UDNY STATION TO NEW MACHAR
The next stage of the journey continues thorough mainly farming land. You pass a few over bridges and crossings wth the crossing at Mosstown being of interest
as it still has the original gates and the unusual style of gate posts. A Ganger's bothie remains in good condition and being made of old sleepers and the
fireplace still looks inviting and tells of many welcome comforts during the harrowing winters. A more modern concrete built ganger's bothie (Cabin) stands by
the road bridge to the north of Newmachar cutting. Numerous farm crossings remain in various conditions of disrepair.Newmachar cutting is the longest on the route and was the scene of numerous long closures and deep dig-outs. New Machar station also suffered but rows of
sleepers planted long end up gave some respite. Some of these sleepers are still in place today. The platforms are still in good condition and the granite built
base of the south signal box also mains.
Leaving the site of Udny station and heading south for New Machar.
Looking back towards Udny.
Road bridge to the north west of Tillycorthie (B999). Looking southwards.
Left: Looking back northwards at the B999 road bridge. Right: Looking southwards to Newmachar.
Left: Northwards towards Udny. Right: Southwards by the ganger's hut at Tillyeve level crossing.Ganger's Hut, Tillyeve Level Crossing.
Ditto. The hut is in excellent conditions considering the passing years. Scots usually refer to Huts/cabins as a 'Bothie'. e.g. Driver's bothie,' Fireman's bothie.
Ganger's Fire place still in place. You can see the walls are made from old sleepers.Tillyeve Level Crossing
Ex Crossing-Keeper's cottage. Now a private dwelling.
This road mainly connects three farms a mile or so apart. It is east of the village of Tillycorthy.
Nice to see the original crossing gates still in situe, if just!.Left: The road heading west from the crossing. Right: The road heading east from the crossing.
Left: Towards Udny. Right: These really are strongly built gate posts.
South side gate & post. Towards New Machar. Tillyeve Crossing. North side, looking towards Udney.
The road crossing the railway. Left: From the west. Right: From the east.
From close to the same spot. How different when the railway was still complete, albeit even here it has already been closed. A long way from the present
day over growth. These 25mph level crossing restrictions was one of the reasons why the average journey from Dyce to Fraserburgh and Peterhead took
so long.
Towards Udny.
From just south of the level crossing. First looking southwards towards New Machar and then northwards back to Tillyeve crossing and to Udny.
Left: Looking back towards Udny. Right: Farm crossing south of Mosstown level crossing.
Left: Close-up of the south tentioning Post. Right: Looking eastwards from the track bed.
Herd of Cows on the west side of the track bed.
The farm access A bridge where a burn runs below the track bed in a culvert.
Left: West side farm crossing gates. Right: East side farm crossing gate posts. North of New Machar Cutting.
An old farm crossing.
Bridge to the north west of Kingseat.
Right: A more modern type of Ganger's bothie.
Left: This is just a Farm road crossing the railway, with a Ganger's hut on the north side, still in good condition. Right: Looking back at the south side of the road bridge.
Two views southwards towards Ellon. One ahead of the other.
NEWMACHAR CUTTING
This cutting was well-known for getting completely snowed-in during bad winters, trains often being completely buried.
Country road bridge north of Newmachar station and west of Kingseat. It is within the Cutting. Looking towards Newmachar. The worst snow drifts ocurred along this length.
The road bridge looking northwards towards Udny.Snow Photo
Within the heart of New Machar Cutting.
Left: Looking back into the south end of the cutting. Right: back into the open, towards New Machar station site.
Left: A view westwards with Benachie in the background. Right: Looking back towards Udny.
New Machar Station. Shows the station and Goods Yard layout. (NLS Maps).
Left: Looking back towards Udny. Right: The same spot, looking south and approaching the site of the Goods Yard, on the right.
Even the station was often snowed-in and the sleepers were built as a wall to try and stop the worst
incidents. It was interesting to find that many were still in place.
The Ex Goods Yard.
Left: With the Ex Goods Yard to the left, on the right are some more sleeper snow barriers. Right: the entrance where the track turned into the Goods Yard.
Signpost at New Machar station site.
Buchan Way information board. Approaching New Mchar Station site.
Left: The point where the track ran into the Goods Yard. Right: A row of sleepers still stand at the north end of the station (Up side).
Remains of the station entrance. Left: Looking onto the A948 road. Right: Looking from the road to the track bed.
Left: The station building is now a private dwelling (From the A948). Right: From the Down station platform.
New Machar station building in the 70's.
New Machar station. D6139 on freight to Fraserburgh. G.H. Robin. 15th Aug. 1960. Railsot Photo.
A fence runs in front of the station building and along the down platform edge. The building has seen much upgrading and additions. While there are no buildings, the Up Platform remains in quite good condition.
While the station is earmarked for re-opening if the Dyce-Ellon bracch should be rebuilt there is contention as to whether the site is still conveniantly placed for the village so who knows what may happen here!
Left: South end of the Up platform. Seen in 1960's photo below, in opposite direction. Right: The base of the south signal box on the south end of the Down Platform. Towards Dyce.
New Machar station and South signal box. Note the stone-built base, that still exists today (Above right). G. H. Robin (Scotrail photo).
Photographed from around the same spot as the photos below. Towards Ellon.
Left: Signal box base. Right: South end of the Down platform. The signal box stood on the left.
