Keith and Dufftown Railway

Introduction

This railway is now a preserved line, the Keith and Dufftown Railway . The railway provided a service between Dufftown and Keith. At Keith the line connected with the Great North of Scotland Railway (which was also joined by the Highland Railway at Keith). At Dufftown the line was joined by the Strathspey Railway (which was joined by the Morayshire Railway at Craigellachie).






Dates

02/07/1857Keith and Dufftown Railway
Act receives Royal assent.
21/02/1862Keith and Dufftown Railway
Keith to Dufftown opened. Stations at Earlsmill, Botriphinie and Drummuir.
  /10/1862Keith and Dufftown Railway
Botriphinie renamed Auchindachy.
30/07/1866Keith and Dufftown RailwayGreat North of Scotland Railway
Keith and Dufftown Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway.
  /  /1897Glendullan Distillery
Established by the River Fiddich and the Mortlach branch of the Keith and Dufftown Railway.
  /  /1897Keith and Dufftown Railway
Earlsmill renamed Keith Town.
06/05/1968Keith and Dufftown RailwayMorayshire RailwayStrathspey Railway
Elgin East to Craigellachie to Keith Junction closed to passengers.
  /  /1984Great North of Scotland Railway Keith and Dufftown Railway
Introduction of the twice weekly 'Northern Belle' which ran from Aberdeen to Dufftown
24/03/1991Keith and Dufftown Railway
The 'Last train to Dufftown' tour visits Dufftown, the last train until the railway was reinstated for preservation.
01/04/1991Keith and Dufftown Railway
Closed from Dufftown to Keith (closed).
  /05/1995Keith and Dufftown Railway
Closure from Keith Junction to Strathisla Mills Platform.
  /  /1997Keith and Dufftown Railway
Prototype Sprinter at Dufftown, line clearance at Drummuir.
  /  /2000Keith and Dufftown Railway
The Keith and Dufftown Railway Association trains begin running from Dufftown.
18/08/2001Keith and Dufftown Railway
First passenger train runs from Dufftown to Keith on the re-opened Keith and Dufftown Railway, with the re-opening of the line beyond Drummuir to Keith Town.
  /06/2011Keith and Dufftown Railway
Seeks funding to re-located shed from Drummuir to Dufftown.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Keith to Dufftown

This refers to the actual junction. For the station see Keith. This junction was formed in 1858 between the Great North of Scotland Railway and the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway further added to with the opening of the Keith and Dufftown Railway in 1862.
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See also
Great North of Scotland Railway
Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway
158722, on the 1303hrs Keith to Inverness service, passes 70810 on China Clay tanks in the passing loop at Keith on 28th October 2020. ...
Duncan Ross 28/10/2020
COLAS 70810 on 6Z42 at Keith on 28th October 2020. The diverted china clay tanks seem to be running twice a week now and I am wondering if the climb ...
Duncan Ross 28/10/2020
37128 pulls a short freight westwards from Keith Junction in 1990.
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Bill Roberton //1990
Exchange at Keith in August 1987. ...
Ian Dinmore /08/1987
4 of 14 images. more


This is a one platform station, with a second out of use platform on the former route to Dufftown. There is a passing loop to the east of the station, inconvenient when trains are running late.
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See also
Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway
Buckie and Portessie Branch (Highland Railway)
Great North of Scotland Railway
158731 on a short working from Inverness to Huntly, with replacement buses beyond the latter, departing from Keith (formerly Keith Junction), on 16th ...
David Bosher 16/06/2019
An LNER notice on the GNSR Keith Town goods shed wall, seen in January 1979.
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Peter Todd 19/01/1979
With 47712 propelling, the 'Inter City Push - Pull Scottish Tour' approaches Keith with 1Z16, the 09.00 inverness - Glasgow Queen Street leg of the ...
John Clark 26/02/2023
BR Type 2 Bo-Bo 25035, resting in front of the LNER/GNSR goods shed at Keith in 1979.
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Peter Todd 19/01/1979
4 of 34 images. more




This platform was for visitors to the Strathisla Distillery. It was a short distance south west of Keith station.
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View north towards Keith Junction showing the warehousing of the Strathisla Mills Distillery - with the distillery itself beyond. The distillery was ...
Ewan Crawford 01/02/1997
1 of 1 images.


This is a single platform station on the preserved Keith and Dufftown Railway. The station has been rebuilt to match the original design. It operates as a terminus currently, although previously it was a through station. It is not far south of Keith.
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Keith Town, Keith & Dufftown Railway, the UK's most northerly heritage line, on Sunday, 16th June 2019. This is a 2002 replica, constructed by the ...
David Bosher 16/06/2019
The Strathspey Railway's Ivatt 2-6-0 no 46512 returns light engine from Strathmill siding to couple up to the DMU carriages at Keith Town during the ...
John McIntyre 14/10/2012
47617 University of Stirling hauls the 'Last Train to Dufftown' on 24 March 1991 over a bridge between Keith Town and Keith Jn, near Strathisla Mills ...
Bill Roberton 24/03/1991
The Spirit of Speyside waits at Keith Town on 20 May 2012 prior to operating the early afternoon return service to Dufftown. ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
4 of 16 images. more


