122-400: The North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway was a company established by Act of Parliament in 1871 to construct and operate a railway line from north of Arbroath via Montrose to Kinnaber Junction , 38 miles (61 km) south of Aberdeen . The company was originally a subsidiary of the North British Railway but was absorbed into its parent in 1880. Construction of the line
244-514: A Class 41 (an HST prototype) achieved a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run. In the 1980s, the line was electrified and InterCity 225 trains introduced. These have in turn been largely replaced by Class 800 and Class 801 units. The November 2021 Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands stated that the linespeed would be upgraded to 140 mph (225 km/h). The line links London, South East England , East Anglia and
366-459: A grammar school ; a notable alumni is former Scottish Secretary , Michael Forsyth . It caters for around 880 pupils and has a catchment area of west Arbroath and the villages of Arbirlot , Carmyllie and Colliston . The Academy, originally a comprehensive , opened in 1962. It has a school roll of around 700 pupils and a catchment area that includes east Arbroath and the villages of Auchmithie , Inverkeilor and Friockheim . Angus College
488-721: A 1904 proposal by the Great Northern Railway to electrify its suburban services from London. A short stretch of the ECML in the Newcastle area was electrified with a third rail in 1904, as part of the North Eastern Railway 's suburban Tyneside Electrics scheme. Following the success of this scheme, in 1919 the North Eastern Railway, planned to electrify 80 miles (130 km) of the main line between York and Newcastle;
610-548: A 58 per cent increase in passengers. The programme also electrified the Edinburgh-Carstairs branch of the WCML, to allow InterCity 225 sets to access Glasgow Central , with the added benefit of creating an electrified path to/from Edinburgh on the WCML from the south. In total the electrification programme covered roughly 1,400 single-track miles (2,300 km) and required major infrastructure changes, including resignalling of
732-588: A big employer, but the fish come from Aberdeen, Peterhead and even Iceland, Norway and Ireland. Arbroath was made a burgh of regality in 1178 by King William the Lion , when the Abbey was founded. The burgh of regality permitted monks to hold a weekly market, dispense basic justice and establish a harbour. In 1599, the town was granted royal burgh status by King James VI of Scotland . A provost and town council were appointed. In 1922, Lord Inchcape became burgess . He
854-620: A contributor to the local economy; in addition to the Marines stationed at Arbroath, some 600 residents are employed by the Ministry of Defence . In 2004, there was speculation that RM Condor would be transferred to the Army as a replacement for Fort George and the barracks become a permanent base for a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland . This went no further than the planning stage and in 2005 it
976-502: A heavy train over long distances, immediately cut over one hour from the standard London to Edinburgh journey time, from seven hours to under six. Further improvements to the infrastructure meant that by the mid-1970s, another half-hour had been cut from the journey time. In the years following the introduction of the Deltics, sections of the ECML were upgraded for trains running at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). On 15 June 1965,
1098-408: A large role in the decision to proceed. Construction began on the second phase in 1985. In 1986 the section to Huntingdon was completed; Leeds was reached in 1988, then York in 1989 and Edinburgh in 1991. Electric services on the full length of the line began on 8 July 1991, eight weeks later than scheduled. Significant traffic increases occurred in the two years after completion; one station recorded
1220-556: A lower percentage of 16 to 64 year olds than Scotland. In 2011 there were 47.8 per cent males to 52.2 per cent females. Arbroath has a moderate unemployment rate – some 2.7 per cent claim job-related social welfare benefits. The 2011 census shows Arbroath to have an economically active population of 10,545 (2001: 9,192); of which jobs in health and social work account for 16.0 per cent of total employment (2001: 13.1 per cent), closely followed by wholesale and retail trade and repairs with 15.2 per cent (2001: 15.4 per cent). Manufacturing,
1342-523: A million yards of osnaburg cloth and 450,000 yards of sailcloth; the town is believed to have supplied the sails for Cutty Sark . Arbroath was also prominent in the making of shoes and lawnmowers. Manufacturer Alexander Shanks , founded in 1840 and based at Dens Iron Works from 1853, supplied mowers to the Old Course at St Andrews and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Shanks
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#17328594484891464-606: A multimedia experience explaining the town's fishing history and a VisitScotland tourist information centre; both have closed and the space vacated let for commercial use. The A92 dual carriageway connects Arbroath to Dundee and crosses the Tay estuary into Fife via the Tay Road Bridge . North to Montrose and Stonehaven the A92 is single carriageway but thereafter is dualled to Aberdeen . The A933 road runs north to Brechin . Within
1586-504: A pair of Napier Deltic engines that had been developed for fast torpedo boats. The Class 55 'Deltics' were for a time the fastest and most powerful diesel locomotives in service in Britain, capable of reaching 100 mph (160 km/h) and providing up to 3,300 hp (2,500 kW). When introduced into service in 1961, the Class 55's ability to rapidly accelerate and maintain high speed with
1708-534: A popular site for travellers in the 17th and 18th centuries. Finally in 1815, they were taken into state care. They are now administered by Historic Scotland . The Jacobite rising known as the Forty-Five turned Arbroath into a Jacobite town. A high proportion of its able-bodied men joined the Jacobite army. It was one of the main ports where men and supplies could be landed from France. It and other Jacobite ports along
1830-525: A series of clashes between the Chief Justiciary of Arbroath, Alexander Lindsay, third Earl of Crawford and Bishop James Kennedy of St Andrews, which resulted in Lindsay sacking the bishop's lands and burning his properties. Lindsay was excommunicated and it was felt this conflicted with his role as Chief Justiciary. The monks of Arbroath Abbey selected Alexander Ogilvy of Inverquharity as his replacement and
