Rail historians have unveiled plans to turn crumbling old offices into a new Aberdeen visitor attraction.
The Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust (FRHT) has officially submitted proposals for the resurrection of the dilapidated buildings outside Duthie Park.
It forms part of wider plans for the site celebrating the north-east’s locomotive history, which the group have been working on for 15 years.
How will old offices be changed?
Blueprints now reveal how the offices next to the historic engine shed could be brought back to life.
Drawings sent to the local authority show the “derelict” building reborn with the key feature being a new visitor centre at the front.
It would showcase the railway paraphernalia enthusiasts have amassed over the years.
And volunteers also want to create workshops and a plant room to the rear of the building.
The most striking feature, however, will be the replica water tower the FRHT is seeking permission to erect – which will fuel visiting steam engines.
‘It will be mainly for visitors’
FRHT chairman Dr Jon Tyler today told us about the “milestone” moment on the group’s journey.
Jon said: “It’s something we have had on the agenda for a while.
“We are now negotiating with Network Rail to take over parts of the site we don’t already have control of, including this building.
“It will be mainly for visitors, showing off a lot of the stuff we have in store.”
He added: “The water tower is a big part of it too.
“It will allow us to store large quantities of water in a replica fibre glass tank, made to look like the wrought iron original.
“And it will be used to service visiting steam engines, really giving us an extra dimension.”
What else is the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust doing?
Established in 2007, the charity operates a heritage centre which celebrates the past of Aberdeen’s railway system.
They want to turn the former Ferryhill depot into a working railway heritage site, attracting enthusiasts from far and wide to the north-east.
Volunteers have thus far plunged more than £500,000 into efforts at the site, and are pursuing grants for the rest of their plans.
One of its biggest projects has been the restoration of the Ransomes and Rapier 1906 turntable, one of the last of its kind in Scotland.
In 2019, it welcomed visiting locos for the first time in decades.
Members are also hard at work bringing the 19th Century engine shed back to life.
The Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust’s centre on Polmuir Avenue will be open again from April to October.
You can see the plans for the office building here.