With its train of dmus standing on the running line behind it, Ivatt class 2 46512 runs into Strathmill Distillery Siding. This will allow EE 0-6-0 DM ...
Bill Jamieson 13/10/2012
Part of the elaborate shunting process required to operate the Keith & Dufftown Railway's 2012 steam weekend - 46512 propels empty stock of five DMU ...
David Spaven 13/10/2012
Having arrived at Keith Town as the 16:15 from Dufftown, Ivatt class 2 46512 and its train of dmus are propelled back along the running line to ...
Bill Jamieson 13/10/2012
Shortly after leaving Keith Town station the line to Dufftown passes these former goods facilities. The board reads J&B Scotch Whisky, Strathmill ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
4 of 4 images.


This was a two platform station with a passing loop. Today the former southbound line remains in place, the southbound platform and station building, in use as a house.
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View through the rear of Class 108 DMU 'Spirit of Speyside' with a Keith & Dufftown Railway service from Dufftown to Keith Town passing the ...
David Bosher 16/06/2019
Auchindachy, viewed in 1964 from the rear of a DMU bound for Cairnie Junction. ...
Brian Haslehust 31/08/1964
Passing the closed station of Auchindachy on the Keith and Dufftown Railway in May 2012. Originally opened as Botriphnie in February 1862 the name ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
Looking north east at the closed Auchindachy station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 4 images.


This was a small single platform halt. The platform was in timber. The platform was on the north side of the line. The station building was a grounded carriage.
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View through rear of class 108 d.m.u. 'Spirit of Banffshire' having just passed Towiemore Halt, on the Keith & Dufftown Railway, the UK's most ...
David Bosher 16/06/2019
Remains at Towiemore Halt on the Keith and Dufftown line in July 1980. The station here closed in 1968. ...
Ian Dinmore /07/1980
The former Towiemore Halt on the Dufftown branch in 1977, some 9 years after closure. Note the grounded coach body. ...
Ian Dinmore //1977
Looking north at Towiemore halt. ...
Ewan Crawford //
4 of 4 images.


This is a single platform station on the Keith and Dufftown Railway (Preserved). Today it has minimal facilities but historically it was a pleasant station of two platforms with station buildings.
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Keith and Dufftown Railway Class 108 Derby DMU 'Spirit of Speyside' shortly after leaving Drummuir on 30th September 2023 with the 16.20 from Keith ...
John Clark 30/09/2023
Remains of the former goods yard at Drummuir on the Keith and Dufftown Railway in 2012. View is south west towards the platform, with the station ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
Drummuir station, photographed in 1965 from the back of a diesel unit on a journey from Elgin to Cairnie Junction. ...
Brian Haslehust 10/08/1965
Drummuir station seen in 1967 from a Dufftown bound train. The loop was taken out in 1966. ...
David Murray-Smith //1967
4 of 17 images. more


This platform served Loch Park during curling contests. ...

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This was the junction for the Mortlach branch. The branch served Glendullan Distillery and extended to Mortlach Distillery around 1900.
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This is a single track masonry viaduct of two arches not far east of Dufftown station. Parkmore Junction was to the east of the viaduct. ...

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Scene on the Keith and Dufftown Railway on 20 May 2012, with a DMU from Keith Town heading back towards the terminus at Dufftown. The train is ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
View from rear of Class 108 DMU 'Spirit of Banffshire,' crossing the two arch masonry viaduct that spans the River Fiddich sixty feet below, with a ...
David Bosher 16/06/2019
Fiddich Viaduct on the Keith and Dufftown railway. Just southeast of Dufftown Station. The station was being Spooked up for Halloween services. ...
Caleb Abbott 25/10/2017
47617 with the Last Train to Dufftown on 24 March 1991. ...
Bill Roberton 24/03/1991
4 of 4 images.


This is a preserved two platform station, one of the platforms being a bay and the other the former westbound through platform. Dufftown is the terminus of the Keith and Dufftown Railway Association line, a heritage railway. The original station building still stands on the platform. As with many former GNoSR stations the station name is displayed in a window above the platform frontage. A ...

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See also
Strathspey Railway
The crest of the Keith and Dufftown Railway Company displayed in the waiting room at Dufftown on 20 May 2012. Also on display along the mantlepiece ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
Scene on the Keith and Dufftown Railway in May 2012, with the DMU operating the shuttle service to Keith Town awaiting its scheduled departure time at ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
Scene on the Keith and Dufftown Railway in the spring of 2012, looking vack towards the platforms at Dufftown. The DMU operating the shuttle service ...
John Furnevel 20/05/2012
The 'Spirit of Banffshire' prepares for departure at Dufftown. ...
John Yellowlees 18/08/2017
4 of 65 images. more





Mortlach Branch

This was the junction for the Mortlach branch. The branch served Glendullan Distillery and extended to Mortlach Distillery around 1900.
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This siding (1900-1964) was an extension of the line from Parkmore Junction wich served the Mortlach Distillery.
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