Aberchirder is a fine example of a planned village. It was founded in 1764 by Alexander Gordon, the laird of Auchintoul, and was originally known as Foggieloan, after a nearby fermtoun which is marked, along with Auchintoul House on the first detailed map of the area, drawn about 1750.

The Great North of Scotland Railway was a pioneer in using early motorbuses, their introduction here and at Braemar paralleling successful trials elsewhere (notably Cornwall and East Yorkshire) to substitute road transport for what would have been unremunerative branch lines.
During the 1890s there were proposals to build a rail link between Rothienorman and Tillynaught through Aberchirder. The proprietor of the Fife Arms Hotel in the Square bought land next to these houses on South Street opposite New Marnoch Church with a view to building a Station Hotel. However the project – probably wisely from the economic point of view – was blocked by Frendraught Estate.
A much more sensible idea came to fruition in 1905 when the Great North of Scotland Railway company set up a motor bus service between Aberchirder and Huntly, having bought out William McMillan’s horse-drawn omnibus service. The railway bus garage was built at 46 Main Street on the site of a number of derelict houses bought from Alexander McHardy who, a year later, built the pavilion for the Bowling Club. Two 18-seater Milnes-Daimler buses (SA147 and SA151), with bodywork built at Inverurie Loco Works, were allocated to Foggie. The first run was on 1 May 1905.
Journeys cannot have been very comfortable, given that the wheels had solid tyres and the road surfaces were bumpy. Indeed the buses soon became known locally as Foggie Dirders (boneshakers). The service offered two buses a day (three on Saturdays), connecting with trains at Huntly.
A plan to build another depot alongside came to nothing. It was sold by W. Alexander in 1931 for £160 having paid the LNER £250 for it, as it transferred its services to Macduff.

It remains a garage today although the original stone-built building to the left has been overtaken by the modern metal cladded one on the right and to the back. It looks as if the original depot is now used as a store.

Images: John Yellowlees, GNSRA, Aberdeen Transport Society with thanks