1952-623: A shortened InterCity 125 train of two Class 43 power cars and three coaches during a southbound run from Darlington to York. At least two other trains have subsequently recorded higher speeds, but as of February 2023 the InterCity 125 record remains the highest to have been officially verified. A British speed record for electric locomotives of 161.7 mph (260.2 km/h) was achieved on 17 September 1989, also at Stoke Bank, by Class 91 locomotive number 91010. On 26 September 1991, an InterCity 225 shortened electric locomotive train
2074-496: A smaller ceremony is usually performed on the 6 April each year to commemorate the signing. A summer event known as the Seafront Spectacular took place in the 2000s. The program for 2006 included flying displays, a sea rescue demonstration, exhibition of motor vehicles and fairground rides. The Sea Fest, an event themed around Arbroath's maritime heritage, was held annually for 21 years until 2017. Kerr's Miniature Railway
2196-488: A special design of overhead wiring was developed for use on the visually-sensitive Royal Border Bridge , as well as the Croxdale and Durham City viaducts . Elsewhere the standard Mk. 3B equipment was deployed. The electrification was completed at a cost of £344.4 million (at 1983 prices, equivalent to £1169.3 million in 2023), a minor overrun against its authorised expenditure of £331.9 million. Of
2318-426: A steady green aspect the driver would reduce speed to no greater than 125 mph, and thus be ready to react to subsequent signals in the same manner as when driving a lower-speed train. The testing found, however, that drivers couldn't be expected to consistently and accurately interpret and respond to lineside signals when driving at the higher speed, and regulations were later changed throughout Britain to require
2440-542: A supermarket. Alps Electric Co. was a large employer in Arbroath from 1990 to 2001, employing 180. All were made redundant when the plant closed. Arbroath is home to 45 Commando of the Royal Marines , which has been based at RM Condor since 1971. The barracks were built in 1940 and commissioned as RNAS Arbroath/HMS Condor, a Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) until 1971. The Royal Marines moved to Arbroath in 1971 and remain
2562-461: Is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus , Scotland, with a population of 23,902. It lies on the North Sea coast, some 16 miles (26 km) east-northeast of Dundee and 45 miles (72 km) south-southwest of Aberdeen . There is evidence of Iron Age settlement, but its history as a town began with the founding of Arbroath Abbey in 1178. It grew much during
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#17328594484892684-525: Is a short walk from the bus station. The station facilities and most of the passenger trains are operated by ScotRail . Direct services run along the east coast of Scotland to Aberdeen and via Dundee to Edinburgh and Glasgow with onward connections to London and other English cities. The overnight Caledonian Sleeper stops at Arbroath en route to London Euston . The closest regional airport, Dundee has flights to London City , George Best Belfast City and Sumburgh . The airport lies 1.8 miles west of
2806-709: Is carried along its route by several bridges and viaducts which are recognised as architecturally significant listed structures ; the longest of which is the 659-metre-long (2,162 ft) Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-upon-Tweed . Others include Digswell Viaduct , near Welwyn Garden City , at 475 m (1,558 ft), the Ouseburn Viaduct in Newcastle at 280 m (920 ft), Durham Viaduct at 240 m (790 ft), and Chester Burn Viaduct in Chester-le-Street at 230 m (750 ft). The 350-metre-long (1,150 ft) King Edward VII Bridge in Newcastle
2928-543: Is currently limiting speeds to 125 mph. There are currently no plans to retrofit ERTMS equipment to the InterCity 225 fleet, as they are expected to be withdrawn before the removal of the lineside signals; this means they will never reach their design speed of 140 mph (225 km/h) in service. The line is mainly quadruple track from London to Stoke Tunnel, south of Grantham , with two double track sections: one between Digswell Jn & Woolmer Green Jn, where
3050-426: Is of mixed sand and pebbles and the sea here is a designated bathing water site of about 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) in length. The main access to the beach is via a slipway, but there are also steps down from the coastal path. Depending on the tide, the width of the beach can vary from twenty to two hundred metres. Arbroath (or Seaton) cliffs rise about 1 mile (1.6 km) north east of the harbour. Whiting Ness at
3172-565: Is on fairly straight track on the flatter, eastern side of England, through Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire , though there are significant speed restrictions because of the line's curvature particularly north of Darlington and between Doncaster and Leeds. By contrast, the West Coast Main Line crosses the Trent Valley and the mountains of Cumbria , with more curvature and had a lower speed limit of 110 mph (180 km/h). Speeds on
3294-459: Is provided at the Arbroath campus of Dundee and Angus College , based in the former Arbroath High School buildings. The town has two secondary schools and seven primary schools . One primary school is Roman Catholic, the remainder non-denominational. The two secondaries are Arbroath High School on Keptie Road and Arbroath Academy in the Hayshead area of the town. The High School was originally
3416-548: Is provided by Hull Trains , Grand Central and Lumo . The ECML is part of Network Rail 's Strategic Route G, which comprises five separate lines: The core route is the main line between King's Cross and Edinburgh, the Hertford Loop is used for local and freight services, and the Northern City Line provides an inner-suburban service to the city. The line has engineers line references (ELR) ECM1 to ECM9. The ECML
3538-581: Is solely local students living within commuting distance of the college. The Arbroath campus offers mostly full and part time vocational courses from SCQF level 1 up to Higher National Diploma (level 8). Twelve denominations spread over twenty two places of worship are listed for Arbroath in a survey of Scotland published in 1884; all bar The Old Church are described as "modern". Only a handful of these remain in use as places of worship. Some redundant church buildings have been demolished but alternative uses have been found for others, including The Old Church,
3660-493: Is somewhat dry and sunny for Scotland, with 639.4 millimetres (25.17 in) of precipitation and 1561.7 hours of sunshine. The data are sourced from the 1991–2020 averages of the Met Office weather station in Arbroath. Residents of Arbroath are called Arbroathians but often call themselves Red Lichties after the red lamp that shone from the harbour light and foghorn tower at the harbour entrance, as an aid to shipping entering
