King Edward railway station
King Edward railway station was a railway station at King Edward, King Edward Parish, Aberdeenshire, Scotland[3] on the rural branchline to Macduff. It was opened in 1860 to passengers by the Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway and was closed to regular passenger traffic in 1951. King Edward was 24 miles 42 chains (39.5 km) from the junction at Inveramsay[1] and 247 feet (75 m) above sea level.[4]
King Edward | |
|---|---|
%252C_Aberdeenshire_(geograph_6260466).jpg.webp) King Edward railway station in 2019 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Turriff, Aberdeenshire Scotland |
| Coordinates | 57.6102°N 2.4759°W |
| Grid reference | NJ 716 578 |
| Platforms | 2 (1 from 1954) |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Original company | Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Great North of Scotland Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 4 June 1860 | Opened to passengers |
| 1 March 1861 | Opened to goods[1] |
| 1 October 1951[2] | Closed to passengers and goods |
| 1 August 1961 | Closed to goods |
History
The name "King Edward" originated from the Scottish Gaelic. The first element "King" or "kin" comes from "Ceann" meaning a headland and "Edward" may refer to "cathair-thalmhainn" that is a "Yarrow" plant in English. Another interpretation is "Head of the Valley".[5] The hamlet where the station was located is now known as "Balchers".
The station served the needs of the local farms in Buchan midway between Turriff and Banff, as well as the King Edward School that stood nearby as did the church and church hall. Passenger services were withdrawn after 30 September 1951.[6] A rail tour visited on 13 June 1960.
Infrastructure
The main station buildings stood on the northern side of the single track line. At first the station only had a single platform, however a passing loop and a second platform were added in 1895. King Edward's signalbox stood on the northern platform on the Plaidy end and was opened on 29 April 1895 and closed on 6 January 1936 when it was replaced by a ground frame.[1] A station house and cottage stood near the church hall.
The station had a pedestrian overbridge and a wooden shelter stood on the southern platform.[7] A road overbridge stood over the line to Plaidy. The goods yard was to the south and was approached from that side; it did not have a crane, but a weighing machine was provided. Two sidings were present with a loading dock.[8]
By 1954 the loop, footbridge and second platform had been removed, however the goods sidings were still in use.[9]
The site today
The station building survives as do some of the railway associated cottages.
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaidy Line and station closed |
Great North of Scotland Railway Banff, Macduff and Turriff Extension Railway |
Macduff (Banff) Line and station closed | ||
| Banff Bridge Line and station closed |
References
Notes
- McLeish, p.79
- Butt 1995, p. 133.
- British Railways Atlas.1947. p.38
- McLeish, p.20
- McLeish, p.23
- "Withdrawal of passenger service". Evening Express. 17 September 1951. p. 10. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- McLeish, p.32
- Aberdeenshire V.9. King Edward. Survey date:1870. Publication date:1871
- McLeish, p.33
Sources
- Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
- Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.
- McLeish, Duncan (2014). Rails to Banff, Macduff and Oldmeldrum. Pub. GNoSRA. ISBN 978-0902343-26-9.