IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Mortimers Lane, INVERURIE, AB51 4PF

The colonies are seven blocks of housing built by the railway for some of the workers in the locomotive works. They were superior to other housing of the period, with four flats off each common stair, electricity supplied by the railway company, and indoor toilets, though the toilets were not inside the individual flats but opened separately off the stairs. Each group of flats had a front entrance on the street, a rear entrance to a back green with a coal shed for each flat and a communal wash-house with a copper. The low building with a chimney left of centre is one of the wash-houses. Later on, garages were built on many of the back greens.

The meeting point of Garioch Road and Mortimer's Lane with Harlaw Road.

Derelict for 40 years since the works closed in 1969, now being restored. B-listed: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/sc-49302-former-manager-s-drawing-office-former-gr

Early 20th century housing created by the Great North of Scotland Railway for workers at its newly established railway works in the town. This is one of the seven blocks, each consisting of 4 units containing 2 dwellings on the ground floor and 2 on the upper floor. With electric light and inside toilets they were significantly better than most other workers’ dwellings.

A few years ago Inverurie had the highest average house prices in Scotland: http://www.scotsman.com/news/inverurie-tops-list-as-most-expensive-location-to-buy-a-house-1-705057 . Things have cooled off considerably in the wake of the oil slump but there are several large, modern apartment complexes in town. This one on North Street, with its palette of light greys, almost dazzles the eyes on a sunny day...