Saturday 7 February 2009

2B BANFF HARBOUR BRANCH

The line from Cairnie Junction to Banff Harbour was originally the main line of the Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Railway, authorised in 1857 and opened in 1859. The GNoSR agreed to work the line in 1863 and the railway was renamed the Banffshire Railway later the same year, amalgamating with the GNoSR in 1867.

As the GNoSR extended the Moray Firth coast line through to Elgin between 1884 and 1886, the Tillynaught - Banff section was worked as a branch line. It closed to passengers in 1964 and completely in 1968, at the same time as the coast line.

BANFF, PORTSOY & STRATHISLA RAILWAY

Authorised: 27/7/1857*
RN Banffshire Railway: 21/7/1863
Merged with the GNoSR: 12/8/1867

*See 2A.

Opened:
Tillynaught - Banff Harbour: 30/7/1859*

*See 2A. Only one train ran prior to a derailment. The line opened fully on 2/8/1859.

Closed:
Tillynaught - Banff
6/7/64 (passengers)
6/5/68 (goods/completely)

Stations
126 ORDENS* (P/CC 6/7/64) no goods
127 LADYSBRIDGE** (P 6/7/64 G/CC 6/5/68)
128 BRIDGEFOOT HALT (P/CC 6/7/64) no goods
129 GOLF CLUB HOUSE HALT (P/CC 6/7/64) no goods
130 BANFF HARBOUR*** (P 6/7/64 G/CC 6/5/68)

* Ordens was opened as conditional halt but had disappeared from the timetables by 1864. It reappeared in Bradshaw between 1/17 and 9/20, but may have remained as a conditional and unadvertised stop before this time. It appeared in the LNER timetables from 14/7/24 and was also known as Ordens Halt and Ordens Platform.
** Known as Lady's Bridge prior to 6/1886.
*** RN Banff 6/28.

Station openings

Ordens, Ladysbridge and Banff Harbour 0 2/8/1859.
Bridgefoot and Golf Club House halts opened in 1914.
Banff Harbour was RN Banff in 6/28.

Closures
All stations closed to passengers on 6/7/64 when the halts closed completely. Ladysbridge and Banff closed completely on 6/5/68 when goods services were withdrawn.


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1 comment:

  1. Hi,
    I spent summer holidays in Banff between 1953 and 1957 and often rode on the Tillynaught express. My grandparents with whom I stayed lived in St.Katharine Street.
    My cousins and I used to spend happy times on the links in Banff and on the beach.
    We used to try to get under the little bridges so that the train would rumble over us.
    I remember that the engines were turn on a turntable by hand at the Banff end of the line.
    In 2006 had a poem published about the line.
    I also remember the station platform at Banff being wooden.
    Will send a copy of the poem if you are interested.
    Happy days
    Gordon Love

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