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Description

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 railway cottage also still stands nearby.

The former goods yard, on the south west side of the line, approached from the Keith direction, is now used for stock storage.

This was the terminus of the Keith and Dufftown Railway from Keith, opened in 1862. It was extended by the Strathspey Railway west through Craigellachie to Boat of Garten in 1863.

The station had a passing loop, two platforms and the goods yard.

With a link made to the Morayshire Railway at Craigellachie, the station was served by Great North of Scotland Railway trains travelling from Elgin East to Keith and from Boat of Garten to Keith.

Signal boxes opened in 1894. The north box, a minor box, was at the north end of the westbound platform. The south box was on the east side near the south side of the loop opposite the goods yard turn out.

The large goods yard had three sets of sidings leading off a goods loop on the west side of the line, a loading bank to the west, plain sidings and a goods shed to the east (on the west side of the south end of the westbound platform). The goods yard's headshunt finished with a turnplate from which a siding ran into the Glenfiddich Distillery.

The station closed to passengers in 1968 when the Keith to Elgin East route closed beyond Craigellachie. The signal boxes closed, the south box being replaced with a ground frame. The station's loop was lifted at the platforms - the line by the eastbound platform being lifted and westbound (by the building) retained. The goods loop was retained,

Around the time of closure to passengers, grain silos were erected in the goods yard which was enlarged to serve them. The line was cut back from Aberlour to Dufftown in 1971. A loop was installed to the east of the station, the second line (eastbound) through the station being lifted.

Goods ceased around 1983. Railtours, notably the 'Northern Belle' visited for many years until final closure, quite some time after freight ceased, in 1991.

After a period of abeyance, the line was taken over by the Keith and Dufftown Railway Association whose base of operations is at the station. The line was progressively cleared out from Dufftown in 1997 and the station reopened for trips to Drummuir in 2000. Regular heritage trains now operate from here to Keith Town.

A shed, which was erected at Drummuir in the early preservation period, has been moved to the north end of the station.

The next station west was Craigellachie and east Drummuir (although a halt, Drummuir Curlers Platform was closer still).

The trackbed to Craigellachie (and beyond) is walkable.

Local

Keith and Dufftown Railway

The Glenfiddich Distillery and Balvenie Distillery are located by the station.

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