Aboyne Curling Pond railway station

Aboyne Curling Pond
Aboyne Curling Pond
	The Loch of Aboyne from the station site
General information
Location	Aboyne, Aberdeenshire ; Scotland
Coordinates	57°05′02″N2°45′55″W / 57.0838°N 2.7654°W Coordinates: 57°05′02″N2°45′55″W / 57.0838°N 2.7654°W
Grid reference	NO537994
Platforms	1
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Great North of Scotland Railway
Pre-grouping	Great North of Scotland Railway
Post-grouping	LNER
Key dates
1891	Station open
1925	station closed to passengers
18 July 1966	Line closed entirely

Last updated December 19, 2022

Aboyne Curling Pond railway station, Loch of Aboyne Platform or Curlers' Platform^[1] was a private station opened on the Deeside Extension Railway for the use of the curlers, who played on the nearby Loch of Aboyne close to the old Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater.

History

The station was opened by 1891^[2] on the Deeside Extension Railway that became part of the GNoSR and at grouping merged with the London and North Eastern Railway. It was closed to curlers prior to 1925.^[3] The line itself has been lifted and this section forms part of the Deeside Way long-distance footpath.

Aboyne was not unique in having a dedicated private curlers' railway station as at least one other existed at Loch Parks, named Drummuir Curlers' Platform on the Keith and Dufftown Railway. Loch Leven station was frequently used for curling matches.^[2]

Aboyne Curling Club

The loch is artificial, created by the Aboyne Castle estate. On 9 February 1891 he Aberdeen Free Press advertised a special train from Aberdeen along the Deeside line to the Loch of Aboyne Platform for a bonspiel on the 10 February between curlers from the south and north of the River Don.^[2] In 1908 the club is recorded as meeting annually at the Loch of Aboyne and that the loch was used for curling from at least 1870.^[4] The club was active in 1915, the year when it is recorded to have organised a concert to raise money for the war effort.^[5] The club no longer exists. The site was also known as St Katherine's Loch.

Infrastructure

The 1899 OS map shows the single short station platform that was located on the northern or loch side of this single track section of the branch not far from Rosepark Cottage. The platform was made of railway timbers as was the substantial revetment behind. A path led to the eastern end of the platform and a pedestrian crossing was present that also gave direct access to the loch.^[6] No indication of the halt is indicated on OS maps in 1929.^[3]

Services

Apart from advertised events^[2] the station was not listed on timetables and the sport had a very seasonal and unpredictable requirement for train services.

The site today

The foundations of the platform survive. The Royal Deeside Railway is located at Milton of Crathes some distance down the line towards Aberdeen.

Related Research Articles

Dess railway station was opened on 2 December 1859 on the Deeside Extension Railway and served the rural area around Dess House and estate from 1859 to 1966 as an intermediate station on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater.

Aboyne railway station was a station which served Aboyne in the Scottish county of Aberdeenshire. It was served by trains on the line from Aberdeen to Ballater.

Culter railway station was opened on 8 September 1853 by the Deeside Railway and served the town of Peterculter that is locally known as Culter. The Deeside Railway was taken over by the GNoSR and in 1894 Culter was the terminus for the Aberdeen suburban service although a few trains continued to Banchory. Despite the 1937 closure of many other stations on the Aberdeen suburban service, Culter remained open until 1966 as an intermediate station on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. Culter is located in the parish of Peterculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Holburn Street railway station was opened in July 1894 by the GNSR and served a suburb of Aberdeen near Duthie Park and Allenvale Cemetery. The station was one of several victims of the 1937 closure of stations on the Aberdeen suburban service. The Deeside Railway itself eventually ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater.

