Private company
Railway line between Inverness and Aberdeen, Scotland
The Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway (I&AJR) was a railway company in Scotland, created to connect other railways and complete the route between Inverness and Aberdeen. The Inverness and Nairn Railway had opened to the public on 7 November 1855 and the Great North of Scotland Railway (GNoSR) was building from Aberdeen to Keith. The I&AJR opened, closing the gap, on 18 August 1856.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated Oct 20, 2026.
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The Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway (I&AJR) was a railway company in Scotland, created to connect other railways and complete the route between Inverness and Aberdeen. The Inverness and Nairn Railway had opened to the public on 7 November 1855 and the Great North of Scotland Railway (GNoSR) was building from Aberdeen to Keith. The I&AJR opened, closing the gap, on 18 August 1856.2
The Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway and the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway amalgamated on 1 February 1865, and on 29 June 1865 a change of name was authorised by the Highland Railway Act 1865 (28 & 29 Vict. c. clxviii): the enlarged company was to be called the Highland Railway Company.
From Wikipedia’s article on Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3
So Inverness now had its through connection to Aberdeen, to Central Scotland, and to England. This communication channel relied on co-operation between the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway and the Great North of Scotland Railway. But the GNoSR was described as "Bristling with fight and notoriously cantankerous." The GNoSR had understood that it would have running powers throughout to Inverness, but now these were refused, leading to friction between the two companies. In addition there was personal animosity between the respective general managers.
Moreover, the GNoSR failed to make friends with the Aberdeen Railway at Aberdeen; for many years the two companies had separate stations there. Passengers from Inverness to the south needed to get between the stations, and the Aberdeen Railway trains departed on time, irrespective of a delayed arrival at the other station by the Great North train.
Nairn; Inverness and Nairn Railway station; opened 7 November 1855; still open;
Auldearn; opened 9 December 1895; closed 6 June 1960;
Brodie; opened 22 December 1857; closed 3 May 1965;
Dalvey; opened 22 December 1857; closed 25 March 1858;
Forres; opened 25 March 1858; resited 3 August 1863 for Perth line; station is still open; Perth line was open 1863 – 1965; east to south curve opened 1867; the west to south curve closed in 1967; a short stub to Dallas Dhu siding via the east curve remained in use, closing in 1967;
Kinloss; opened 25 March 1858; re-sited 18 April 1860 to east as junction station for Findhorn branch; moved back to original site May 1904; closed 3 May 1965; Findhorn branch open 1860 – 1880;
Alves Junction; for Burghead branch 1862 – 1966;
Alves; opened 25 March 1858; closed 3 May 1965;
Mosstowie; opened 15 October 1890; closed 7 March 1955;
Elgin; opened 25 March 1858; still open; Morayshire Railway to Lossiemouth and other branches 1852 – 1968;
Lhanbryde; opened 18 August 1858; closed 7 December 1964;
Fochabers; opened 18 August 1858; renamed Orbliston Junction 21 October 1893; renamed Orbliston 18 June 1962; closed 7 December 1964; Fochabers branch open 1893 – 1968;
Orton; opened 18 August 1858; relocated 1859 north of junction; closed 7 December 1964;
Orton Junction; opened 1859; junction for Morayshire Railway 1858 – 1880;
Mulben; opened 18 August 1858; closed 7 December 1964;
Keith; GNoS station opened 11 October 1856; I&AJR part opened 18 August 1858; renamed Keith Junction 1952/3; reverted to Keith 12 May 1980; still open; Portessie branch open 1884 - 1966.
The main line continues in use as part of the Aberdeen to Inverness line: passenger services are provided by ScotRail at approximately a two-hourly interval on weekdays; there is a minimal service on Sundays. Stations within the original extent of the line are open at Nairn, Forres, Elgin and Keith.
Connections to adjacent lines are also closed, with the exception of the Hopeman Branch which branched off the main line at Alves & was used for freight traffic to Burghead Maltings until 1992 - it remained intact through to Burghead but was mothballed in 1998. The junction with the main line was finally removed this century and the remains of the branch from Alves to Roseisle Maltings now lie heavily overgrown.
The old station at Forres is closed and only one platform out of the previous six at the new station at Forres is now in service. The Keith and Dufftown Railway platform at Keith Junction is still in use, though the branch beyond a short stub is closed.
Freight traffic is limited to occasional trainloads of whisky and containers to/from Elgin, where the former GNoSR Elgin East station yard is still operational.
From Wikipedia’s article on Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3
The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.