100 YEARS AGO

Macduff new slipway - A large number of workers have been busily excavating in the west basin of the harbour so that the new slipway may be properly constructed. The work could only be carried out at low water, but a long spell at tide was got when a steam pump was used to take the water at the place where operations were being carried out, this being enclosed by a temporary coffer-dam. The work is now completed, and Messrs Lewis and Sons will now be able to repair drifters with greater freedom.

50 YEARS AGO

Blaze at new school in Macduff - For the second time within ten months, building work at the new high school at Macduff, which was estimated to cost £167,209, nearly had a severe setback. On this occasion fire broke out in a section of the building on Saturday morning. The blaze was started when a pot of bitumen was overheated and boiled over into the fire underneath which was melting it. Workmen summoned Macduff Fire Brigade and the fire was extinguished by foam in about 15 minutes. Comparatively little damage was caused to the building. In January of this year, building work at the school, which is situated at the top of Duff Street, was held up when two free-standing walls collapsed at the height of a gale.

Banff Bridge collision - The occupants of both a car and a van escaped injury when the vehicles were involved in a collision at Banff Bridge on Sunday night. After the collision the car was forced on to the pavement, and due to the force of impact against the bridge, a gap, at points almost two inches wide, was opened for several feet along the parapet. The car was driven by Mr I. Stewart, 21 Justice Street, Aberdeen, who was accompanied by two passengers. The driver of the van was Mr Robert McKenzie, 23 Harbour Street, Hopeman.

25 YEARS AGO

Manholes spring costly surprise - Glaring faults have been discovered in a number of manholes in the centre of Banff. And now Grampian Regional Council is faced with having to carry out urgent - and very costly - repairs to the systems. Ironically, the faults in the manholes have only been discovered through the maintenance work being carried out by the region on the town's sewers. Mr Ian Brown, director of water services, told 'The Banffshire Journal' that £10,000 will have to be spent almost immediately on repairing the covers - with further work earmarked over the next few years. He said: "The work required to bring these manholes up to an acceptable standard varies from manhole to manhole, but does include the complete rebuilding of some, brickwork renovations, provision of step irons and the reconstruction of channel and benching. The region will phase the work over a number of years, but £10,000 will have to be spent in the current year to tackle the most immediate problems." This is the latest breakdown in the sewer system to be discovered in Banff town centre. The region are undertaking a huge £250,000 replacement programme of pipes in the town after investigations found that the whole system was in danger of collapse through age. This work involves High Shore, Carmelite Street, Low Street and Sandyhill Road. The region say that this programme is progressing satisfactorily.