Morayshire Railway

Morayshire Railway

Locale Scotland
Dates of operation 10 August 1852 – 1 October 1880[1]
Successor Great North of Scotland Railway
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length 18 miles (29 km)
Headquarters Elgin
Legend
 Lossiemouth
 Rifle Range Halt
 Greens of Drainie
 Linksfield
UpperRight arrow Moray Coast Railway (GNoSR)
Lossie Junction
Up arrow Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway
Elgin(I&AJR)
Elgin South Junction

Elgin (East)

Elgin North Junction

Longmorn distillery
Longmorn
Coleburn
Orton(I&AJR)
Birchfield Platform
Sourden
Mulben(I&AJR)
Down arrow Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway
Rothes
Dandaleith
UpperLeft arrow Strathspey Railway (GNoSR) (to Aviemore)
Craigellachie Junction
Craigellachie
LowerRight arrow Strathspey Railway (GNoSR) (to Dufftown)

The Morayshire Railway was the first railway to be built north of Aberdeen, in Scotland. It received royal assent in 1846 but construction did not start until 1851 due to the economic conditions existing in the United Kingdom at the time. The railway was built in two phases with the section from Elgin to Lossiemouth completed in 1852. When the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway (I&AJR) reached Keith via Elgin, the Morayshire was able to complete the Speyside second phase by connecting the Craigellachie line at Orton. Initially the Morayshire ran its own locomotives on the I&AJR track between Elgin and Orton but this lasted only a short time and the Morayshire carriages were then hauled to Orton by the I&AJR. Disagreements with the I&AJR eventually forced the Morayshire into building a new section of track between their Elgin station and Rothes and was completed in 1862. The Morayshire completed its final act of enlargement by connecting to the new Great North of Scotland Railway (GNoSR) station in 1863. Crippling debt forced the company into agreeing with the GNoSR for it to take over the running of the track in 1866. When the Morayshire finally managed to greatly reduce its debt, a long sought after amalgamation with the GNoSR finally took place in 1881.

Elgin to Lossiemouth

Concept to development

The notion of constructing a railway from Elgin to Lossiemouth was first considered in 1841 by James Grant, an Elgin solicitor who owned, with his brother, the Glen Grant distillery at Rothes—Grant was later to become Provost of Elgin.[2] A survey showed that the line was feasible and could be built relatively cheaply yet little financial support for the project could be obtained. On 3 February 1844 and still steadfast in his belief in the project, Grant addressed the board of the Elgin and Lossiemouth Harbour Company in an effort to gain their support—the board's opinion was there was little need for railways north of Dundee, let alone one between the two towns.[3] Following the harbour company's own investigation, it changed its opinion and gave it their backing.[4]

James Grant

In the mid-1840s, railway mania swept throughout the United Kingdom.[5] At a meeting arranged by the supporters of an Inverness to Elgin railway on 19 February 1845 it was generally agreed that such a railway would be beneficial. Grant addressed the meeting stating that he had no objection but warned the people of Elgin that Lossiemouth harbour was important to Elgin and that they should be wary of companies who could interfere with the free trade that came through the port.[6] These warnings were heeded and Grant succeeded in resurrecting the scheme as the Morayshire Railway at a meeting held on 3 March 1845.[7] At a meeting held on 11 April, it was also decided that the track would extend south to Craigellachie.[8]

