AN Aberdeenshire railway station has reopened for the first time in 56 years.
Kintore station has been reopened after undergoing a £14.5m refurbishment.
The new station has two platforms, 168 parking spaces (including 24 with electric charging points), and bike storage.
It will be served by up to 28 ScotRail trains each day. These include the refurbished high-speed Inter7City trains.
Services will run every half-hour during peak times Monday to Saturday, as well as hourly services on a Sunday.
The reopening of the station was funded by Transport Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council and Nestrans.
It is the first time Kintore has been connected to the rail network since the station was closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts.
David Simpson, ScotRail operations director, said: “It’s fantastic to see trains call at the station for the first time in almost 60 years.
“Customers in Kintore can now benefit from a fast and frequent service to Aberdeen and Inverness, which will be transformational for the town and the surrounding area for years to come.”
Reopening Kintore was made possible by the recently completed Aberdeen-Inverness Improvement Project which doubled the track between Aberdeen and Inverurie – increasing capacity for new passenger and freight services on the route.
Kris Kinnear, Network Rail Scotland’s capital delivery director, said: “We’re committed to working alongside the Scottish Government to open up our railway to as many communities as possible across Scotland.
“This station will create new social and economic opportunities for people in Kintore and we are pleased to have been able to deliver the new facility for the town.
“The north-east’s rail network has benefited from significant investment over the last five years to increase capacity and create more flexible journeys for passengers.”