3782-725: Is the only single-track section of the East Coast Main Line. The line was duplicated in two stages, and three parts. The section from St. Vigean's Junction to Inverkeillor was doubled by the North British Railway on 20 June 1897, but it was left to the LNER to complete the sections from Inverkeillor to Usan Box, and from Montrose North to Hillside, with the work being done between 1928 and 1932. Arbroath Arbroath ( / ɑːr ˈ b r oʊ θ / ) or Aberbrothock ( Scottish Gaelic : Obar Bhrothaig [ˈopəɾ ˈvɾo.ɪkʲ] )
North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3904-619: Is thought to refer to the Pictish King Uurad , who reigned in 839–842 CE. The recorded history of Arbroath begins with the foundation of the Abbey by King William the Lion in 1178 for monks of the Tironensian order from Kelso Abbey . It was consecrated in 1197 with a dedication to Saint Thomas Becket , as the King's only personal foundation; he was buried within its precincts in 1214. The Abbey
4026-527: The East Midlands , with Yorkshire , the North East and Scotland, and is important to their local economies. It carries commuter traffic in north London as well as cross-country, commuter and local passenger services, and freight . In 1997, operations were privatised. The primary long-distance operator is London North Eastern Railway , but open-access competition on services to Northern England and Scotland
4148-685: The Eastern Region , the North Eastern Region , and the Scottish Region (the former two were merged together in 1967). In the early 1960s, steam locomotives were replaced by diesel-electrics , amongst them the Deltic , a powerful high-speed locomotive developed and built by English Electric . The prototype was successful and a fleet of 22 locomotives were built and put into BR service for express traffic. Designated Class 55 , they were powered by
4270-620: The Industrial Revolution through the flax and then the jute industry and the engineering sector. A new harbour was created in 1839; by the 20th century, Arbroath was one of Scotland's larger fishing ports. The town is notable for the Declaration of Arbroath and the Arbroath smokie . Arbroath Football Club holds the world record for the number of goals scored in a professional football match: 36–0 against Bon Accord of Aberdeen in
4392-522: The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 . Arbroath is represented on Angus Council by seven councillors; four from the ward of Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim and three from Arbroath East & Lunan . Arbroath is part of Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency for elections to the House of Commons . The seat was first contested at the 2024 general election where Stephen Gethins of
4514-527: The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) for long-distance passenger traffic between London and Scotland. The LNER's chief mechanical engineer Nigel Gresley designed iconic Pacific steam locomotives including Flying Scotsman and Mallard , the latter of which achieved a world record speed for a steam locomotive, 126 mph (203 km/h) on the Grantham-to-Peterborough section. In 1948,
4636-673: The Midland Main Line . The infrastructure supported speeds of up to 140 mph, allowing a non-stop run of three hours and 29 minutes between London and Edinburgh on 26 September 1991. As part of testing done to support safe operation the increased maximum speed, BR experimented in 1988 with using a fifth signalling aspect – flashing green – on the fast lines between Peterborough and Stoke Tunnel. The flashing green aspect appeared at signals preceding one displaying an ordinary steady green aspect, and authorised running at up to 140 mph. Upon encountering
4758-494: The National Coal Board to pay for the construction of the 14-mile-long (23 km) Selby Diversion . Construction commenced in 1980, and was completed in late 1983 at a cost of £63 million (equivalent to £214 million in 2023). The new section diverged from the original alignment at Temple Hirst Junction, north of Doncaster, bypassed Selby station and the area to be undermined by coal workings, and then joined
4880-639: The Penmanshiel tunnel collapse in the Scottish Borders in 1979 necessitated urgent works to divert the line around the irreparably-damaged tunnel; ultimately the line was closed for five months and around 1,100 yards (1 km) of the original alignment had to be abandoned. In the late 1970s in the north of England, the development of the Selby Coalfield – and the anticipated subsidence that might result from its workings – led
5002-866: The SNP won the seat. Arbroath is in the Angus South constituency of the Scottish Parliament (having been in the Angus constituency until its abolition in 2011). It returns a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to Holyrood directly. Graeme Dey of the Scottish National Party has won the seat in all three elections contested since its formation. Angus South forms part of the North East Scotland electoral region for electing additional Members of
North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
5124-571: The Scottish Cup in 1885 . The earliest recorded name was 'Aberbrothock', referring to the Brothock Burn that runs through the town. The prefix Aber derived either from the Gaelic 'Obair', or the earlier Brythonic term Aber for confluence or river mouth. The name Aberbrothock was spelt numerous ways. The earliest manuscripts available have it as "Abirbrothoke" (in a letter to Edward I confirming
5246-540: The South Esk Viaduct, was of iron lattice girder construction. Following the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879, the viaduct was inspected and, although the plans showed a straight structure, it was found to have a distinct curve. As well, many of the piers were not perpendicular. Tests in 1880, over a period of 36 hours, using both dead and rolling loads , led to the structure becoming seriously distorted, and eight of
5368-541: The West Coast Main Line (WCML) and ECML; a detailed plan drawn up in 1957 gave a completion date of 1970 for ECML electrification. However, the East Coast authorities decided that they could not wait over a decade for service improvements, and instead decided to invest in high-speed diesel traction, the Deltic and High Speed Train, as an interim measure to implement improved services, whilst West Coast electrification proceeded, and
5490-521: The West Coast Main Line (WCML) were increased with the introduction of tilting Pendolino trains and now match the 125 mph speeds on the ECML. The line's current principal operator is London North Eastern Railway (LNER), whose services include regular long-distance expresses between King's Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England and Scotland. LNER is operated on behalf of
5612-711: The 1880s. South Esk Viaduct at Montrose was probably the last major bridge in the United Kingdom to be built with that type of bracing. The more southerly brick viaduct, the Ferryden Viaduct, was retained. In the late 19th century, there was considerable competition between the companies on the West Coast lines and those on the East Coast , to provide the fastest overnight journey from London ( Euston or King's Cross ) to Aberdeen . In 1894, with both trains departing at 20:00,
