A951 (Aviemore)

This article is about the former A951 from Aviemore to Coylumbridge.
For the other former A951 in Peterhead, see A951 (Peterhead).

The A951 number was in use from about 1970 until about 1980 for the spur of the B970 from Aviemore south east to Inverdruie and then continuing to Coylumbridge. However, OS Mapping from the early 1970s shows it as being extended beyond Coylumbridge to the Reindeer House near Loch Morlich.

The former A951 at Coylumbridge - this is now a TOTSO for the B970

The road was created as part of the development of Aviemore into a major resort, particularly for winter sports, which had started in the 1960s. Mapping evidence so far discovered suggests that the A951 came into existence late in 1969, or early 1970, and was initially single-track. It was quickly widened to S2 standard - probably the road we see today all the way up to the Cairngorm Car Park. By the summer of 1972 the A951 had been shortened, now terminating at Coylumbridge rather than Loch Morlich. Then in around 1973 the final upgrade was the realignment at the Aviemore end, with a new bridge across the Spey, and so over the railway line to the present B970 / B9152 roundabout to the south of Aviemore. This is shown on the 1974/76 OS Landranger sheet, which also show the route terminating at Coylumbridge. Previously the road had crossed the Spey on the old bridge, then headed north along Dalfaber Road to pass under the railway line on an alignment now used by the NCN route.

Patched sign where the B9152 meets the A9

The A951 seems to have been downgraded once more when the A9 Aviemore bypass opened in about 1980. This saw the route revert to its former number of B970. However, there is some uncertainty surrounding the exact chronology at this point, as some maps show the A9 Aviemore bypass as complete, with the A951 still in place. Further support for this to be the actual situation is found on surrounding signs, which obviously post-date the bypass, and yet have patches to correct numbers - most notably the patching of B970 to Coylumbridge.

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