Building record MAB20913 - MURTLE STATION

Former railway station and platform.

Former railway station and platform. The original station at Murtle opened in 1853 with a single platform and in 1888 a second platform and passing loop was provided. The OS 1st edition shows only the station building and a platform. On the OS 2nd edition map the station is also annotated as a Post Office, a station house has been added to the north, a footbridge as been added over the line and a signal box and three signal posts are shown to the west. The station at Murtle was destroyed by fire in 1909 and the replacement station followed the standard design being used at other stations. The station was constructed of wood and had a hipped or piended roof. Awnings were added over the door to the platform which still survives today. Building of the Deeside extension railway began in 1852 and the line opened in 1853 from Aberdeen to Banchory, which included stations at Cults, Murtle, Culter, a private platform at Crathes Castle, and Banchory. However lower Deeside residents had to wait for a double track from Aberdeen to Culter to be built before suburban trains could run as they did at Donside. The Deeside line opened in 1892 and was immediately popular, taking twenty minutes to go the 7 3/8 miles. The original service of 8 trains doubled in 1900. The suburban railway began to operate Sunday services to Culter from 1928 to 1936. However, Murtle Station was downgraded to a halt in 1931 because passenger numbers were insufficient to justify the retention of full facilities. Suburban stations and halts could only give passengers tickets to stations served by the Suburban train service. On the 28th January 1937 it was announce that after April 1937 the suburban service was to end. Fourteen stations, including Murtle, closed as a result of rivalry from bus services and the waning popularity of the train service. This marked the end of a chapter in transportation history for Aberdeen. The former station building is now in residential use, named Railway Cottage. The former Station House is to the north.

Period Notes
Opened 1853. Second platform added 1888. Original station destroyed by fire 1909.

BABTIE GROUP, 2004, ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED STUDY & WALKOVER SURVEY. VOL 1: TEXT, VOL 2 GAZETTEER, Site 52, 260 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3745.

Record last edited

Jun 3 2025 10:20AM