West Cults railway station

West Cults
West Cults
	Footbridge replacing railway bridge near the old station site
General information
Location	Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire ; Scotland
Coordinates	57°06′51″N2°11′01″W / 57.114183°N 2.183681°W
Grid reference	NJ882022
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Great North of Scotland Railway
Pre-grouping	Great North of Scotland Railway
Post-grouping	LNER
Key dates
1 August 1894	Station opened
5 April 1937	Station closed to passengers
18 July 1966	Line closed entirely

Last updated March 03, 2024

West Cults railway station served the small suburban village of West Cults area within the parish of Peterculter from 1894 to 1937^[1] on the Deeside Railway that ran from Aberdeen (Joint) to Ballater. It lay very close to Cults and Bieldside.

History

The station was opened in August 1894^[1] as part of the Aberdeen suburban service on the Deeside branch and at first the branch services were operated by the Deeside Railway. Later the line became part of the GNoSR who opened West Cults and at grouping merged with the London and North Eastern Railway. West Cults is likely to have become an unstaffed halt circa 1930^[2] and was closed to passengers on 5 April 1937^[1] as a part of the withdrawal of the Aberdeen suburban service. The station probably became unstaffed at the same time as Murtle and Milltimber with the aforementioned closure of the Aberdeen suburban service. After its closure in 1937 the line itself remained open to Ballater until 1966. The line has been lifted and this sections forms part of the Deeside Way long-distance footpath.

Infrastructure

The main wooden station building stood on the eastbound side with its 'hipped roof', had a waiting room, ticket office, staff accommodation and toilets, similar to those at Torphins, Lumphanan, Murtle and elsewhere on the line. It did not possess a goods yard, sidings or points on the double track line. A curling pond stood close by in Cults Park that would have attracted participating passengers on match days.^[3]

The line had been doubled in 1892,^[4] a stone stationmasters house built, together with a wooden pedestrian overbridge, but no signal box and a small wooden shelter located on the westbound platform. The signals were operated by the stationmaster who had orders to put them at danger whilst a train was in the station. In 1908 the signals and ground frame were removed.^[5]^[6]^[7]

In 1963 the station, closed since 1937, was now on a single track section of line with the station house still standing however the old station buildings and pedestrian bridge had been demolished by this date. The westbound side of the track was the first to be lifted.^[8]

Services

In 1928 the suburban railway, locally called the 'subbies' started additionally operating Sunday services to Culter however due to competition with the buses it was announced on 28 January 1937 that the service would cease altogether in April 1937, Sunday services having ceased in 1936.^[4]

The site today

One platform of Aberdeenshire granite remains in situ. The Royal Deeside Railway is located at Milton of Crathes some distance down the line towards Ballater.

Related Research Articles

The River Dee is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through southern Aberdeenshire to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen. The area it passes through is known as Deeside, or Royal Deeside in the region between Braemar and Banchory because Queen Victoria came for a visit there in 1848 and greatly enjoyed herself. She and her husband, Prince Albert, built Balmoral Castle there which replaced an older castle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deeside Way</span> Walking and cycling route following a disused railway line in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

The Deeside Way is a 41-mile (66 km) rail trail that follows, in part, the bed of the former Deeside Railway in Aberdeenshire. Forming part of the National Cycle Network the trail leads from Aberdeen to Ballater.

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 (69.6 km) 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.

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.

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 a railway station in Aberdeen, Scotland. It 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.

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.

Aboyne Curling Pond railway station, Loch of Aboyne Platform or Curlers' Platform 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.

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.

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

1 2 3 4 5 Butt 1995, p. 245.
↑ Disused Railway Stations
↑ Aberdeenshire LXXXVI.1 (Aberdeen; Banchory-Devenick; Peterculter) Publication date:1901 Revised:1899
1 2 Doric Columns
↑ Maxtone, Graham (2018). Then and Now on the Great North. V.1. GNoSR Association. p. 13.
↑ Aberdeenshire, 086.01, Surveyed: 1899, Published: 1901
↑ Aberdeenshire LXXXVI.1 (Aberdeen; Banchory-Devenick; Peterculter) Publication date:1925 Revised: 1923 Levelled:1899
↑ NJ8802-NJ8902 - AA - Surveyed/Revised: 1961, Published:1963

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

Film of the station and the Deeside line.

Preceding station	Historical railways			Following station
Cults Line and station closed		Great North of Scotland Railway Deeside Railway		Bieldside Line and station closed

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[FOOTNOTEButt1995245-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Butt 1995, p. 245.

[2] Disused Railway Stations

[3] Aberdeenshire LXXXVI.1 (Aberdeen; Banchory-Devenick; Peterculter) Publication date:1901 Revised:1899

[DC-4] 1 2 Doric Columns

[MX-5] Maxtone, Graham (2018). Then and Now on the Great North. V.1. GNoSR Association. p. 13.

[6] Aberdeenshire, 086.01, Surveyed: 1899, Published: 1901

[7] Aberdeenshire LXXXVI.1 (Aberdeen; Banchory-Devenick; Peterculter) Publication date:1925 Revised: 1923 Levelled:1899

[8] NJ8802-NJ8902 - AA - Surveyed/Revised: 1961, Published:1963

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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