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Railways have served Scotland for nearly 200 years, connecting people and trade while leaving a distinctive impact on the landscape.

The line which ran through Grantown East was built by the Great North of Scotland Railway. It was opened on 1st July 1863 and allowed passengers to travel from the south of Scotland to Elgin and Inverness in the north. It is hard to imagine these days the impact the arrival of the railway had on the communities of Scotland. Journeys which had once taken days by foot or wagon could be achieved in hours. The railway was their connection to the outside world.

Trains did not just transport people they carried vital goods and trade. In particular, whisky which was transported from the many local distilleries to the rest of the world.

The Grantown East Station served the local people for over a hundred years until improvements to roads and a review by Dr Beeching the chairman of the British Transport Commission decided that due to lack of use the smaller railway lines should close leaving only the direct routes between Inverness, Perth and Aberdeen. The last train passed through Grantown East on 2nd November 1968.