Maud Junction
A country junction in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, where the Fraserburgh route threw off a branch to Peterhead. The railway attracted a cattle-market. The last train left in 1979, the Fraserburgh route is now an active travel trail called the Formartine and Buchan Way, and the station buildings house the Maud Railway Museum. The remains of the turntable can be seen, along with the cattle loading platforms.
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Address:
Station Road,
Maud
Aberdeenshire
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Visit website
History : Dyce was on the Great North of Scotland Railway north from Aberdeen Waterloo station. The line was built by the Formartine and Buchan Railway Company, which became part of the GNSR in 1866. In 1923 the GNSR was incorporated into the London and North Eastern Railway, which was in turn nationalised on 1 January 1948. Passenger services on the Buchan lines were withdrawn in 1965 as part of the Beeching cuts. Freight trains continued to operate to Peterhead until 1970 and Fraserburgh until 1979. The track through Maud was subsequently lifted, and the land acquired by the then Grampian Regional Council who set about improving motorists' sight-lines by cutting back bridges. .
Maud Junction was a major railhead for N. E. Scotland cattle transport. An auction mart in the village was the source of Aberdeenshire beef cattle for transport to all parts of Great Britain. On market days special arrangements were made to accommodate heavy cattle traffic on the single track line to Dyce given the shortage of sidings at Maud.
There was no engine shed at Maud, even though it had a turntable. Each morning a locomotive came down from Fraserburgh to collect the Fraserburgh coaches from the first train from Aberdeen which then proceeded to Peterhead. The last engine at night went back 'light engine' to the Fraserburgh shed.
Maud Railway Museum is housed in the former station buildings along with some units for commercial letting.
The museum is open monthly from April to October from 10am till 4pm. (subject to CoVid)
All the tracks to and from Maud are now cycle and foot paths. In the village beside the station there is the local shop which serves hot snacks to eat in an outdoor seated picnic area. There is wheelchair access to all parts of the building.
Latest arrival is a Peterhead Prison Convict Van from the railway that once linked the Prison with its Quarry.
Eminent Scottish journalist Jack Webster was proud of his Maud origins – see https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/obituary-jack-webster-scottish-journalist-who-ghosted-columns-muhammad-ali-2513960