page_title: Deeside Railway
section_title: Construction
hierarchical_section_title: Deeside Railway / Construction
caption_attribution_description: English: Deeside line timetable - Summer 1963
context_page_description: The Deeside Railway was a passenger and goods railway between Aberdeen and Ballater in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Opening in 1853 to Banchory, an extension reached Aboyne in 1859. A separate company, the Aboyne & Braemar Railway, built an extension to Ballater and this opened in 1866. By 1855 there were five services a day over the 43 ¹⁄₄-mile long line, taking between 1 hour 50 minutes and ​2 ¹⁄₂ hours. The line was used by the Royal Train for travel to and from Balmoral Castle from 1853 and a special 'Messenger Train' ran daily when the Royal Family was in residence.
  The railways were absorbed by the Great North of Scotland Railway on 1 August 1875 for the Deeside Railway and 31 January 1876 for the Aboyne & Braemar. The line became part of the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923, and part of British Railways when nationalised in 1948. Passenger services were withdrawn on 28 February 1966 and the line was closed completely to Ballater on 18 July 1966 and to Culter on 2 January 1967.
context_section_description: A railway to serve Deeside was first suggested in 1845. A 16-mile (26 km) long line to Banchory was estimated to cost £95,000, or £220,000 to reach Aboyne, a distance of 30 miles (48 km). This was authorised on 16 July 1846, but it was decided to wait for the Aberdeen Railway to open first. Shareholders wanted their money back when the railway mania bubble burst, but it survived because the Aberdeen Railway bought a large number of shares. Interest was restored after Prince Albert purchased Balmoral Castle, to which the Royal Family made their first visit in 1848, and the Aberdeen Railway was able to sell their shares. Investors were still hard to find, but by limiting the railway to a line between Ferryhill, in Aberdeen, and Banchory the Deeside Railway was able to apply to Parliament for permission in 1852. Permission was granted, and the railway opened on 7 September 1853. On opening, the terminus of the railway was at Aberdeen Ferryhill railway station, which was also the terminus of the Aberdeen Railway at the time. The railway was extended north to a new terminus, Aberdeen Guild Street, in 1854.
  A special train with 15 carriages travelled from Aberdeen to Banchory, and public services began the next day. There were three trains a day, taking about an hour to travel the 16 ³⁄₄ miles (27.0 km). First  class accommodation was available for ​1 ¹⁄₂d a mile, reduced to 1 d a mile for third class. Initially the service terminated in Aberdeen at Ferryhill station, but this was extended to Guild Street when that opened in 1854, the Deeside Railway paying £700 for the first three years and then £1000 a year for the running rights. Initially the Aberdeen Railway operated the services, but only made one locomotive available, so the Deeside decided to buy its own rolling stock, and this was in service by summer 1854.
  A new company, the Aboyne Extension, was formed to reach Aboyne, and the Deeside agreed to operate services. Instead of building two bridges across the Dee, as had been proposed on 1846, the railway instead took a cheaper but 2-mile (3.2 km) longer route through Lumphanan. The railway was authorised on 27 July 1857, and services began on 2 December 1859. The Aboyne & Braemar Railway was formed to build a line from Aboyne the 28 miles (45 km) to Braemar. This would follow the Dee, and to cross it 2 miles (3.2 km) from its terminus. However, this was modified during the parliamentary proceedings to terminate at Bridge of Gairn with the passenger terminus 1 ¹⁄₂ miles (2.4 km) short at Ballater. This 12 ¹⁄₂-mile (20.1 km) route was approved on 5 July 1865, and opened to Ballater on 17 October 1866. Some work was done on the line to Bridge of Gairn, but remained unfinished. By 1855 there five services a day over the 43 ¹⁄₄-mile (69.6 km) long line, taking between 1 hour 50 minutes and ​2 ¹⁄₂ hours.
caption: Deeside line timetable - summer 1963
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