Measures were taken to seek parliamentary authority in 1846 but before the Bill was presented the GNoSR was created. A decision was taken that the two railways would connect at Elgin and the Morayshire Railway would connect its Speyside line to Craigellachie at Orton.[9] The company's capital was agreed at £50,000.[10][11] Parliamentary approval for this scheme were obtained on 10 July 1846 but financial panic gripped the United Kingdom in 1847 and the entire project was shelved.[12] An internal crisis developed within the company following a change of some the directors. The board declared that powers would be requested to abandon plans for the Craigellachie extension as there was no sign of the GNoSR starting their scheme. Some Edinburgh based shareholders—with the financial upheaval of the previous few years feared that the entire project was no longer viable—attempted to get the entire railway cancelled at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on 24 February 1851 using the Abandonment of Railways Act, 1850.[2] This motion was carried by 1800 shares to 677. Provost Grant suspected that due processes had not been observed and protested to the Railway Commissioners who on 21 March 1851 called for a list of shareholders who had attended the abandonment EGM—the Commissioners found that the necessary shares owned by those attending were insufficient for an abandonment.[13] The Edinburgh shareholders withdrew their support placing the company in a critical position. The Railway Commissioners granted the abandonment of the Craigellachie section on 10 July and agreed that the capital of the company be reduced to £29,700.[14][15] However, it was not until Elgin Town Council agreed to invest £1,000[16] in shares and Colonel Brander of Pitgaveny made a large addition to his already substantial holding that the contract for the Elgin to Lossiemouth section was placed.[17]

Construction

Bareflathills - The river bridge in the foreground, the road bridge and the cutting beyond

Hutchings & Co were awarded the contract and the first sod was cut at Bareflathills just outside Elgin near the River Lossie by the wife of James Grant on Saturday, 30 November 1851— a large cheering crowd amid the firing of cannons witnessed the ceremony.[18] This point was chosen because it possessed the three most difficult engineering features to be overcome—the bridge over the River Lossie, the road bridge over the track and the very deep cutting. The contractor switched to two 12-hour shifts and had a work force of around 300 navvies.[19] It was reported at the Board meeting held on 2 April 1852, that although the track was half-finished a strike within the workforce had provoked a serious disturbance.[19] There were two stories in circulation regarding the incident. The first of these was that Irish navvies had come onto the job undercutting the locals’ wages and the other was that the contractor, who was from England, employed English labour and it was they who objected to the Irish.[14][20] The outcome was that a riot of some sort had taken place and that four of the instigators were arrested and sentenced to various periods of hard labour—a fifth person was to be sent to the Court of Judiciary for trial after assaulting the Sheriff.[21] The result of all this was that the Morayshire Railway was ordered to pay for ten additional constables to police the workforce.[20]

The opening

The opening ceremony of the Morayshire Railway at Lossiemouth

It had been decided that the opening date would be Tuesday 10 August 1852 but at the board meeting on 31 July, it was reported that the locomotives had not arrived from Messrs Neilson & Co of Glasgow—one day later the boat containing the engines docked at Lossiemouth.[22] The two locomotives bought for the line were small 2-2-0 tank engines costing a total of £2622 7s. 8½d,[23][24] and were named by the company, Elgin and Lossiemouth.[25] The Board of Trade Engineer inspected the line on 4 August and traveled in a locomotive a day later and declared himself satisfied with the railway and rolling stock.[26]

On 10 August 1852, a general holiday was declared in Elgin and Lossiemouth and the directors of the company along with other local dignitaries walked at the head of a procession from the town centre, at St Giles Church, to the station where amid the firing of cannon, they were given a rousing send off.[27] Some people instead walked to Lossiemouth to see the train arrive. The board of the Elgin and Lossiemouth Harbour Company met the passengers and escorted them to the recently opened Steamboat and Railway Hotel where they were entertained.[20] They then proceeded to a large marquee erected overlooking the station on top of the quarry cliffs where many people made fine speeches before lunch was served.[28] The celebrations included sports and games.[23] The Board and prominent citizens met later that evening for a celebratary dinner.[20] The trains ran all day until midnight and carried around 3000 passengers.[23]

Operation

The first Elgin railway station built by the Morayshire Railway

The day following the opening of the line, a regular five return journeys per day, Monday to Saturday, was instituted. Soon after, the frequency was reduced to four return journeys per day but then in 1857, it was increased to six return journeys reflecting the increased use of the harbour for exporting and importing materials. It took the trains 15 minutes to run the 5½ miles including the conditional stops at Linksfield Level Crossing and Greens of Drainie. These stops were abandoned in 1859.[29]