5734-724: The Department for Transport by a consortium of Arup Group , Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit , which took over from Virgin Trains East Coast on 24 June 2018. Other operators of passenger trains on the line are: Eurostar previously held the rights to run five trains a day on the line for services from mainland Europe to cities north of London, as part of the Regional Eurostar plan, which never came to fruition. The overnight Caledonian Sleeper occasionally uses
5856-422: The ECML represented the best value by far. Its in-house forecasts determined that increases in revenue and considerable reductions in energy and maintenance costs would occur by electrifying the line. In 1984, the decision was made to commence the electrification of the rest of the ECML to Edinburgh and Leeds. The Secretary of State for Transport Nicholas Ridley and Minister for Railways David Mitchell played
5978-478: The ECML were offered to bidders as the InterCity East Coast franchise. It was held by Great North Eastern Railway from 1996 until 2007, when the company experienced financial difficulties; the franchise then passed to National Express East Coast until in 2009, when it too encountered financial problems and the government was forced to run the franchise itself as ' East Coast '. Another attempt at returning
6100-466: The ECML. LNER's 4468 Mallard set the record for a steam locomotive at 126 mph (203 km/h) whilst descending Stoke Bank on 3 July 1938. The record remains standing today, and a trackside sign was erected in July 1998 at the 90 + 1 ⁄ 4 milepost to commemorate the achievement. The world record for diesel-powered trains was set at 148 mph (238 km/h) on 1 November 1987, by
6222-492: The ECML. Where the existing bridge clearance was insufficient, project managers favoured wherever possible the rebuilding of the bridge rather than the lowering of the track, as the latter requires considerable civil works and can create long-term drainage problems. Where listed buildings were to be affected by the programme, BR sought approval for its plans from the Royal Fine Art Commission . Through this process
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#17328594484896344-533: The Forth and Tay bridges – was reduced by one hour compared with the previous journey via Perth . Two viaducts south of Montrose were designed by Sir Thomas Bouch , the architect of the original Tay Bridge but, due to delays in building the Tay Bridge and the line by Dundee , they were not built until 1879. Construction was by Gilkes Wilson and Company , supervised by Bouch's son, William. The more northerly bridge,
6466-489: The LNER and its West Coast competitor, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), produced ever-more-powerful express locomotives. This reached its crescendo in the late 1930s, when the LNER introduced the famous streamlined Class A4 locomotives and the LMS countered with its own streamlined Coronation Class – both of which were capable of reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h). The competition
6588-514: The Leeds–York line of the former York and North Midland Railway at Colton Junction, south-west of York. The old line between Selby and York was dismantled and is now a public cycleway. Mining subsidence discovered in 2001 also necessitated the realignment of 1.8 km (1.1 mi) of line at Dolphingstone in East Lothian , between Prestonpans and Wallyford stations. The new alignment takes
6710-540: The NBR between Berwick and Edinburgh (agreed in 1862 but not exercised until 1869). The entire ECML came under control of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923, under the Railways Act 1921 which 'grouped' many small railway companies into four large ones . The LNER was the second largest railway company in Britain, its routes were located to the north and east of London. The LNER appointed Nigel Gresley (who
6832-491: The North British line over the Tay Bridge , the single-track railway directly connected the older Arbroath and Forfar Railway with the Aberdeen Railway to the north. North British had running rights over the Caledonian Railway to Aberdeen . There was a short branch line to Montrose South Harbour and a junction with the Montrose and Bervie Railway . The railway opened in 1881, but for goods traffic only. It did not open for passenger traffic until 1 May 1883. The main station
6954-816: The Scottish Parliament. At 56°33′31″N 02°34′58″W / 56.55861°N 2.58278°W / 56.55861; -2.58278 , Arbroath lies on the North Sea coast, 17 miles (27 km) north-east of Dundee , within the Angus region. Geologically, it sits predominantly on Old Red Sandstone . Lower-lying parts were below sea level until after the last Ice Age. Arbroath lies 98 miles (158 km) north-east of Glasgow , 50 miles (80 km) south-west of Aberdeen and 77 miles (124 km) from Edinburgh . Neighbouring villages of St Vigeans , Carmyllie , Friockheim , Colliston and Inverkeilor are taken as part of Arbroath for council representation, and along with Carnoustie share its 01241 telephone area code. A burn (or stream) named Brothock Water flows through
7076-417: The Treaty of Salisbury, which agreed that the Queen regnant , Margaret, Maid of Norway would marry Edward I ) and "Aberbrothok" (in a subsequent letter of consent to the marriage). In the Declaration of Arbroath , it is seen as "Abirbrothoc". Early maps show a number of variants including Aberbrothock, Aberbrothik, Aberbrothick, and Aberbrothwick. The modern name Arbroath came into common use from
7198-418: The United Presbyterian Erskine Church in Commerce Street and the High Street and Brothock Bridge United Free Churches. The Old and Abbey Church is in the centre of town on West Abbey Street. Formerly known as the Abbey Church, its name was changed on uniting with the Old Parish Church after the latter's closure in 1990. Abbey Church was originally built as a chapel of ease to the Old Parish Church in 1797 and
7320-597: The Widened Lines route and the GWML, where ERTMS complements traditional lineside signals, the southern ECML will have its signals removed once the transition period to ERTMS is complete. This means that all trains running on the route will be required to be fitted with the appropriate onboard equipment. The Class 800 series (LNER Azuma Classes 800 and 801 , Hull Trains Paragon Class 802 , Lumo Class 803 ), Thameslink Class 700 and Great Northern Class 717 fleets are fitted with ERTMS equipment from manufacture. The Great Northern Class 387 fleet are undergoing retrofit, with
7442-417: The approach of trains on each route by a telegraphic bell signal from the signalbox to the south. He could only accept one train at a time so, if a train then approached on the other route, it would find that the signals were against it. Both trains would approach Kinnaber at very similar times, sometimes being in sight of each other across the Montrose Basin – indeed it has been said that on one occasion