Dinnet railway station was opened on 17 October 1866 by the Aboyne and Braemar Railway and served Dinnet village from 1899 to 1966 as an intermediate station on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. Dinnet is located close to the River Dee in the parish of Glenmuick, Tullich And Glengairn, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Carsbreck railway station was a private station opened on the Scottish Central Railway near Carsebreck Loch, the Royal Caledonian Curling pond, between Stirling and Perth for the use of the curlers belonging to the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. It was first named by the Scottish Central Railway as 'Royal Curling Club Station, a host of later names being Caledonian Curling Society's Platform, Curling Pond Halt, Royal Curling Club Platform, Royal Curling Club Station, Netherton Halt and finally as Carsbreck Station. It is unclear how many of these were official names. The site lay in the parish of Ardoch, Perth and Kinross with the villages of Braco, Greenloaning and Blackford nearby. The Scottish Central Railway line had been opened in 1848.

Cambus O'May railway station or Cambus O'May Halt, served Aberdeenshire, Scotland from 1876 to 1966 on the Deeside Railway. It was intended to serve the anglers on the River Dee, tourists, the 1874 Cambus O'May House hunting lodge and the local population of this rural district and stood 39 3⁄8 miles (63.4 km) from the Aberdeen (Joint) station. It was the last stop before Ballater.

Lumphanan railway station, Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland stood from 1859 to 1966 on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. It served the village of Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire, famous for its associations with Macbeth and King Malcolm III. It stood close to the Macbeth Arms Hotel.

Torphins railway station served the village of Torphins from 1859 to 1966 on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater.

Glassel railway station is a disused railway station in Britain. It served Glassel House, the Mill of Beltie and the local farms and the inhabitants of this rural area from 1859 to 1966 on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater.

Drummuir Curlers' Platform railway station was a private station opened on the Keith and Dufftown Railway for the use of the curlers belonging to the Drummuir Curling Club who played on the nearby Loch Park in the parish of Botriphnie. The GNoSR line ran from Keith to Dufftown.

Murtle railway station, later Murtle Halt railway station served Murtle and Beaconhill Houses and estates, the Mill of Murtle, Milton of Murtle, the local farms and the inhabitants of this rural area within the parish of Peterculter from 1853 to 1937 on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater.

Milltimber railway station served the Milltimber area within the parish of Peterculter from 1854 to 1937 on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. This area at that time had a number of mansion houses, estates, etc. such as Culter House, Fairgirth House, Camphill House, Avondow House, Glasterberry House, etc. whose workers, etc. would have used the station. Milltimber was only a short distance from Murtle station. The station was named for the nearby Milltimber Farm.

Bieldside railway station served the Bieldside area within the parish of Peterculter from 1897 to 1937 on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. This area was the location of a number of mansion houses and estates such as Woodthorpe, Dalmunzie, The Firs, etc., some built as a result of the railway.

West Cults railway station served the small suburban village of West Cults area within the parish of Peterculter from 1894 to 1937 on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. It lay very close to Cults and Bieldside.

Cults railway station was opened on 8 September 1853 by the Deeside Railway and served part of Cults with mansion houses such as Southfield, Wellwood, Woodbank, Inchgarth, Drumgarth and Norwood nearby. The Deeside Railway station was replaced in 1855 by a new GNoSR that remained open, despite the 1937 closure of many other stations on the Aberdeen suburban service, until 1966 as an intermediate station on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. Cults is located in the parish of Peterculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Pitfodels railway station or Pitfodels Halt was opened on 2 July 1894 by the GNoSR and served a suburb of Aberdeen with housing and estates such as Wellwood, Inchgarth and Norwood. The halt was one of several victims of the 1937 closure of stations on the Aberdeen suburban service. The Deeside Railway itself ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. Pitfodels is located in the parish of Peterculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Ruthrieston railway station or Ruthrieston Halt was opened in January 1856 by the GNSR and served Ruthrieston, now a suburb of Aberdeen. The halt was one of several victims of the 1937 closure of stations on the Aberdeen suburban service. The Deeside Railway itself eventually ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. Ruthrieston is located in the parish of Peterculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Drum railway station was opened in January 1854 by the Deeside Railway and served the rural area around Drum Castle estate. The Deeside Railway was taken over by the GNoSR and in 1894 nearby Culter became the terminus for the majority of Aberdeen suburban services with only a few trains continuing through Drum to Banchory. Despite the 1937 closure of many other stations on the Aberdeen suburban service, Drum remained open until 1951 as an intermediate station on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. Drum station was located in Drumoak Parish, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Park railway station was opened in September 1853 by the Deeside Railway and served the rural area around the Park estate, Nether Sunnyside, West Redford and the hamlet of Park. The Deeside Railway was taken over by the GNoSR and in 1894 nearby Culter became the terminus for the majority of Aberdeen suburban services with only a few trains continuing through Park to Banchory. Despite the 1937 closure of many other stations on the Aberdeen suburban service, Park remained open until 1966 as an intermediate station on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. Park station was located in Drumoak Parish, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