A first and second class service was provided until 1855 then a first and third thereafter, the fares being 1½d and 1d per mile respectively. There was little difference in the coach seating layouts, only in the quality of the seats. The first year saw the company run a decent profit and the investors were rewarded with a 5% dividend but the dividend in 1858 was halved to 2½% due to a reduction in revenue because Lossiemouth harbour was closed for four months for basin enlargement.[30] This was discussed at the annual general meeting in the following October—at this meeting the main instigator of the railway, James Grant was elected chairman.[31]

Invention of carriage coupling device

Taylor and Cranstoun's coupling device

Joseph Taylor and Charles Cranstoun, the company's Engineer and General Manager respectively, designed an ingenious device for the coupling and uncoupling of carriages and locomotives thereby removing a significant hazard that claimed many lives annually. It operated very successfully on the Morayshire line and was highly regarded by railway experts but faced reluctance by other railway companies for its adoption—it is unclear if any other railways also used it.[32][33]

The Mechanic's Magazine after having seen the device in operation, wrote:

“ Having this fully made known the nature of this invention, designed and introduced for the express purpose of avoiding one entire and very dreadful class of railway accidents, we ask whether railway companies are justified in refusing even to entertain proposals for its adoption? For our part, we hold that by so doing they make themselves accountable, in all right of justice, for every injury or death that hereafter results from the present dangerous and destructive method of carriage-coupling. ”
— Mechanics Magazine, No. 1731, pp.341-2 (1856)[33]

Within a short time of co-designing the coupling device, Joseph Taylor was killed in an accident near Oakenhead Bridge just outside Lossiemouth on 23 April 1857. He was driving a tank locomotive which collided with a ballast train.[34] In the same year also near Lossiemouth, a passenger was killed when a badly secured barrier gave way on a truck.[35]

The Craigellachie enlargement

Construction and obstruction

Site of Birchfield Platform in 1961

By March 1858, the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway (I&AJR) had reached Elgin and completed its junction with GNoSR at Keith on 18 August.[36] The Morayshire Railway completed the 3½ miles of track from Orton station to Rothes and opened to passenger traffic on 23 August 1858—this allowed the Morayshire Railway to resurrect its plans to build a railway between Rothes and Craigellachie and this section was completed on 23 December 1858.[37] It terminated, however, on the west bank of the River Spey so as not to incur the expense of a bridge.The Morayshire company would, under its agreement with the I&AJR, work its own trains on the Elgin / Orton section but without permission to stop for passengers. The engines used by the Morayshire Railway were small and prone to breakdown and unsuitable for the steeper gradients on this section of track—their use lasted only six weeks.[38] The I&AJR blamed the Morayshire for causing delays in its own schedules and insisted on the Morayshire coaches being attached to its own and taken to Orton—relations between the two companies deteriorated rapidly and a dispute over charging for line use ensued.[39] Matters came to a head when I&AJR held back the Morayshire Railway goods until the I&AJR goods were ready to be forwarded either to or from Orton. This caused difficulties with onward transmission of goods from and to the Lossiemouth Harbour. Seemingly deliberate schemes were being devised to obstruct the Morayshire coaches from entering onto the I&AJR line. The two companies came to an agreement and the Morayshire Railway announced to its long suffering passengers that agreement had been reached and that delays should no longer happen.[40] . Meanwhile, the Morayshire had borrowed to its limit, its shares were not attracting buyers and debt levels were large and growing. Problems with I&AJR re-surfaced and traffic on the Morayshire line was being severely disrupted—the I&AJR then submitted a bill to the Morayshire Railway for £900 as its share of the construction of Orton station.[41] The Morayshire Railway Company decided to free itself from any involvement with I&AJR and to build a new direct line from Elgin through the Glens of Rothes to meet its own Speyside line.[42] With the levels of debt carried by company, the brothers James and John Grant loaned the Morayshire £4500 to help fund the new track—royal assent was given in 1861 and the work was completed on 1 January 1862.[43][44] Two more powerful locomotives, 2-4-0 tank engines, would operate this route as the line was steeply graded for the first 6 of its 9 miles. These were named Glen Grant and Lesmurdie.[45]