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#17328594484897564-401: The art of adding linseed oil to flax sails, creating an oiled flax. This developed in the late 19th century into waxed cotton , which drove Arbroath as a manufacturing centre until the early 1970s, when it began to decline. A major employer, Keith & Blackman, closed in 1985 and Giddings and Lewis-Fraser wound down about the same time, with the whole plant later demolished to make way for
7686-442: The business was taken over by the US company, Giddings & Lewis and renamed Giddings & Lewis-Fraser. Its headquarters were Wellgate Works, Arbroath. Arbroath is well known for its ties to the fishing industry. Following significant improvements to the harbour in 1839, the council sought fishermen willing to migrate to the town. Men came from nearby Auchmithie and further afield, including Shetland . The industry grew, and in
7808-409: The city centre, adjacent to the River Tay . The nearest international airports are Edinburgh and Aberdeen . There is a sizeable airfield at the Royal Marines military base on the western outskirts of the town. It was created in 1940 as a Fleet Air Arm airfield and had a training role during World War II. The airstrip was used by a Volunteer Gliding Squadron up until 2016. Further education
7930-400: The crossing with a flyover or tunnel, which would increase capacity on both lines, have been proposed on several occasions but are complicated by costs and spatial constraints at the site. With most of the line rated for 125 mph (200 km/h) operation, the ECML was the fastest main line in the UK until the opening of High Speed 1 . The high speeds are possible because much of the line
8052-406: The earlier scheduled arrival time was 08:50, which became 05:40 in 1895. The so-called "Race to the North", run over the two rival routes, reached a peak in August 1895. The first train to Kinnaber Junction signalbox, 38 miles (61 km) south of Aberdeen, would always win because, from there on, the two routes ran along the same railway. The signalman in the Kinnaber Junction signalbox was warned of
8174-411: The early Christian period, as shown by Pictish stone carvings found during restoration of St Vigeans Church, now housed in the small museum there. The stones had been used in building the old church and many were badly damaged. One of them, the 9th century Drosten Stone , is among the few Pictish artefacts with a Latin inscription: DROSTEN: IREUORET [E]TTFOR CUS'. This has been variously construed, but
8296-515: The enclosure is unknown – perhaps for agriculture or for ceremonial purposes. Bronze Age finds are abundant in the area. They include short-cist burials near West Newbigging, about a mile north of the town, which yielded pottery urns, a pair of silver discs and a gold armlet. Iron Age archaeology is also present, for example in the souterrain near Warddykes Cemetery and at West Grange of Conan, as well as better-known examples at Carlungie and Ardestie. The area appears to have had importance in
8418-449: The end of the King's Drive promenade is an example of geological angular unconformity ; a coarse conglomerate of late Devonian upper red sandstone overlies early Devonian lower red sandstone. Arbroath has a typical British marine climate influenced by its seaside position. There are narrow temperature differences between seasons. January has an average high of 6.4 °C (43.5 °F) and July of 18 °C (64 °F). The climate
8540-444: The fastest London–Edinburgh timing down by another hour, to 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours. They operated most express passenger services on the line until electrification was completed in 1991, after which they continued in use on services that run off the ECML and onto non-electrified lines. Generally popular with the public, and considered by some to be iconic, they ran on the ECML for 41 years, before being withdrawn in 2019. In 1973,
8662-543: The first length of high-speed line, a 17 miles (27 km) stretch between Peterborough and Grantham, was completed. The next section was 12 miles (19 km) of line between Grantham and Newark and more sections were upgraded to enable high speeds along much of the line. Continuing demand for reduced journey times led British Rail to introduce a successor to the Deltics, the InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST) between 1978 and 1979. These could reach speeds up to 125 mph (201 km/h) on existing infrastructure, bringing
8784-517: The first train sent to Worksop Depot in October 2022. Following its return to service in July 2023, the remaining trains will be retrofitted in Hornsey Depot. The introduction of in-cab signaling will allow the ECML line speed to be increased to 140 mph in some places. The Class 800 series trains were designed to reach this speed, but minor modifications will be required to remove the equipment that
8906-438: The form of a gentle curve of up to 77 m (253 ft) towards the south, supported by concrete slabs and other ground stabilisation and reinforcement techniques, and is designed to avoid the need for a permanent speed restriction. It came into use in the last week of April 2003, at a cost of £56 million (equivalent to £92 million in 2023). World speed records for both steam and diesel traction have been set on
9028-581: The franchise to private-sector operation was made by Virgin Trains East Coast in 2015, but this failed in 2018, and thus since then it has been run by the public sector through the government's operator of last resort procedure under the London North Eastern Railway brand. The route of the ECML has been altered or diverted several times, beginning with the opening of the King Edward VII Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1906. Later,
9150-651: The harbour. Scotland's census of 2011 reports the total resident population of Arbroath as 23,902, a 4.9 per cent increase over the 22,785 reported by the 2001 census. About 86.5 per cent of the population was born in Scotland, down from 88.9 per cent in 2001 and 95.6 per cent was born in the United Kingdom as a whole (2001: 97.7 per cent). In 2011, Arbroath had a higher percentage of its population under 16 years of age (18.3 per cent) than Scotland (17.3 per cent). Persons aged 65 years and over are put at 18.9 per cent compared with Scotland's 16.8 per cent. Arbroath correspondingly has
9272-512: The harbour. The original harbour was constructed and maintained by the abbot within the terms of an agreement between the burgesses and John Gedy, the abbot in 1394 AD . This gave way to a more commodious port in 1725, which in turn was enlarged and improved in 1839, when the sea wall, quay walls and breakwater were added to the old inner harbour, at a cost of £58,000. Arbroath became a major coastal shipping port and in 1846 there were 89 Arbroath-registered vessels, totalling 9,100 gross tons. In
