Glenbuchat Heritage

1 Introduction Thomson Strathdon Slide Collection

Introduction to the Thomson Strathdon Slides.

I am grateful to George Thomson of Strathdon who has given permission for the reproduction and display of a selection of black and white negative glass slides which came into his possession.

George was given the slides by the late Bill McBain of Gowanbrae, Bellabeg Strathdon. Gowanbrae, where Bill and Elma McBain lived, was for many years the home of William Wattie who with his brother Charles owned the General Merchant store in Bellabeg; Charles also being the Bank Agent next door.

The slides were in two boxes and all but one in good condition. The photos were taken in 1910

It is not known who took the photographs.

Th photos above show:
1 George Thomson, owner of the slides and a keen heritage collector.
2 The box containing some of the slides
3 & 4 Writing inside the boxes with indication some detail about the slides.
5 Photo of Bellabeg with the service bus parked in front of the bus garage where George Thomsons home is now. One of the busses he used to drive.
6 George’s present home built on the site of the bus garage.
7 A sign for driver instruction which George found in the bus garage.

The Following Pages show the slides:
Click on Title to go to picture page

2 Lonach Highlander
3 Man in Highland Dress
4. Soldier
5. Man in Colonial Dress
6. Sim Burial and Sim Gravestone
7. Glenbuchat Old Kirk
8. Dr Howie’s Daughters as ‘Red Indians’
9 Dr Howie with car in snow drift
10 Roadmen Clearing Snow at Cock Bridge Strathdon
11 Tornashean House Strathdon
12 Group of men Strathdon
13 Single Man Strathdon
14 Bridge at Bellabeg Strathdon
15 Bank House Bellabeg and girl
16 Bank House Bellabeg Strathdon
17 GNSR Bus
18 Family with Mule
19 Candacraig House Strathdon
20 Possibly Lonach Games Officials
21 Seated Lady Strathdon
22 Family Group Strathdon
23 Lady Standing Strathdon
24 Seated Man Strathdon


George Thomson was the Strathdon bus driver for 40 years. Below is some information about the development of transport in Strathdon followed by comments from George to the P&J on his retirement.

Local residents recall that in past decades, richer bus services once operated to villages like Bellabeg, with routes extending toward Aberdeen. A local driver, George Thomson, drove services from Bellabeg for more than 40 years before services were cut and the old garage was decommissioned

From the P&J By Lauren Taylor September 20 2024

Former Donside bus driver reminisces about the old services

George Thomson, who has lived in Bellabeg since 1962, drove the village bus for more than 40 years. He recalled that the bus would go from Cock Bridge to Aberdeen and back again, and said “it used to be a good service”.

George Thomson was a bus driver in the area for more than 40 years.
George stopped working as a bus driver before the service was stopped in the area, and says he has many fond memories. “It was used more when I first started, but the school used it as well,” he explained with a smile. “There were two drivers and two conductresses…
“It was stopped because it wasn’t well used, like in most rural places. But you miss it when it’s gone.”

Then he added: “This house is where the old bus garage used to be.”

And, much to my surprise, he brought over a wooden framed picture showing a bus parked outside the garage where his house is now standing. The frame shows an old Stagecoach bus at the garage where George’s house now stands. George explained the railway was meant to be built out to Strathdon, but it “never got past Alford”, and the Railway House next door was instead used as the bus depot and waiting room.

But he and his wife bought over the old garage and knocked it down to build their house when it closed.

‘These aren’t luxuries, these are essentials being cut.’ Taxis have also been cut from the village, meaning people may need to call one from Keith or Aberdeen if they really need one and be charged the extra cost. The lack of public transport has also meant people in the community “have had to step in” to help each other out.

Click for more details about communications and Buses in the Strathdon area

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