The effect of the dispute with the I&AJR was to make the Morayshire Railway open negotiations with the GNoSR who bought £10,000 of shares to help with the building of the direct line to Rothes.[46][47]

The I&AJR viewed the involvement of the GNoSR in the Morayshire as a threat to themselves and, in a tit for tat fashion, started work on the Burghead branch to take business from Lossiemouth harbour and thus, goods traffic from the Morayshire.[48] In October 1860 the I&AJR made what appeared to be a last-ditch effort to keep the GSNR out of Elgin by proposing to the Morayshire Board an amalgamation of their two companies. This obligated the Morayshire to put the proposal to the shareholders at a meeting on 31 October—the board, with the past record of dealings with the I&AJR, persuaded the shareholders that independence from them was the best way forward.[49]

 At a meeting of the Society of Engineers, in January, 1866, a paper was read by MIr. W. H. Mills, on the Cralgellachie Viaduct. This viaduct vvas constructed for the purpose of carrying the Morayshire Railway over the River Spey, at Craigellachie, Banffshire, the engineers being Mr. Samuel (M. Inst. C. E.) and the author. It consisted of three spans of 57 feet each on the north bank, and one span of 200 feet over the main channel of the river; ordinary boiler-plate girders constituting the former, and the latter being of wrought-iron on the lattice principle. The piers and abutments were of solid ashlar masonry, and the works were arranged for a single line of railway. It appeared that the excavation for the foundations was commenced in May, 1862, and that the viaduct was opened for public traffic in July, 1863. The total cost had amounted to £12,199 or equal to £29 10s. per lineal foot.

— Annual of Scientific Discovery,for year 1866 and 1867[50]

The GNoSR agreed to take over the running of the network as soon as the Morayshire constructed a viaduct across the Spey connecting with the GNoSR's Dufftown line. The direct link between Elgin and Rothes opened to passengers on 1 January 1862 (freight traffic had opened a day earlier) while the bridge over the River Spey was completed on 1 June 1863 joining the GNoSR controlled track at Craigellachie on 1 July.[51] The original station was now renamed Dandaleith and the new one assumed the Craigellachie name.[52] In 1866 the GNoSR took over the track and without consultation with the Morayshire, closed the Rothes to Orton line to passenger traffic—much to the Morayshire's annoyance.[53] By a series of small Speyside railways, nominally independent but controlled by the GNoSR, it joined track with the Morayshire Railway at Craigellachie and finally got its independent route to Elgin.[54] On 30 July 1866, the GNoSR was granted consent to consolidate its series of small Speyside companies and to take the Morayshire Railway under its full ownership when terms and the debt issues had been resolved.[55]

Amalgamation

Elgin Station, built by GNoSR in 1902 to replace the basic white sandstone Morayshire Railway buildings

Relations between the Morayshire and GNoSR had soured in 1865 when the larger company wanted to take over its smaller partner under very unfavourable terms as a way of recovering the money it was owed—the debt carried by the Morayshire had become intolerable and on 14 August 1865, the City of Glasgow Bank refused further loans on top of the £38,172 16s 9d already owed.[56][57] Loans to various lenders included £15211[58] to the Commercial Bank and £12620[59] to the GNoSR. Despite great efforts no solution to paying off the debt could be found. The relationship between the GNoSR and the Morayshire continued to worsen. In late 1867, James Grant, the Morayshire Chairman made tentative enquiries with The Highland Railway (successor company to I&AJR) regarding an amalgamation of their two companies and in early 1868 a statement regarding the terms of a possible amalgamation were produced. The GNoSR, when made aware of the statement immediately set about safeguarding its investment in the Morayshire with negotiations between the two big companies eventually leading to the Highland withdrawing the amalgamation terms.[60]

After a short illness, the Morayshire chairman James Grant died on 22 May 1872.[55] Gradually over the next few years, thanks mainly to the General Manager, Alexander Watt, the Morayshire introduced cost-cutting measures and revenue raising schemes. Rail travel for both goods and passengers increased greatly. The herring fishing at Lossiemouth coupled with such attractions as the public swimming baths at the port attracted visitors in large numbers allowing the Morayshire to pay back outstanding debts to most of its creditors.[61] The GNoSR acknowledged that the Morayshire was now on a sound footing and so in 1880 negotiations between the companies resumed and the enabling act for the amalgamation was given Royal Assent on 11 August 1881.[55] This ended the Morayshire Railway's 35-year existence.