9394-470: The insult led to pitched battle in the town, leaving 500 dead, including Lindsay and Ogilvy. Large parts of it were destroyed in the aftermath by the Lindsay family. The abbey soon fell into disuse and eventual disrepair after its dissolution at the Reformation . The roof lead is rumoured to have been used in the 16th-century civil wars and the stonework plundered for housebuilding in the town. The ruins were
9516-508: The line from Temple Hirst Junction (near Selby in Yorkshire) to the Scottish border; the construction of new signalling centres at Niddrie, York, and Newcastle; the commissioning of ten new connections to the national electricity grid; and structure clearance and electrical immunisation works along the length of the line. Included in the structure clearance works were the 127 overbridges that crossed
9638-604: The line passes over the Digswell Viaduct , Welwyn North station and the two Welwyn tunnels; and one between Fletton Junction (south of Peterborough) and Holme Junction, south of Holme Fen. The route between Holme Junction and Huntingdon is mostly triple track, with the exception of a southbound loop between Conington and Woodwalton. North of Grantham the line is double track except for quadruple-track sections at Retford , around Doncaster, between Colton Junction (south of York), Thirsk and Northallerton , and Newcastle. The line
9760-524: The line was largely single track, which required tablets to be exchanged at five places – St Vigean's, Inverkeilor, Lunan Bay, Montrose and Hillside. Each exchange required slowing the train to about 35 mph (56 km/h ). The exchange at St. Vigean's was removed when the North British Railway doubled the line from there to Inverkeilor in 1897, but it was replaced when a loop was constructed at Usan in 1906, and an exchange introduced there. Even so, travel time from Edinburgh to Aberdeen – over
9882-507: The line. Services were operated using "East Coast Joint Stock" until 1922. The trains were hauled by GNR locomotives between King's Cross and York, which entailed utilisation of GNR running powers over the NER between Shaftholme Junction and York (which had been agreed in 1849 and exercised from the opening of the GNR in 1850); and by NER locomotives between York and Edinburgh, using NER running powers over
10004-525: The line. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broadly parallel to the A1 road . The main line acts as a 'spine' for several diverging branches, serving destinations such as Cambridge , Leeds , Hull , Sunderland and Lincoln , all with direct services to London. In addition, a few ECML services extend beyond Edinburgh to serve other Scottish destinations, such as Stirling , Inverness , Aberdeen or Glasgow Central , although
10126-582: The lineside signalling system on the southern ECML between London King's Cross and the Stoke Tunnel was commissioned in 1977 and as such was up for renewal between 2020 and 2029. Instead of renewing the current lineside signalling, it was decided to upgrade this section of the ECML to ERTMS in-cab signalling. This will not be the first instance of ERTMS on the UK rail network; it is in use on the Cambrian Line (where it
10248-526: The mid-19th century, the older name being largely dropped by the time of the first Ordnance Survey edition. However, variants of 'Arbroath' had been used since the 17th century, including 'Arbroth' and Aberbreth. The area of Arbroath has been inhabited since at least the Neolithic period . Material from postholes at an enclosure at Douglasmuir, near Friockheim , some five miles north of Arbroath, have been radiocarbon dated to about 3500 BCE. The function of
10370-525: The most popular destination in Angus and Arbroath Abbey the second most visited attraction after Glamis Castle . Arbroath Abbey receives around 14,000 visitors annually. A re-enactment of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath (the declaration of Scottish independence) known as the Scots' or Arbroath Pageant has taken place in the Abbey ruins intermittently since 1947. The last full pageant took place in 2005 but
10492-400: The north-east coast collectively formed 'an asset of almost incalculable value' to the Jacobite cause. The Industrial Revolution led to an expansion of Arbroath's economy and population. New housing was built for the influx of workers and Arbroath became known for jute and sailcloth production. In 1867, the mills employed 4,620 people and in 1875, 1,400 looms in 34 mills produced over
10614-494: The peak years up to 1980 some 40 whitefish and pelagic vessels worked from Arbroath, employing hundreds on board and hundreds more ashore to service vessels and process the fish. Quota cuts and decommissioning took their toll in Scotland from the 1980s; however, Arbroath remains a whitefish port open for landing shellfish. Only one vessel now works regularly from Arbroath, but a further three Arbroath-owned vessels work from Aberdeen and ports further north. Fish processing remains
10736-435: The piers were declared unsafe. Before the line could be opened to traffic in 1881, the bridge had to be dismantled and rebuilt by Sir William Arrol , to a design by W. R. Galbraith . The replacement was also of wrought iron lattice girder construction, based on designs dating back to the 1830s. Such designs were widely used by Victorian engineers, until rendered obsolete by the introduction of other American truss designs in
10858-468: The principal London-Glasgow route is the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The line was built during the 1840s by three railway companies, the North British Railway , the North Eastern Railway , and the Great Northern Railway . In 1923, the Railways Act 1921 led to their amalgamation to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the line became its primary route. The LNER competed with
10980-402: The prototype HST British Rail Class 41 recorded a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run on the line. There had been proposals to electrify all or parts of the ECML as far back as the early 1900s, but no significant scheme was implemented until the 1970s and 1980s, with the entire line being electrified in two stages between 1976 and 1991. Early proposed schemes included
11102-464: The railway line divides the town, east to west. Data collected by the Brothock Water monitoring station from 1990 onwards shows the water level to normally range between 0.4 metres (1.3 ft) and 1.2 metres (3.9 ft). The highest recorded level of 1.67 metres (5.5 ft) was reached on 2nd November 2009. A £12 million publicly funded scheme to reduce flows in Brothock Water to protect parts of
