Location type

Station

Name and dates

Forfar [2nd] (1848-1967)

Note: text in square brackets is added for clarity and was not part of the location's name.

Opened on the Scottish Midland Junction Railway.

Description

This was an important station on the Perth to Aberdeen main line through Strathmore. A number of lines converged on the station and it not only had two main through platforms but bays for the branch lines. It was on a curve, bringing the line closer to Market Street , on the north side of the town. To the north of the east end of the station was an extensive goods yard and Forfar Shed [2nd].

The station replaced the Forfar [1st] (Forfar Playfield) terminus of the line from Arbroath, which was closer the town centre but not able to be included in a through route.

Original station

The original two platform station on the site was very slightly further east. A small goods depot existed south of the line at the west end of the station, approached from the west. A second goods depot existed north of the line approached from the east.

Later station

The station was rebuilt in the 1870s, around the opening of the Dundee and Forfar Direct Railway.

It was further rebuilt in the 1900s with buildings reminiscent of those at Stirling with platform covering canopies. The goods depot at the west end was removed during reconstruction and goods yard approached from the east hugely expanded. Loops on the southbound main were retained east of the station.

West of the station were loading banks on long sidings located on either side of the line. The auction market was to the north.

The bay at the west end (south side of line) was extended after the Great War, and some market sidings lifted to accommodate this. No crossover was provided to the west until as far west as Forfar South Junction so any service using the bay from Kirriemuir or Brechin would have had to run wrong line for a distance.

The bay at the east end (north side of line) was used by trains to Broughty Ferry.

After closure

After closure to passengers, and as a through route, the main station buildings and their canopies were demolished in the 1970s leaving the 'new' 1954 signal box (which was now closed but now became the goods office) and a single station building on the former up platform. The up line was lifted through the station but down line retained. The nearby goods yard remained rationalised but open until 1982.

Today

A housing development covered most of the station site by the mid 1980s save for a small length of platform on a bridge over Carse View Road. The bridge has been demolished removing the last of the remains of the large station.

Tags

Station

Aliases

Forfar

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
02/01/2024

Nearby stations Forfar (Playfield) Clocksbriggs Kingsmuir Kirriemuir Junction Justinhaugh Kirriemuir Tannadice Auldbar Road Kirkbuddo Glammis [1st] Glamis Guthrie Eassie Careston Carmyllie	Forfar Gasworks Forfar Shed [1st] Station Linen Works Forfar Shed [2nd] Canmore Jute Works Forfar North Junction Forfar South Junction Turfbeg Road Bridge Clocksbriggs Oil Depot Clocksbriggs Oil Sidings Tourist/other Whitehills Level Crossing Restenneth Priory Loch of Forfar Bowman^s Level Crossing Clocksbriggs House
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.