Principal office bearers

Chairmen

Alexander Forteath 1846—51

David Manson 1851—55

James Grant 1855—72

Alexander Urquhart 1872—81

Secretaries

James Grant 1846—51

Charles Cranstoun 1855—57

William Topp 1857–59

William Mills 1859—61

Alexander Watt 1861—81

Engineers

James Samual 1846—53

Joseph Taylor 1853—57

Robert Blackwood 1857—58

William Mills 1858—63

General Managers

Charles Cranstoun 1855—57

James Jenkins 1857—59

William Mills 1859—61

Alexander Watt 1861—81

Locomotive Superintendents

James Samuel 1851—1853

Joseph Taylor 1853—57

Robert Blackwood 1857—58

George Golightly 1858—63

Subsequent history

The line from Elgin to Craigellachie was closed in 1968 to all traffic: the section from Elgin to Lossiemouth was closed in 1964 to passengers and 1966 to freight. Most of the Lossiemouth line has been converted to a public footpath. Lossiemouth station is now a leisure park and the platforms are still in existence.

Chronological events

  • 16 July 1846 - Act receives Royal assent. Authorised from Lossiemouth to Elgin and from Orton to Craigellachie.
  • 10 July 1850 - Authorisation of Orton to Craigellachie abandoned.
  • 28 November 1851 - First Sod cut
  • 10 August 1852 - Line opens from Elgin to Lossiemouth.
  • 1858 - Orton to Craigellachie re-authorised.
  • July 1858 - Pre-opening inspection of Orton to Rothes line (passed but the Elgin to Orton section of the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway fails).
  • 23 August 1858 - Orton (on the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway) to Rothes opened.
  • 23 December 1858 - Rothes to Craigellachie opened.
  • December 1859 - Linksfield Level Crossing Halt and Greens of Drainie Halt closed.
  • 3 July 1860 - Elgin to Rothes authorised (avoiding difficulties using the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railways Elgin to Orton section).
  • 17 May 1861 - Extension from Craigellachie to join the Strathspey Railway authorised.
  • 30 December 1861 - Elgin to Rothes opened to freight.
  • 1 January 1862 - Elgin to Rothes opened to passengers (Intermediate station opened at Longmorn).
  • 1 June 1863 - Craigellachie Viaduct declared finished
  • 5 June 1863 - Conditional halt added at Coleburn between Elgin and Rothes.
  • 1 July 1863 - Line opened from Craigellachie (Dandaleith) to Speyside Junction. GNoSR took over the operation of the Morayshire Railway
  • 1864 - Craigellachie renamed Dandaleith and Strathspey Junction renamed Craigellachie.
  • 31 July 1866 - Rothes to Orton closed.
  • 1871 - Coleburn closed and Birchfield Platform (conditional halt) opened to replace it.
  • 11 August 1881 - Morayshire Railway absorbed by Great North of Scotland Railway.
  • 12 August 1885 - Lossie Junction (Morayshire Railway]) to Garmouth opened. Stations opened: Calcots, Urquhart and Garmouth.
  • 1898 - Longmorn distillery branch opened.
  • 1902 - Elgin station rebuilt.
  • 1903 - Railcars used on Lossiemouth branch.
  • 1907 - Rothes to Orton track lifted.
  • 1 January 1923 - Great North of Scotland Railway amalgamates with other companies to form London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).
  • June 1923 - LNER introduces sleeping car from London (King's Cross) to Lossiemouth.
  • 31 December 1947 - Nationalisation of railway companies to form British Railways.
  • 6 April 1964 - Lossiemouth to Elgin (Lossie Junction) closed to passengers.
  • 28 March 1966 - Elgin East to Lossie Junction to Lossiemouth closed to freight.
  • 6 May 1968 - Elgin to Buckie to Cairnie Junction closed to passengers.
  • 6 May 1968 - Elgin to Keith via Craigellachie closed to passengers
  • 4 November 1968 - Elgin East to Craigellachie closed to freight.

