It’s one of those occasions which is forever etched in the memories of the north-east’s transport aficionados the first train crossed the viaduct over the River Dee and arrived at a station in Ferryhill even as excited onlookers marvelled at the spectacle bolstered by a network of services across the region with stations which thrived in the Victorian era the Aberdeen Railway Company was taken over by the Scottish North Eastern Railway The sight of these old vehicles has rich nostalgia for anybody who recalls The Railway Children or watched Trever Howard romance Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter And though the station building no longer exists the associated engine shed is now occupied by the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust which is celebrating the 175th anniversary of that original train journey with an open day this weekend The organisation’s members are clearly passionate about their project Yet it has taken a lot of hard work and many years of dedication from a volunteer army to make progress the resplendent Tornado tooted its whistle and passengers enjoyed being driven back to the past on the first of seven charter services to the Granite City The ultra-sleek Union of South Africa also made the journey up the coast from Edinburgh and gained plenty of attention on its scenic route attracted hundreds of visitors to the Ferryhill site when it made a much-heralded flying visit as part of its centenary celebrations in July 2023 we are holding the official opening of the trust’s newly-renovated shed containing our museum the executive director of the Railway Heritage Trust will be giving a talk on the history of the Ferryhill site and the railway “The trust’s premises still play an important part in the railway in Aberdeen 175 years later given that steam excursions can only come to the city because the locomotives can be turned on our refurbished 1906 turntable.” Yet there’s much more in the pipeline The FRHT has already completed the restoration of the listed former railway offices and water tower with the aid of more than £260,000 of grants from a number of sources The Press & Journal has learned that the next stage of the development requires a further investment of around £1m which will be used to create a world-class visitor experience and facilities for the repair and restoration of heritage rolling stock The trust is also committed to replacing temporary accommodation with a purpose-built workshop to house its massive vertical mill and the large lathe from the former Inverurie locomotive works The new building will provide a visitors’ viewing gallery retail facilities and offices for the Ferryhill-based officials and volunteers Aberdeen will be graced by the arrival of the Tall Ships in July but there will also be an opportunity for locals to catch a glimpse of several classic trains during the summer seven trains are planned to visit the city on day trips from Edinburgh and Glasgow Each of these is hauled by the Tornado Steam Engine “This spectacle in itself attracts many visitors to the site who will now benefit from the dedicated museum and new workshop facilities run by the Ferryhill Men’s Shed which is housed in the restored railway offices “This forms the latest part of the redevelopment of the former British Railways Ferryhill depot which has seen a total of over £1m of funding.” The trust has a successful record of fundraising with international national and local backing as well as gaining sponsorship from companies in the Aberdeen area Some people doubted whether they could revive the days of classic locomotion in the north east when the group launched its activities in 2007 they have shown their steam vision is a lot more than just hot air Visitors are welcome at the open day on Sunday March 16 from 10am to 4pm Gallery: 87-year-old steam locomotive rolls into Aberdeen to much fanfare How a £90,000 Victorian turntable restoration let the Flying Scotsman visit Aberdeen Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments The Ferryhill House Hotel is opening a new “modern and vibrant” restaurant The restaurant has been closed for eight weeks for the ‘six-figure’ refurbishment The extensive renovation works include stripping the walls back to the bare stone in some areas adding fixed seating booths in the conservatory removing the bar area in the restaurant and more The restaurant is owned by the McGinty’s Group who also run Silver Darling and No.10 Bar and Restaurant Several members of the team at The Esslemont – which closed in January – have now moved to roles at Coterie sales and marketing director for McGinty’s Group told The Press and Journal diners can expect a “vibrant atmosphere” She says: “We’re hoping that on a Friday and Saturday night but it’s good quality food with drinks and service to match.” Jillian hopes that residents from the surrounding area will take advantage of the new dining space She says: “With the community around here we felt that the restaurant could be a good compromise and they don’t have to go all the way into town “That’s why we did it – it was really to