DMU Operations: Scottish Region
Aberdeen - Fraserburgh / Peterhead, Fraserburgh - St Combs
The services on the former GNoSR Buchan lines — between Aberdeen, Peterhead & Fraserburgh, and Fraserburgh to St Combs — were dieselised on Monday 15th June 1959. The Cravens DMUs were mainly used on stopping services, there would also be diesel loco-hauled trains on the line. Services from Peterhead and Fraserburgh combined / split at Maud Junction for the section to Aberdeen, or a Peterhead service would connect at Maud Junction with the Fraserburgh trains.
In the first two timetables below, all the services are shown as diesel operated. In the June 1962 and all later versions there is only one service in each direction on the Aberdeen - Fraserburgh/Peterhead table identified as diesel, and none in the September 1964 issue, suggesting a reversion to steam. There were no longer joining/splitting service at Maud Junction.
The last day of passenger services on the St Combs branch was 1st May 1965 operated by a Met-Camm DMU (SC51247 + SC56405), official closure date was Monday 3rd.
Passenger services to Peterhead ended in May 1965, those to Fraserburgh in October 1965. Both lines stayed open for freight until 1970/1979 respectively and entertained the occassional DMU railtour before closure.
Sample Timetables
In these Passenger Services Scotland timetable books the services were on tables 37 and 38.
Images
circa 1960
A Fraserburgh service at St Combs circa 1960, with the rare use of a Swindon Cross Country DMU on the line. Eric Stuart.
circa 1960
A St Combs train at Fraserburgh. Eric Stuart.
1962
Another Cravens unit in the Aberdeen area. This is on the former GNSR Peterhead branch between Mintlaw and Maud, passing Old Deer village and approaching Deer Abbey Halt. Uploaded by kind permission of Tony Grubb. Tony Grubb.
14th July 1964
Sc51480 (and presumably Sc56469) are working the 12.30pm Fraserburgh - Aberdeen service when seen at Dyce on July 14, 1964. Michael Mensing.
19th April 1965
A Cravens diesel multiple unit at St Combs station in Aberdeenshire on 19 April 1965, the terminus of the light railway from Fraserburgh which closed just over two weeks later on 5 May. These Kittybrewster allocated sets seemed to keep their original formations, so the DMBS partner to DTCL Sc56467 should be Sc51478. Tom Burnham.
24th April 1965
A Cravens set waits to depart from Fraserburgh with the the 2:15pm to St. Combs on the 24th April 1965. Hamish Stevenson.