDave.jpg /0337AuchterhouseStnSidings.jpg
Left: From a slightly different angle, and in colour. The goods siding is more prominent and has a box van stabled in it. The station buildings are at the end of the down platform,
as is the starting signal. In combination with the photo above it would appear that these trains terminated here and the loco's run round to head back to Dundee.
Right: Not quite from the same angle on the 17th April 2010 but recognisable as such.
AuchterhousenewStationLookingSouth.jpg AuchterhouseStnSydBoagb.jpg
Left: From the same spot but with, obviously, a clearer view and slightly more to the left. Note the goods sidings on the right. (Norris Forrest)
Right: Another enthusiast's tour and in fine weather. I really appreciated seeing this scene in such colourful conditions. However, vegitation is already taking over and closure isn't far away.
You can clearly see the stubble of the old line to the left of the signal box. (Syd Boag)
/DNAuchterhouseStation60s.jpg 0317ViewOfNewStationSiteFromOverbri.jpg
Left: Auchterhouse station in the 60's. The remains of the incline railway can be seen in the tree line on the left. (Elliot Simpson)
Right: Auchterhouse (new) Station site as seen from the bridge. Compare this April 2010 image with the photograph to the left and above right.
AuchterhousenewStationNov1960.jpg
Left: Auchterhouse railway bridge, with the new line running northwards then past the old station site, which is to the right on the north side of the bridge.
The down platform ran right up to the bridge. (Norris Forrest). Right: Close to the same spot on the 9th June 2010. You ca still make out the curve of where the
platform ran up to the bridge. You can also see how much the ground beyond the bridge has
been back-filled.
AuchterhouseDownPlatform2b.jpg AuchterhouseDownPlatformb.jpg
The bridge from the remains of the down platform is recognised by the sweeping curve of the platform edge, which ended at the bridge.
(David Martin. Feb. 2010)
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0339AuchterhousePlatformRemainsb.jpg
Img_0016b.jpg Img_0017b.jpg
Remains of the down platform, with goods yard on the left.
.jpg)
/Img_0019b.jpg 3137AuchterhouseNewStnSitem17thApril2014_zpsa253ae92
Left: Up platform remains, with incline track bed behind. Right: End stub of the old incline track bed. From the 'newer' station platform. (17th April 2014).
Img_0021b.jpg Img_0022b.jpg
Left: Remains of the signal box on the Up platform. Right: The old incline track bed, behind the newer station.
3131AuchterhouseNewStnSitef17thApril2014_zps56e96655.jpg 3132AuchterhouseNewStnSiteg17thApril201
Left: The brick wall on the lect was a retaining wall between the waiting room and the signalbox. Right: Back wall ofthe signalbox. Also acts as a retaning wall. (17th April 2014)
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/AuchterhouseSignalbox1964.jpg
Img_0023b.jpg Img_0026b.jpg
Left: Looking south along the remains of the down platform. Signal box remains to the left. Swings on Goods siding site.
Right: Looking south from below the road bridge, along the track bed. Station buildings.
/Img_0024b.jpg AuchterhouseOverbridgeTowardsStnSite.jpg
Left: Road bridge at north end of the station. The station 'Down Platform' buildings were where I am standing. Note the back-filling on the north side of the bridge. April 2020.
Right: From the Goods Yard, looking south to the newer station site. Note the depth of backfill. April 2010.
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/DNRailwayBridgeAtAuchterhouseStatio.jpg
3128AuchterhouseNewStnSitee17thApril2014_zpsc22a234a.jpg
Auchterhouse Railway Bridge (Looking north). 17th. April 2014. Had a bit of a tidying upand the draining done. The Down platform (left ended at the enrtrance. Where I am
standing would have been the platform waiting room.
Img_0027b.jpg Img_0029b.jpg
The station over bridge.
Left: North side. Remains of old station platform by the hut. Right: The south side, with station site below.
0341OldNewAuchterhouseTrackbedsb.jpg 0341OldNewAuchterhouseTrackbedsb.jpg
With the new line and station to the right the Incline track bed can be seen at the end of the trees to the left as it came
in from Balbeuchley Top. The older track bed came directly towards the camera and into the old station on the
opposite side of the road behind me.
0342AuchterhouseOverbridgeSouth.jpg 0318AuchterhouseOldStationSiteFromO.jpg
Left: Another view of the over bridge. Looking west. Right: The northern parapet, looking over the old Goods yard.
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0330AuchterhouseNewBridge.jpg
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0320InclineExCrossingnorth.jpg
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0319AuchterhouseOverbridgeNorth.jpg
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0316InclineEntranceToOldStationNort.jpg
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0315AuchterhouseNewLineBridgeLookin.jpg
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/0328OldNewAuchterhouseGoodsYard.jpg
0327OldStnYardPlusNewBridgeAuchterh.jpg 0323AuchterhouseOldStationGoodsYard.jpg
Left: The old station platform is over by the brick building on the left, while you can see the top of the over bridge on the right, where the new line comes in from the new station.
It is obvious that the new line was in a cutting as you can see the amount of backfill that has occurred here. An Army Tank is stored in the old Goods siding and members
of the public can pay for lessons on driving a Tank.
Right: The old station site. It was used as a goods yard from the incline closure around 1861 and closed in the early 60's.
AuchterhouseGoodsNorthApril2010.jpg
Right: The Goods yard narrows at the north end as the single line continued to Newtyle. It was around this spot that the goods line was linked to the
new line by a spur during it's years as a Goods yard.
https://imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/08/30/AuchterHouseRoadJctnOldStationb.jpg
0345AuchterhouseExStationmastersHou.jpg
Ex Stationmaster's House. It was a police station for some years.
DNRlwyEntranceToAuchterhouseStat-1.jpg
Entrance to the new station, which was behind the houses on the right. The track bed coming in from the south is seen on the
extreme right. It was just beyond this point where the incline track bed met the new line. The center road above leads up to the
over bridge by the old station. The main B954 road north is on the far left. There is an hourly bus between Dundee and Blairgowrie.
======================================================================================
AUCHTERHOUSE TO NEWTYLE (New Route)
Links & Reading:
The Dundee & Newtyle Railway by Niall Ferguson. Still available from some books shops and on the Internet.
The Dundee & Newtyle (A history by Elliot Simpson)
http://www.auchterhouse.com/history/railway.htm (Includes and excellent map of the railway)
http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=7762615 Excellent 'remains' photos including the Law Tunnel, Balbeuchley Incline and Dronley
http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/rail/incline/dund.htm Explains the inclines but sketches are very poor quality and almost useless.
Video Screen grabs from the The Railways Of Scotland Volume 8 "Dundee". An excellent video available on DVD, from Cinerail at: http://www.cinerail.com/cinerail/railways-of-scotland.html There are many great archive scenes of almost every Scottish
route you can think of. Well worth a look.The Cromford & High Peak Incline railway in Derbyshire has been luckier in having much of it's buildings, including an Engine House preserved. This is what could have happened, indeed, should have happened with at least one of the D&N inclines.
However, the C&H gives an excellent comparison of what the D&N would have looked like.http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/rail/incline/hop.htm
Boddam To Ellon Branch (Walks) By Bill Reid.
Hosted by www.theatreorgans.com