get that community feel back into the place.” and there is an updated menu in the pub too Coterie brasserie will offer a European-inspired menu blackberry venison loin and more to choose from Whereas the bar menu includes dishes like Ferryhill steak pie “We have two menus,” adds Jillian “so if you do just want something casual but if you want to have a more upmarket meal that’s here too “I think it’s going to appeal to everyone whereas I think before we were constricted and just became known for pub grub.” The restaurant will utilise local suppliers including The Bread Guy Blue Flag Seafoods and G McWilliam butchers Head chef Andy Booth-McCabe will be leading the restaurant Coterie Aberdeen will offer a Sunday roast and ‘Saturday Spritz’ events which include cocktails additional drinks and live entertainment for £65 per person As well as exposing the original stone walls and removing the bar area in the restaurant, the refurbishment involved adding new flooring This brought the restaurant capacity from around 80 covers to 100 Jillian added: “I think as soon as we stripped out the bar and created more space “And we stripped it back to the brick wall to bring out more original features in the building helping us to create a modern and vibrant restaurant.” The Coterie Brasserie is welcoming guests from 5pm on Friday February 28 The Ferryhill House Hotel is undergoing a six-figure revamp as bosses promise to “transform” the Aberdeen venue The changes to the hotel’s main restaurant will “create a new vibrant dining experience” who also run the No.10 Bar and Restaurant in the west end and the Silver Darling at Fittie requiring “significant investment” is expected to be complete by the end of February with local contractors SIR Joinery and Clearwater Electrical the new look restaurant aims to “provide a stylish sanctuary for locals and visitors” There will be an “upmarket casual vibe” throughout with exposed brick work The changes will also see the capacity increase to 100 The food and drink offering will be updated with a “brasserie style” seasonal menu with European influences the current bar area will remain open serving food and drink with customers advised to book in advance due to the lower capacity As part of the renovations, the venue will undergo a “brand refresh” and a new name for the restaurant area is set to be revealed in due course Director of the McGinty’s Group Allan Henderson said: “We are delighted to start the year with an exciting refurbishment of our restaurant “Over the last nine years that we have owned the venue but with the hospitality sector ever evolving it is vital that we stay up to date with industry trends and meet the demands of our customers we want to improve the offering whilst creating a stylish forward-thinking and exciting venue for the city.” The company’s sales and marketing director added: “The Ferryhill is a much-loved venue in Aberdeen but we felt there was scope to create a more premium dining experience we will hold on to the character and local charm of the venue but it will now boast a fashionable yet laid-back luxury vibe with food and drink to match “Ultimately we want to provide our community with a contemporary neighbourhood hangout that appeals to a wide audience from our Ferryhill regulars to families and friends for all types of occasions.” Sir Rod Stewart dines at Aberdeen restaurant before Dons Celtic match ‘The best brownie ever’: Ferryhill House Hotel is a must for chocoholics during Aberdeen Restaurant Week Restaurant review: Spring menu put to the test at Ferryhill House Hotel in Aberdeen A former dental clinic has been transformed in a new cafe in Ferryhill Ferryhill Cafe opened its door just two weeks ago and several locals have already taken a shine to the spot This is the first business that owner Mathew Miller – a former labourer – has started His father already runs Shelter Cafe in Old Aberdeen and the 24-year-old hopes his own venture will be just as successful it takes over a unit once home to a dental laboratory Mathew said his cafe may seem tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Union Street “It’s hard to compete with big chain cafes and we know that Ferryhill is dense with housing,” he said “The surrounding community has done a lot of my advertising for me by popping the cafe in group chats and such.” “We buy our home bakes from a different kitchen – they’re really great at really reasonable prices,” he said “People seem to have really enjoyed the place so far.” The cafe does not look that big from the outside Mathew said: “I wouldn’t want people to be put off if they saw the seats taken in the window We’ve taken out a wall and have a big space at the back “It’s been a lot of work but I’m really pleased with how it came out We have some really nice artwork from a family friend to brighten the place up too “My dad runs Shelter Cafe in Old Aberdeen so it’s the second one in the family Mathew was treated to some reminders of the former owners “When I went down into the basement I noticed some cobwebs by the girders,” he explained “I went to knock them down with a brush and