11224-449: The railways were nationalised and operated by British Railways . In the early 1960s, steam was replaced by diesel-electric traction , including the Deltics , and sections of the line were upgraded so that trains could run at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). With the demand for higher speed, British Rail introduced InterCity 125 high-speed trains between 1976 and 1981. In 1973,
11346-481: The same year, 599 vessels docked at Arbroath, 56 from foreign ports (mainly Baltic ports) and the remaining 543 employed on the coastal trade. Bark, flax, hemp, hides, oak and fir timber, and guano for manure, groceries from London, and numerous articles of Baltic produce were imported via Arbroath, with manufactured goods (mainly sailcloth) exported. Driven by the needs of the fishing and sailing industry, Arbroath-based sailmaker Francis Webster Ltd perfected in 1795
11468-408: The scheme progressed as far as a prototype locomotive , however it was cancelled on financial grounds after 1923 when the NER was grouped into the LNER, and the new management had no interest in pursuing the scheme. In the early-1930s, studies were conducted into electrifying sections or all of the ECML. British Rail 's 1955 modernisation plan placed equal importance on electrification of both
11590-617: The site in Howard Street being put up for sale. Knox's Church was built in 1866 and linked with St Vigeans Church , St Vigeans in 1983. East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line ( ECML ) is a 393-mile long (632 km) electrified railway between its northern terminus at Edinburgh Waverley and southern terminus at London King's Cross station . The key towns and cities of Peterborough , Doncaster , York , Darlington , Durham and Newcastle are on
11712-434: The top employment sector in 2001 with 16.0 per cent, fell to third place in 2011 with 12.3 per cent. A separate figure for the fishing industry is not shown for 2011 but accounted for only 0.4 per cent (fewer than 50 people) in 2001, although the processing sector is counted separately under manufacturing and the figure of 50 relates directly to the catching and support sectors. Arbroath's prospects originally revolved around
11834-639: The total cost, 60 per cent was for the electrification process itself, while the remaining 40 per cent covered rolling stock, including the new InterCity 225 trains procured specially for the route. These were introduced in 1989 to operate express services. They were developed by the General Electric Company (GEC), as the winners of a competitive tender process. The InterCity 225 sets were used alongside other rolling stock, including Class 90 locomotives and Class 317 electric multiple units. The displaced diesel trains were reallocated predominantly to
11956-613: The town at risk from flooding was developed by Angus Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency . The works, completed in December 2022, included the creation of flood storage areas at Dammy Meadows and north of the town. South west of the harbour lies an area of craggy rocks with a large number of rock pools exposed at low tide. Rocks, boulders and shingle extend for about nine hundred metres to Arbroath West Links (or Elliot) beach. This gently sloping beach
12078-486: The town from St Vigeans parallel to the railway line, before turning to meet the North Sea at Danger Point immediately east of the harbour. Flax and jute mills congregated alongside the stream in the 19th century to use the water for their steam-powered machinery. Much of its course within the town is open but some parts have been built over. The burn and its environs form a green artery between residential areas and along with
12200-521: The town, the A92 was formerly dualled prior to 2024, when it was singled to allow a dedicated cycle-path and additional green space to be created. Destinations from Arbroath Bus Station include Brechin, Dundee, Forfar and Montrose. The bus station is also a stopping point on the X7 Coastrider route that runs between Aberdeen and Perth . Stagecoach East Scotland under its Stagecoach Strathtay brand operates most services. Arbroath railway station
12322-555: The two bells rang together. The line is still in use as part of the East Coast Main Line , with trains on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line and Glasgow to Aberdeen Line running over it, because the two routes now meet at Dundee. The line is the only railway to Aberdeen from the south. It has not been electrified but it is now all double track, except for the section over the two Montrose viaducts, from Usan to Montrose Station, which
12444-420: The use of in-cab signalling whenever running service trains at speeds above 125 mph. Nevertheless, the fifth aspect was not removed from signals in the test area , and the relevant track Sectional Appendix continued to list the capability to run special test trains in excess of 125 mph as recently as 2008. As part of the privatisation of British Rail in the mid-1990s, passenger operations on
12566-480: Was at Montrose , opened in 1883 and quite separate from the Caledonian Railway terminus nearby. A station was opened at Lunan Bay, which also served the nearby settlement of Lunan . The opening of the station made access to the area easier than by road. A nearby picturesque feature which was bridged by the railway is the deep ravine at Buckie Den. The Hillside to Kinnaber Junction was built as double track, but
12688-801: Was authorised in 1971 for the benefit of London suburban services as part of the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project , using Mk. 3A equipment. The scheme electrified 70 route miles (110 km), including the Hertford Loop Line , part of the Cambridge Line from Hitchin to Royston , and incorporated the Northern City Line to Moorgate . In the late 1970s, a working group of British Rail and Department for Transport officials convened and determined that, of all options for further electrification,
12810-636: Was authorised to reach speeds up to 140mph completing the London to Edinburgh journey in 3 hours 29 minutes. In November 2021, as part of the Integrated Rail Plan , the DfT announced a major upgrade of the line. The upgrade is set to include major track improvements and digital signalling, leading to higher speeds, reduced journey times and increases in seat capacity. The power supply will also be upgraded to allow longer and more frequent trains. The last refresh of
12932-551: Was confirmed the Marines would remain. House prices in Arbroath in April–June 2006 were just £99 below national average: £113,646 compared to a national £113,745. The average house price across Angus rose by 14.9 per cent to £124,451 in the year up to November 2006. Angus Council suggests the upgrading of the A92 between Arbroath and Dundee to a dual carriageway has lured Dundonians to Arbroath, which may be boosting house prices. A visitor survey compiled in 2017 found Arbroath to be
