THE ABERDEEN TO INVERURIE CANAL (Remains)

As at APRIL 2022 with older photos to add to interest.

Bill Reid

(PAGE SIX OF EIGHT)

REMAINS AT RUSHLACH ROAD TO KINTORE 

Canal and Railway on the Rushlach to the south of Kintore. This short section is walkable but is on private land and well fenced off. From this view it looks as if the
canal crossed the bottom section of the railway and ran on the north side for a way. Top: You can see where the railway and canal divert. The Rushlach Road would
have been there when the canal was running therefore there had been a bridge where the canal ran under. N.B. The Rushlach is a continuation of Kingfield Road in
Kintore. Rushlach may be a more local name for that particular area. There was no sign of where there may have been a change of name at some point.

The Rushlach Road, railway and canal at Dalwearie. (Google Earth).

From the far right the canal and the railway part and crossed the Rushlach Road. It then did a long right hand curve to cross the road a second time and
running to the north side of the railway for a short distance where it ran on the railway alignment for another short distance before diverting once again to
the south side of the railway alignment just out of site at the top left. (Google Earth).

Looking towards Dyce where the canal and railway diverted from each other. (Google Earth). This was taken when it was just a single line.

Photo grabs from an Inverurie to Aberdeen train.

Both above: Running at some speed but we are just passing the point where the railway diverted northwards away from the canal.
Too close and passing too fast for a sharp image.

I couldn't have grabbed this shot better if the train had been standing still. The Rushlach Road where the canal crossed. Looking at this
it seems to indicate that the road may have been much higher, allowing for the road bridge over the canal.. N.B. The fencing on the left
is now being replaced with modern railway fencing.

New photos from April 2022.

A closer view from the photo above at the actual crossing place.

 
Things are changing yet again. With the redoubling of the track between Inverurie and Aberdeen heavier security
fencing is being built around the railway where the canal crossed the road.

The canal bed with the railway and the river Don in the background.

 
Remains of the canal as it parted from the railway. Rain water gives an indication how it looked with water in it.

Canal crossing the Rushlach. From the east side of the road, towards Kintore. You can follow the curve of the canal.

 
The actual crossing point today. 

The canal bed close to where it was diverted by the railway. Looking towards Dyce.

The road crossing coming in from Dyce. Undergoing some realigning and fencing off.

Reverse view from photo above. The canal  rossed the Rushlach road, that's if the road had existed when the canal was there. It is possible the road came after the canal
although a much narrower path could have meant a smaller bridge was built over the canal. Your eye can capture the whole of the curve of the canal up to where it
crossed the Rushlach again. (Google Earth).

 
Left: The canal running northwards from the road crossing.                          Right: The canal and Rushlach road running northwards together, towards Kintore. 

 
While the canal bed is easily walked it has been completely fenced off by the landowner and Sheep allowed to graze freely.

The canal bed running through the field towards Kintore.

 
This is where the canal crossed the Rushlach and the site of the proposed railway and doing a long curve
to cross the railway and road once again a quarter of a mile further north.

A break in the canal bed where the farmer uses it as access too and from his field in the foreground.

 
The towpath is on the right and the canal made a long left hand curve from where it crossed the Rushlach road.

Fenced off from where the canal is cut off by the Rushlach for
the second time.

From the far right the canal and the railway part and crossed the Rushlach Road. It then did a long right hand curve to cross the road a second time and
running to the north side of the railway for a short distance where it ran on the railway alighnment for another short distance before diverting once again to
the south side of the railway alignment just out of site at the top left. (Google Street View).

 
The point where the canal crossed the canal for the second time then ran down the north side of the railway towards Kintore.

 
Zoom shots over looking the road and railway. Left: Towards Kintore. Right: Overlooking the valley with Benachie in the background.

 
The road climbs towards where the Canal new wrong-side speed restriction board warns of a 50mph speed restriction up
ahead on the down main. Shows how the railway had to be built up for a more level route for the trains. Prior to the railway
the fields on the left would have been at the same level as the fields on the right.

New track workers and emergency entrance onto the railway. N.B. The modern fencing now replacing the old fencing. 

  
Left: Cl 17041, at the rear. Towards Kintore.                                                                 Right: The raised track bed looking southwards.

Cl 158707 rushing northwards. Obviously traveling at 50mph here on the down main. A new emergency access path
has been built. 

 
The newly rebuilt farm access bridge over the railway to Dalwearie.

The western end of the visable canal bed as it meets the Rushlach road.  You can see the towpath running back into the scne and eastwards towards where it diverted
from the railway. The canal bed crossed the road and what is now the railway then on a curve north to west where it crossed the road yet again and running along the
south side of the road towards Kintore. (Google Earth).

The red line indicates how the canal crossed the Rushlach and the site of the proposed railway twice within a quarter of a mile of each other.
(Google Earth).

 
Left: Yet another train (Cl 158735) rushes past towards Kintore. Cl. 158735. Possible Inverness train running towards Dyce.
Right: Cl 158712 at the rear of the train heading towards Kintore.

Looking back towards where the canal crossed the Rushlach.

On the Rushlach towards Kintore. The canal was along the railway off to the far right.

The canal continued northwards on the railway alignment and
crossed the Rushlach close to the farm house up ahead.

 
A zoom shot looking along the Rushlach. You can make out where the canal remains today start opening up as a
complete canal for the next quarter of a mile or so. On the left by the trees. The canal was on the track bed to the right
and crossed the road approximately at this point. It would be interesting to see just how it did so and how the road was in
those days. Heavy skies sweep in and I soon have to get up onto the canal bed up ahead and use the trees as cover.
Thankfully the shower didn't last long.  

