A Deeside community is seeking the public’s opinion on the colour of a newly rebuilt railway station after a local history group unearthed a photograph of its original paintwork.
The B-listed Old Royal Station in Ballater was badly damaged two years ago when a blaze engulfed and destroyed the historic wooden building.
When the station was closed in 1966 following a national decision to restructure rail routes, it was painted in green ‘eau-de-nil’ and cream – an identifiable British Railway colour scheme.
Now the Ballater and Crathie Community Council are asking the public whether or not the station should be repainted in these colours instead of the more recent red and cream hues.
An online survey has been launched to determine the decor following the discovery of an old photograph in the archives of the Ballater Local History Group.
Chairman Alistair Cassie BEM said the idea to consider changing the colour scheme cropped up when group members began renovating two old railway benches which had once been in the station.
He said: “The red colours only came about when the station was renovated and turned into the Tourist Information Office around 20 years ago – it was to make it brighter and stand out more. But red was never ever a railway colour up here.
“I think now is an opportune time to rethink the paintwork and go back to something more authentic. We want it to be a focal point of the village and also to be of historical interest.”
Aberdeenshire council has asked the community council to choose a colour by the end of January as the £3m project to rebuild the station is hoped to be completed by Easter 2018.
The historic Old Royal Station was used by the Royal Family when travelling to and from Balmoral until the 1960s and had become a popular tourist destination until the fire on May 12, 2015.
To take part in the survey please go to: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ZWG33ML