13054-559: Was connected to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway , a short section of which was used to reach the NER at Knottingley . In 1871, the line was shortened when the NER opened a direct line from an end-on junction, with the GNR, at Shaftholme, just south of Askern to Selby and over Selby Bridge on the Leeds - Hull line direct to York . Through journeys were important and lucrative for the companies and in 1860 they built special rolling stock for
13176-475: Was constructed by three independent railway companies. During the 1830s and 1840s, each company built part of the route to serve its own area, but also intending to link with other railways to form the through route that would become the East Coast Main Line. From north to south, the companies were: The GNR established an end-on connection with the NER at Askern , famously described by the GNR's chairman as in "a ploughed field four miles north of Doncaster". Askern
13298-514: Was curtailed soon thereafter by the coming of World War II . In the aftermath of the war, Clement Attlee 's Labour Government nationalised the LNER and the other three major railway companies in Great Britain with the passage of the Transport Act 1947 , and with effect from 1 January 1948 merged them into British Railways (BR). The ECML came under the control of three of BR's regions ;
13420-402: Was delayed and, as a result of tests following the Tay Bridge disaster , one viaduct had to be dismantled and rebuilt. Rivalry between the companies on the east and west coast routes from London to Aberdeen, known as the " Race to the North ", culminated in 1895 – the crucial point was at Kinnaber Junction, where the two routes converged into a single railway. Effectively a continuation of
13542-407: Was engaged in long running rivalry with the West Coast Main Line (WCML), the other main trunk route between London and Scotland. At various points in the late 19th century, highly publicised but unofficial races occurred between express trains on the two routes, most notably in 1888 and 1895. These races were ended over concerns over safety, but later the rivalry resumed in the 1920s and 1930s as both
13664-419: Was established in 1957. In the mid 2000s, Angus College had around 8,500 students, with 80 per cent passing the course for which they enrol. There are about 1,700 full-time students, with part-time students making up the majority. On 1 November 2013, Angus College merged with Dundee College to form Dundee and Angus College. Arbroath is not a student town and there are no student residences. The student population
13786-578: Was first piloted), on the Thameslink core Widened Lines route (with an ATO overlay), and on the Heathrow branch of the Great Western Main Line . However, it is the most complex application yet; never before in the UK has ERTMS been used on such a busy, mixed-traffic line, with freight , commuter , regional and InterCity services sharing as little as two tracks in the tightest sections. Unlike
13908-694: Was greatly extended in 1876–8 with the addition of the tower and Gothic style front facade. St Andrew's is in Hamilton Green, and the minister is Rev. Dr. Martin Fair with associate minister Rev. Stuart Irvin. Dr Fair was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2020–2021; the only time that a minister of a congregation in Arbroath has held the position. The West Kirk in Keptie Street
14030-560: Was knighted in 1937) as its Chief Mechanical Engineer, and under his tenure, Pacific steam locomotives were developed as the standard express locomotive to work the line, several of which became famous, these included the Class A3 , including 4472 Flying Scotsman , and the later Class A4 , including 4468 Mallard . During this time Mallard set a new world-record speed for a steam locomotive (see § Speed records ). The East Coast Main Line
14152-422: Was largely complete by 1974. During the period when Richard Beeching was chairman of British Rail, WCML electrification with a spur from Carstairs to Edinburgh was seen as possible justification for the truncation of the ECML at Newcastle. British Rail carried out electrification of the southern part of the ECML with 25 kV AC overhead lines from London King's Cross to Hitchin between 1976 and 1977. This
14274-666: Was not finally completed until 1233. King John, also in the 13th century, exempted Arbroath from "toll and custom" in every part of England except London. On 6 April 1320 the Scottish Parliament met at Arbroath Abbey and addressed to the Pope the Declaration of Arbroath , drafted by the Abbot of the time, Bernard . This detailed the services which their "lord and sovereign" Robert the Bruce had rendered to Scotland and eloquently affirmed Scots independence. The Battle of Arbroath in 1446 came after
14396-438: Was opened as St Margaret's Chapel of Ease in 1879 and upgraded to a parish church in 1886. The height of the tower was doubled in 1903 by the addition of two storeys, a parapet and pinnacles. St Margaret's changed its name to Arbroath West Kirk in 1990 when joined by the members of Ladyloan St Columba's following that church's closure. Falling attendances at Knox's Church lead to its congregation uniting with West Kirk in 2019 and
14518-663: Was opened in 1906, replacing the older High Level Bridge as the main railway crossing of the River Tyne . Newark flat crossing , where the ECML crosses the Nottingham–Lincoln line on the same level just north of Newark Northgate station, is one of only two remaining flat crossings in Britain, the other being on the Cambrian Line where it intersections with the Welsh Highland Railway . Plans for grade separating
14640-473: Was presented with his ticket to the office in a silver casket engraved with the burgh coat-of-arms and views of the locality. Arbroath remained controlled by Arbroath Burgh Council, which was based at Arbroath Town House , through to 1975, when Arbroath (and the county of Angus ) were amalgamated with Perthshire and Dundee City into Tayside, controlled by Tayside Regional Council . Angus, along with Dundee City and Perth & Kinross were re-established under
14762-471: Was taken over in the 1960s by local firm, Giddings & Lewis-Fraser Ltd., which had evolved from the flax and canvas manufacturing business established by Douglas Fraser in 1832. In the last decade of the 19th century, Douglas Fraser & Sons shifted focus to machine manufacture following the success of a braiding machine designed by Norman Fraser. The firm had interests in South America and India. In 1959
14884-401: Was the oldest miniature railway in Scotland at the time of its closure in October 2020. It opened in 1935 and at its height, in 1955, drew 60,000 visitors; however numbers had fallen to just 3,500 in 2019. The Harbour Visitor Centre on Fishmarket Quay was completed in 2007. It was the focus of Angus Council's attempt to increase the number of tourists to the harbour. The centre originally housed
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