Coltfield Platform railway station

Coltfield Platform railway station stood on the Burghead and Hopeman Branch of the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway and later the Highland Railway that once served the rural area of Coltfield and Wards in the Scottish district of Moray (formerly Elginshire). It was opened as Wards railway station in 1862 and was renamed as Coltfield railway station in 1855 before finally becoming Coltfield Platform in 1880.[3] The station lay 2 mi 20 chains (3.6 km) from Alves railway station.

Coltfield Platform

Wards
LocationBurghead, Moray
Scotland
Coordinates57.6602°N 3.4729°W / 57.6602; -3.4729,
NJ122643 (1st station)
57.6999°N 3.4862°W / 57.6999; -3.4862,
NJ115687 (2nd station)
Platforms1
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyInverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway
Pre-groupingHighland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
22 December 1862[1]Station opened
14 September 1931[2]Passenger services withdrawn
2017Line closed
Alves railway station site in 2006

History
The ruins of the hamlet of Wards.

The Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway opened the branch from Alves Junction in 1862.[4] Services ran to Keith or to Inverness by changing at Alves.

In 1865 the line was taken over by the Highland Railway and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in turn took over the line in 1921, the last passenger train however ran on 12 September 1931.[5] The branch line continued in use for grain deliveries until 1998 and was only formally closed as late as 2017 and the track lifted.[6]

Infrastructure

The simple short platform on the single track line had no passing loop, sidings, signal box or signals, but had a small shelter and it was reached by a path that ran from steps that led down from the overbridge near Easter Coltfield. Standing on the eastern side of the line it was opened to serve the gravel pit and works at Easter Coltfield, the hamlets of Wards and Coltfield as well as the local farms, etc and remained open until 14 September 1931; freight facilities were not provided. Nothing now remains of the station and the line has been lifted, however the overbridge still survives. A short cutting lay to the south.[7][8][9]

Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Alves
Line open, station closed		   Highland Railway
Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway		   Cummingston
Line closed, station closed

References
  1. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 66. ISBN 1-85260-508-1.
  2. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 67. ISBN 1-85260-508-1.
  3. RailScot - Coltfield Platform
  4. "Opening of the Burghead Railway". Elgin Courant, and Morayshire Advertiser. XXVIII (1463). 26 December 1862. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "'Bus service change". Aberdeen Press and Journal (23, 922). 3 September 1931. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. Andrew Overton, ed. (2017). "Signalling Digest". The Signalling Record. No. 186. Signalling Record Society. p. 214.
  7. Sheet 28 - Nairn & Cromarty Publication date: 1929
  8. Elginshire Sheet VI.SE, Surveyed: 1904, Published: 1906
  9. Elginshire, 006.12, Surveyed: 1904, Published: 1905
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