Location type

Station

Name and dates

Ballater (1866-1966)

Opened on the Aboyne and Braemar Railway.
Opened on the Bridge of Gairn Tramway (Aboyne and Braemar Railway).

Description

This was the terminus of the Deeside line from Aberdeen. The terminus was at the Station Square in the middle of Ballater. The building was burned down in 2015 but had been, despite the closure of the station, been rebuilt. The resulting rebuilt building is superb. The terminus has a long association with the Royal Family and Queen Victoria, this station being the closest to Balmoral Castle.

This was a two platform station, the main platform (intended to be a through platform) and a bay platform at the east end. Space was left for an eastbound platform, which was never built. To the north of this was a large goods yard, approached from the east.

There was a large carriage shed at the east end, south of the line, also approached from the east, but via a headshunt. To the south was a two road locomotive shed and a turntable.

The line was continued west to Bridge of Gairn as a tramway Bridge of Gairn Tramway (Aboyne and Braemar Railway), but this was not brought into use and no further stations were built to the west. Instead a traction engine service continued the line west by road - and a bus service (see below). To the east the line continued to Cambus O' May and on, ultimately, to Aberdeen.

The original station was considerably smaller with a small station building and smaller goods yard. In 1886 the station building was replaced with a much finer structure in timber.

There was a signal box, opened 1893, at the throat of the station. It was on the north side of the line.

A timber siding was laid in during the Second World War.

The station closed to passengers in February 1966. The box was reduced to a ground frame. The line closed completely in July 1966.

The goods yard area, carriage shed and locomotive shed area were cleared and are now occupied by housing.

The station building and platform survived closure but was burned down in 2015. The building has been rebuilt - with great attention to detail and using plans for the building.

Bus

From 1904, the Great North of Scotland Railway operated a bus service to Braemar. A station building, offices of the company, was built in Braemar. A tourist route to Dinnet and Bellabeg, connecting with a bus from Alford, was introduced in 1907.

Local

Visit Ballater
Balmoral Castle
Queen Victoria's Journals
Bike Station Ballater is located by the station.
The Carriage Ballater is a cafe located in the station.

Tags

Terminus footpath

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
03/12/2021

Facilities

Listing: B

Nearby stations Cambus o^ May Dinnet Aboyne Aboyne Curlers Platform Dess Lumphanan Torphins Glassel Alford Whitehouse Tillyfourie Dee Street Halt Banchory [2nd] Banchory [1st] West Lodge	Ballater Shed Bridge of Gairn Milton of Tullich Siding Cambus o^ May Suspension Bridge Cambus o^ May Ballast Siding Monandavan Diatomite Works Tourist/other Cambus o^ May House Dinnet House Mount Keen Balmoral Castle Tomnaverie Stone Circle Lochnagar-Meikle Pap Meall Coire na Saobhaidhe Cuidhe Crom Lochnagar-Little Pap
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.