Birchfield Halt railway station explained

Birchfield
Status:Disused
Borough:Rothes, Moray
Country:Scotland
Coordinates:57.5631°N -3.2468°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Platforms:1
Original:Morayshire Railway
Pregroup:Great North of Scotland Railway
Postgroup:LNER
Years:Circa 1871
Events:Opened
Years1:7 May 1956
Events1:Station closed
Years2:6 May 1968
Events2:Line closed to freight

Birchfield Platform railway station, Birchfield Halt railway station or Birchfield Siding railway station[1] served the rural area near Glen of Rothes House, Moray, Scotland, from 1871 to 1956 on the Morayshire Railway. 1884 is another suggested opening date; however, it contradicts the map evidence. This was an intermediate station on the Craigellachie-Elgin line of the former Great North of Scotland Railway that had originally been opened by the Morayshire Railway on 1 January 1862.[2]

History

The station was opened circa 1871 as Birchfield Halt by the Great North of Scotland Railway. It was situated north of and south of and stations that in turn led to the Great North of Scotland Railway station at East. The name Birchfield Halt was used from 1939.[3]

Infrastructure

In 1871 the station had a short ill-defined platform and was approached by a long drive that had a junction with the lane that crossed the level crossing. A single siding ran for a short distance south, parallel to the line. A building stood close to the level crossing and a signal was present.[1] By 1903 a shelter was located at the clearly marked platform, but the short siding had been lifted, a signal is no longer indicated and a small building, not marked as a signal box, stands near the site of the level crossing.[4]

The site today

The building first recorded in 1871 is still present in a much modified form and the trackbed is in use as a farmland access.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: View: Elginshire XVIII.5 (Rothes) - Ordnance Survey 25 inch 1st edition, Scotland, 1855-1882. maps.nls.uk. 6 November 2018.
  2. Web site: Longmorn Station. Canmore. 6 November 2018.
  3. Web site: GO Line Codes: GNoS Railway | Signalling Record Society . s-r-s.org.uk. 6 November 2018.
  4. Web site: View: Elginshire XVIII.5 (Rothes) - Ordnance Survey 25 inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1949. maps.nls.uk. 6 November 2018.