some fake teeth fell out!” A former patient also came in looking for some help despite the lab being closed seven years ago Mathew said: “There was an older gentleman who came in when we were making changes to the place and asked if I could help him with his false teeth “He was hard of hearing and was persistent about asking for help “On the bright side though he did say that he liked what we had done with the place.” I have been waiting with bated breath for the new restaurant to open at The Ferryhill House Hotel in Aberdeen The restaurant reopened at the end of February after an eight-week closure and a “six-figure” refurbishment I got a glimpse of just how gorgeous Coterie is But would the food match the stunning new interior I booked for a date night with my boyfriend to test out the food on the new restaurant’s menu As food and drink journalist here at the P&J And oftentimes the “renovation” is little more than a lick of paint and some new tablecloths So I was delighted to see that there had been a genuine change at the Ferryhill House Hotel’s restaurant But it is the conservatory that is the most striking The newly exposed bare – original – brick adds a rustic feel that you don’t expect when you step inside the hotel dark feel of the restaurant has been utilised to the full extent made all the more dramatic by downlights over diners’ heads Plumes of greenery adorn the ceiling and light fixtures Mirrors and windows in the dividing wall give an illusion of a bigger space and keep the area from becoming cramped We’re seated in the conservatory and immediately provided with water for the table as we peruse the menu The staff are attentive and chatty; a young team who have been trained well The menu at Coterie Aberdeen has various European delights My boyfriend Michael and I both have some trouble deciding what to have There is so much variety in the options that he says you could come here time and again and try something completely different each time I point out that we haven’t tried a single bite yet but the butter is a bit too hard to spread but it’s better when the butter has been softened slightly into a usable state I finally settle on the Shetland scallops (£15) and Michael the duck croquettes (£8.50) The moment I close my mouth around my first bite of scallop but this doesn’t translate to a chewy providing a satisfying nutty crunch to each forkful And the salty hit of the dish’s parmesan and truffle emulsion pairs beautifully with the mellow flavour of the scallops Michael’s starter is just as flavourful and the sweet and tart plum jam makes the perfect accompaniment for the duck The crunchy red cabbage tastes lovely and fresh Michael quickly calls dibs on the Wiener Schnitzel (£22) – git – so I opt for the seafood linguine (£28) What is so good about a pasta dish that it constitutes to nearly 30 quid This could easily be split between two and you’d still be stuffed though I am delighted to say that the dish is delicious overly creamy or bland sauce that so often is slapped on top of good seafood and I’m shocked by the size of the prawns and mussels The Wiener Schnitzel is another huge portion fresh butterhead lettuce have been tossed in a refreshing citrus and mustard vinaigrette and the accompanying potatoes are nice and soft We also tried the truffle and parmesan fries (£5) but the chips could have been a smidge crispier poor me – we decide to try the chocolate ganache tart (£9) The slice of chocolate heaven is filling and thick and the delicious white chocolate ice cream alongside is excellent on my visit it is topped with – I swear – watercress This odd choice is jarring alongside the lovely rich dessert and it seems out of place But I avoid it and enjoy the tart itself thoroughly I wasn’t expecting to be so blown away by Coterie in Aberdeen Restaurants inside hotels are rarely so impressive which is crafted with care and skill – alongside the notably faultless service – help to secure Coterie’s place on Aberdeen’s food and drink scene We will definitely be returning for date night The restaurant was filled with couples of all generations enjoying a romantic The Ferryhill House Hotel has clearly succeeded in appealing to younger generations with its revamp while still maintaining the love of customers who have been visiting together for decades Website: https://www.ferryhillhousehotel.co.uk/ Read our latest restaurant reviews online here or every Saturday in the food and drink magazine A primary school in the Ferryhill conservation area of Aberdeen is set for significant expansion with the submission of plans for its extension and refurbishment additional classrooms and a multi-use games area Retaining the main building while extending to the west by demolishing an annexe the expanded school will reach out to a new nursery over a play area and outdoor sports pitch The new classroom extension will be finished in wraparound standing seam cladding with coursed granite blocks for the principal elevations Reclaimed granite from demolished buildings will face the lower ground floor.  All comments are pre-moderated and must obey our house rules.