Crathes Railway Station, long neglected and in a state of disrepair, caught the attention of Fiddes Architects through a client eager to transform the historic structure into a modern family home while preserving its iconic heritage as part of the Great North of Scotland Railway.
This ambitious renovation project involved a complete restoration of the building. The structure was carefully stripped back to its original stone and brick walls, and the roof was replaced, with the original slates repurposed for use elsewhere on the property. The station was fully insulated, and modern services, including an Air Source Heat Pump and an electric car charging point, were installed to bring the home up to contemporary standards of comfort and sustainability.
The design introduces a spacious open-plan living area, featuring a striking vaulted ceiling as its focal point. New sliding doors, with arched fanlights that mirror the original waiting room entrance, provide seamless access to the south-facing platform and garden. The living space is lined with period-appropriate timber panelling up to dado rail height, carefully matched to the station’s original interior style.
The home also includes two generously sized bedrooms, one with an en-suite, a utility room, a service cupboard, a vestibule, and a family bathroom. Throughout the home, original features of the station have been thoughtfully repurposed to preserve its history. The former ticket hatch, now positioned between the hallway and the living area, serves as a nostalgic reminder of the station’s past, where passengers would once collect their tickets for trains to Aberdeen or Ballater. The old station safe has also been integrated into the open-plan space, maintaining its place as a historical artifact within the home’s design.
Original structural elements have been reintroduced, but now serve an ornamental function. A new station clock, inscribed with “Crathes Station,” has been mounted on the external wall in the same position as the original, evoking the spirit of the past.
Externally, the grounds surrounding the station have been cleared of debris, and the railway track bed has been restored, with overgrown vegetation removed. The platform has been relaid with new Caithness Slate slabs, while a locally sourced stonechip driveway adds a rustic touch. Triple-glazed timber windows, combined with a fresh coat of render, enhance the building’s external appearance. These careful updates, along with the newly painted, historically accurate soffits and bargeboards, create the illusion of stepping back in time, when the Great North of Scotland Railway—particularly the Royal Deeside Line—was in full operation.
Office Administrator
Angela started working with the Fiddes Architects team in 2021 as office administrator.
Angela has an enthusiasm for home and interior design and has been on the other side of the table during her own Fiddes architects self-build project.
Outside of the office Angela enjoys walking, keeping fit and interior decorating.
Project Architect
Eddie became part of our team in 2019, bringing with him a wealth of experience garnered from diverse practices, spanning projects ranging from public sector housing to multimillion-pound private estate developments on the picturesque West Coast of Scotland.
Since his arrival at the practice, Eddie has played a vital role in the successful delivery of numerous conversion, extension, and new build projects. His dedication and commitment were further underscored by successfully qualifying as a chartered Architect in 2022.
A key member of the team Eddie assumes the role of lead Architect on several projects, where his penchant for problem-solving and passion for environmentally conscious design shine through.
Apart from raising a young family Eddie is fascinated by engines, cars and a big motor sports fan.
Associate Architect
Since joining Fiddes Architects in 2016 Finlay has helped grow the practice’s reputation and has been central to our journey in gaining a number of architectural awards. Finlay qualified as a chartered Architect in 2018 and has since honed his expertise assuming responsibility for their oversight from inception to fruition, spanning all phases of design and construction.
Finlay has experience in both the Public and Private Sectors of the Architectural and Construction industry and had a lead role in large scale housing regeneration projects, adaptation works, and private housing projects.
Finlay’s passion in architecture rests with simplistic, contemporary, design which maintains subtle links to the vernacular whether that be in building, landscape or cultural forms. Finlay believes that great design is manifested from attention to detail and working closely with clients and as a team.
In his downtime Finlay enjoys travelling, sports, D&D and gardening.
Director / Architect
Having served his time with two well-known Scottish Architect Practices in Glasgow, Eoghain also worked in New Zealand as a Project Architect before establishing Fiddes Architects in 2009 in his native home town Banchory.
With a building contractor as a father and being brought up on a building site it was little wonder that Eoghain knew from a very young age that he wanted to become an Architect. The knowledge gained in those formulative years where every home was a self-build gave Eoghain an excellent foundation in the hands-on side of building which he still draws on to this day.
Eoghain loves what he does and is passionate about all things design related with a strong focus on how things are put together. Responsible for developing the vision of the practice and coordinating the design of projects Eoghain works with a talented team of architects to deliver buildings that improve the life of our clients. Throughout the project process he is directly involved and is passionate about the detail, ensuring that we deliver buildings where the architectural vision has been carried through to completion.
Outside of work Eoghain loves the outdoors, especially camping trips around Scotland with his young family, keeping fit & playing music. At home small scale projects are always on the go,,,,,, building things is in his DNA.