Kintore's first train service in more than 50 years

The first train at Kintore since 1964 stopped at the new station on Thursday morning

Rail services have returned to the Aberdeenshire town of Kintore for the first time in more than 50 years.

The original station opened in 1854 but closed in 1964.

The new £15m station had been due to open earlier this year, but construction work was paused in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The stop on the Aberdeen to Inverness line features signs and a bench salvaged from the town's previous station.

Twenty-four of the station's 168 parking spaces are fitted with electric charging points, making the site the largest electric vehicle charging place in the north east of Scotland.

The new station cost £15m to build

Transport Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council and Nestrans - the transport partnership for the area - funded the construction of the two-platform station. It was built by Network Rail and main contractor BAM Nuttall.

The new station will be served by up to 28 ScotRail trains each day - including refurbished high-speed Inter7City trains.

Kris Kinnear, of Network Rail Scotland, said: "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."