References

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.
Maxtone, Graham and Cooper, Mike (2018). Then and Now on the Great North. V.1. GNoSR Association. ISBN 978-0902343-30-6.

External links

Preceding station	Historical railways			Following station
Dess Line and station closed		Deeside Railway		Aboyne Line and station closed

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[FOOTNOTEButt199513-1] Butt 1995, p. 13.

[BS-2] 1 2 3 4 Curling History

[TF-3] 1 2 Title: Sheet 44 - Ballater & Strathdon Publication date: 1929

[4] Curling Places of Scotland

[5] Scotland's War

[6] Aberdeenshire LXXXII.14 (Aboyne and Glen Tanar; Birse) Publication date: 1900 Revised: 1899

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Great North of Scotland Railway
Constituent railways	Aberdeen and Turriff (originally Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction) Aboyne & Braemar Alford Valley Banff, Macduff and Turriff Extension Banffshire (originally Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla) Deeside Formartine and Buchan Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Keith and Dufftown Morayshire Strathspey
Successor railway	London and North Eastern
Heritage railways	Alford Valley Keith and Dufftown Royal Deeside Strathspey
Rail trails	Deeside Way Formartine and Buchan Way
Aberdeen–Inverness line List of Great North of Scotland Railway stations Locomotives of the Great North of Scotland Railway

v t e Settlements and places of interest in Marr, Aberdeenshire
Primary settlements	Aboyne Alford Ballater Banchory Braemar Huntly Lumphanan Tarland Torphins
Other settlements	Backburn Bellabeg Birse Birsemore Bogniebrae Brathens Brideswell Cairnie Corgarff Crathie Dinnet Finzean Forgue Gartly Inverey Keig Kennethmont Kildrummy Kincardine O'Neil Kirkton of Tough Logie Coldstone Lost Lumsden Monymusk Potarch Rhynie Ruthven Strachan Strathdon Tillyfourie Tornaveen Towie Tullich Whitehouse Ythanwells
Places of interest	Alford Valley Railway Badenyon Balmoral Castle Blelack Braemar Castle Burn O'Vat Cairn O' Mounth Cairngorms National Park Castle Forbes Corgarff Castle Craigievar Castle Crathes Castle Crathie Kirk Forest of Birse Grampian Transport Museum Huntly Castle Kildrummy Castle Lochnagar Royal Deeside Royal Deeside Railway Yonder Bognie Ythan Wells (Glenmailen) Roman Camp

v t e Areas and primary settlements in Aberdeenshire (see also: Aberdeen City)
in Banff and Buchan	Aberchirder Banff Fraserburgh Gardenstown Inverallochy and Cairnbulg Macduff Portsoy Rosehearty Sandhaven Whitehills
in Buchan	Boddam Crimond Cruden Bay Fetterangus Hatton Longside Maud Mintlaw New Deer New Pitsligo Peterhead St Combs St Fergus Strichen Stuartfield
in Formartine	Balmedie Cuminestown Ellon Fyvie Newburgh Oldmeldrum Pitmedden Potterton Rothienorman Tarves Turriff
in Garioch	Blackburn Insch Inverurie Kemnay Kintore Newmachar Westhill
in Kincardine and Mearns	Drumoak Fettercairn Gourdon Inverbervie Johnshaven Laurencekirk Luthermuir Newtonhill Portlethen St Cyrus Stonehaven
in Marr	Aboyne Alford Ballater Banchory Braemar Huntly Lumphanan Tarland Torphins