Bottom right. The canal bed left the trackbed alignment then crossed the Rushlach Road. It then ran through a wooded area up to where it
terminates by the private dwelling far top left. (Google Earth).

 
The Rushlach rises as it meets the railway level but then drops considerably towards Kintore and the final part of the visible canal bed.
Right: Cl 155737 speeds past towards Dyce.

Modern times. A solar battery charger. Possible communications.  Close to where the canal crossed the Rushlach.

 
After crossing the Rushlach Road the canal starts to become full width again. Right: The canal bed is at tree level on the right and looking up the gradient it
had to cross the road at the summit where it becomes level with the road.The modern fence would appears  to be for stopping any land slip blocking the road!

Fallen tree alongside the farm.

Looking eastwards. The canal becomes full width from this point.

 
Site of a bridge that went over the canal. A farm road branches off the Rushlach. A private dwelling stands just off the canal remains. This side road leads too
and from the farm passed earlier.
 
Looking along the canal bed to where the bridge was.

 
The present road junction where the canal had flowed below the bridge which no longer exists.

Looking northwards where the bridge over the canal had been. Again, it would be interesting to see how this road and
bridge had been designed at this point.

 
The canal bed starts to be seen on the south side of the road junction and becomes full width including the tow path for a short distance towards Kintore.

 
Left: Towards Dyce.                                                                                 Right: Towards Kintore.

 
A fallen tree across ther canal bed.

 
The canal bed as the road starts to become level with it.

 
A bit of rain makes it appear more canal like.

 
Canal milage post 14 Miles (From Aberdeen). One of a few that have been preserved but the only one still in it's original place.
The mile posts were neccessary as prices were charged by the mile.

 
Left: Looking back along the canal bed. Right: From the same spot you can see where the canal comes to an end fenced off by
the back garden of a private dwelling.

The full width of the canal including the tow path on the left.

 
A bit of colour added by the puple Heather.

The final length of canal bed towards the private dwelling.

 
The canal terminates at the garden fence of a private dwelling. The canal continues for a distance beyond but then
disappears by having been back-filled and completely ploughed over with no sign of it between here and where the wharf
was in Kintore.  Indeed there is no further sign of the canal until you reach Port Elphinstone and where it entered the
River Don at Inverurie. 

A look back along the Rushlach from outside the private dwelling and the end of the canal. This is a very interesting
section of the canal and well worth preserving. I believe this is where the Kingfield Road becomes the Rushlach. 

 
Beyond the house the canal is seen running more southwards before a long left hand curve that brought the canal into the south side of Kintore where there
was a wharf. However, nothing remains of the canal bed from point as it has been completely ploughed in just beyond. I asked a couple of local if there was
anything remaining of the wharf but both said that there was nothing at all. It's a shame something wasn't preserved to remember the canal in the town.  

Final view of the remaining section of canal (Behind the stone dyke) at Kintore.

Beyond the house the final section of canal bed. Follow the tree line to the far right and you see the final fence post where the canal bed ends.

The same section as above seen from the road a bit closer to Kintore and looking over the Tuach Burn. The final remaining part of the canal.
Nothing remains from here until Port Elphinston at Inverurie.

 
Looking westwards with Benachie as a back drop.

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Canal Mile Post No. 19. At the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford just outside Aberdeen.

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Following the canal bed from Kintore isn't easy as I have not found any maps showing where it ran. Likwise canals can twist and turn quite
sharply rather then be a straight line between two points. However from what I have read I have drawn a red line from where the canal ends
at Tuach Hill, across School Road, Elem Way, which I think is where the Wharf was, Forest Road in a direct line on the west side of
Northern Road towards the alehouse

I have not yet worked out how the canal made it's way into Kintore or how it left the town northwards. Likewise,
where the wharf was. It must have met where the railway track bed is today from around the station area.  It did
run close to Northern Road which you can see top center left. The housing and streets from Newlands Drive and
Eastburn Road didn't exists back then so ther canal would havecrossed somewhere within that area.  Here, you
see the end of the canal bed as it came from the Rushlach Road. There had also been a quarry here which I
would  think was a canal customer and possibly where the Wharf was. I take it too that the canal followed the
railway alignment from Kintore to Port Elphinston. I would appreciate anyone knowing the answer. 

An estimate as to where the canal ran through Kintore. Center right the canal continued northwards with the Wharf being
on Elm Way and on the west side of Northern Road, passing the site of Bridgealehouse and through what was the north
end of the Goods sidings and where the Alford line branched off, close to the new station site.

After the canal passed Bridgealehouse (On the far right) it crossed what was the site of the station siding and branch to Alford
and headed closer to the River Don and followed the north side of what became the railway.

The canal continued on the north side of the rilway then curved more northwards towards the River Don to the site where it
ended at the Canal Wharf. Close to where the present day abandoned chimney of the Ex Paper Mill stood.

The Ex paper Mill chimney marks the spot where the canal wharf had been. The present day Feeder still ends by the chimney.
I could be wrong on how Wharf fitted into this spot and need more information to be sure but it is an estimate.

Update November 2022: There are plans to build a Energy From Waste Plant at this site. Possibly the end for the chimney
unless, of course that it may be reused as part of the plant!.

Here the line shows the path from the chimney site to Inverurie where the feeders joined the River Don. You also see the
railway crossed both the river and the canal where I took the following photographs in the next page. 

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TO: (7) THE CANAL REMAINS AT PORT ELPHINSTONE (Inverurie)

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