Notes

  1. ↑ Awdry (1990), page 150
  2. 1 2 Vallance, Great North,p. 37
  3. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 1
  4. ↑ Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, p. 28
  5. ↑ Vallance, Great North, p. 19
  6. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 2
  7. ↑ Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, pp. 28, 29
  8. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 3
  9. ↑ Thomas, Forgotten Railways, p. 190
  10. ↑ Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, p. 29
  11. ↑ £50,000 in 1841 was worth around £3,350,000
  12. ↑ Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, pp. 29, 30
  13. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 7
  14. 1 2 Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, p. 30
  15. ↑ £29,700 in 1851 was worth about £2,300,000
  16. ↑ £1000 in 1851 was worth about £78000
  17. ↑ Vallance, The Great North, pp. 37,38
  18. ↑ Bartlam, Moray's Railways p.6
  19. 1 2 Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 11
  20. 1 2 3 4 Vallance, The Great North, p. 38
  21. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, pp. 11, 12
  22. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 13
  23. 1 2 3 Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, p. 31
  24. ↑ £2622 in 1852 was worth about £200,000
  25. ↑ Thomas, Forgotten Railways, p. 187
  26. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 14
  27. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, pp. 16, 17
  28. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, pp. 17–20
  29. ↑ Vallance, The Great North, pp. 38, 39
  30. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy, p. 40
  31. ↑ Vallance, The Great North, p. 39
  32. ↑ Brooman, R.A., ed. (13 September 1856), "Cranstoun's Railway Coupling Apparatus", Mechanics Magazine, 65 (1727): 247–8
  33. 1 2 Brooman, R.A., ed. (11 October 1856), "Taylor and Cranstoun's Railway Coupling Apparatus", Mechanics Magazine, 65 (1731): 340–342
  34. ↑ "Morayshire Railway", "Accident at Oakenhead Bridge on 23rd April 1857", www.railwaysarchive.co.uk, Railway Department, Board of Trade, Whitehall, 6 June 1857
  35. ↑ Levi, Annals of British Legislation, Series D - "Railways, Shipping &c.", Chap.LXXX 'Railway Accidents' (1857) p.168
  36. ↑ Thomas, Forgotten Railways, pp. 189,190
  37. ↑ Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, p. 32
  38. ↑ Bartlam, Moray's Railways, p. 15
  39. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy pp. 68, 69
  40. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy p. 68
  41. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy pp. 72, 74
  42. ↑ Thomas, Forgotten Railways, p. 192
  43. ↑ Vallance, The Great North, p. 43
  44. ↑ £4,500 in 1861 was worth about £280,000
  45. ↑ Thomas, Forgotten Railways, p. 193
  46. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy p. 81
  47. ↑ £10,000 in 1861 was worth about £625,000
  48. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy pp. 85, 89, 100
  49. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy p. 82
  50. ↑ Kneeland, Annual of Scientific Discovery, 'Great Viaducts, p. 36
  51. ↑ Vallance, The Great North, pp. 44,45
  52. ↑ Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, p. 35
  53. ↑ Thomas, Forgotten Railways, p. 197
  54. ↑ Barclay-Harvey, History of Great North, pp. 34, 35
  55. 1 2 3 Vallance, The Great North, p. 46
  56. ↑ Ross, The Travellers Joy, pp. 119-125
  57. ↑ £38172 in 1865 was worth about £3,260,000 in 2014
  58. ↑ £15211 in 1865 was worth about £1,299,000 in 2014
  59. ↑ £12620 in 1865 was worth about £1,078,000 in 2014
  60. ↑ Ross, The Travellers Joy, pp. 127–132
  61. ↑ Ross, Travellers Joy p. 161

Sources

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