In 1881 the Great North of Scotland Railway put a bill to parliament to extend its Grange to Portsoy line along the Moray coast[1] as far as Buckie.

The following year the section between Garmouth and the Morayshire Railway in Elgin was opened, with intermediate stations at Urquhart and Calcots.

Finally in 1886, the line was completed between Garmouth and Tochieneal, with intermediate stations at Spey Bay, Portgordon, Buckpool, Buckie, Portessie, Findochty, Portknockie and Cullen.

When the London and North Eastern Railway took over the route in 1923 a Sunday service was introduced, at the time a rarity in Northern Scotland.

[3] When British Railways took over operations in 1948, a through coach between Glasgow Buchanan Street and Elgin was introduced on summer Saturdays.