Mortlach Section
Just
to
the
east
of
what
is
now
the
B9014,
a
siding
was
provided
by
GNSR
on
5
October
1891
to
serve Parkmore Limestone Quarry (1 and below).
In
1900,
a
line
was
built
from
this
siding
down
to
Mortlach
Distillery
(2
and
below
right)
and
an
adjacent
woolen
mill,
serving
the
Glendullan
Distillery (3) on the way.
The
Parkmore
to
Mortlach
branch
(later
the
Mortlach
section)
was
built
on
private
land,
except
for
a
level
crossing
at
Crachie
(left),
where
it
crossed
what
is
now
the
A941.
This
was
built
without
Parliamentary
authority
and
GNSR
was
taken
to
court
by
the
Dufftown
Police
Commissioners,
but
the
issue
was
eventually settled.
The
section
was
worked
from
the
Dufftown
end.
The
ground
frame
controlling
the
section
was
released
using
the
Dufftown
-
Drummuir
key
token
and
the
GNSR
Goods
Agent
at
Parkmore
was
personally
responsible
for
it.
When
the
train
was
safely
“locked
into”
the
section
and
the
points
restored
for
the
main
line,
he
was
required
to
lock
the
token
in
his
office,
except
that
the
main
line
was
often
required
for
use
as
a headshunt, when lime was being weighed.
If
the
main
line
were
required
for
the
passage
of
trains
whilst
the
Mortlach
section
was
in
use,
the
Agent
had
to
set
and
lock
the
points
for
the
main
line
and
send
the
token
to
Dufftown
Station
by
messenger.
Eventually
the
token
would
be
returned
to
Parkmore
by
the
same
method,
for
the
release
of
the imprisoned train.
The
southern
part,
to
Mortlach,
closed
on
23
March
1964
and
the
remainder
-
serving
Glendullan
Distillery
and Parkmore - on 7 November 1966.
And
finally,
a
few
more
shots
of
the
Parkmore
sidings.
The views below left and right are from the north.
The
views
bottom
left
and
below
right
are
from
the
south.