How the last tram from Torry sparked the bonfire of Aberdeen’s entire fleet
They turned out in the teeth of a howling blizzard to mark a special moment in Aberdeen’s history… the last tram to run from Torry.
Scott Begbie: How the ban stopped smoking getting right up my nose
I know that in the teeth of the current pandemic – curse you Covid-19 – it’s hard to remember what a night in the pub was like.
Deeside railway: Last Ballater train saw end of the Royal Line 55 years ago
As crowds thronged at Ballater to clamber on the train to Aberdeen Joint Station, there was poignancy to the number on the front of the engine – 2B.
Suburban memories of life in the Granite City
Community spirit has always been the bedrock of Aberdeen, making it such a great place to live, work and play.
Step back in time: Ellon
Ellon is a bustling, attractive town ... but one with a long history stretching back into the mists of time.
Scott Begbie: How Begbie from Trainspotting ruined my life
This is a milestone year… the 25th anniversary of the arrival of a film that changed my life forever and not in a good way.
Granite Noir: Meet David Baldacci, the global crime-writing superstar who is a fan of Doug Henshall’s Shetland
US author David Baldacci is a global crime-writing superstar, his acclaimed thriller series have sold more than 150 million copies around the world, topped booked charts and been translated into 45 languages – and he’s a huge fan of TV detective series, Shetland.
Granite Noir: Festival ambassador Stuart MacBride on why you should binge the crime-writing festival
Aberdeen's hugely popular crime-writing festival, Granite Noir, kicks off this Friday with a glittering line-up of big name authors.
Suburban memories of life in the Granite City
Aberdeen is rightly proud of its sense of community and its rich history and cultural life.
Mrs Murray’s: It Disney get better than Aberdeen’s real-life version of Lady And The Tramp
It was like a scene from Disney’s classic Lady And The Tramp, played out on the streets of Aberdeen during the dark days of the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Scott Begbie: Let’s bring people back to the heart of Aberdeen
There is a sense of history coming full circle with the plans for flats to be created at the Monkey House on Union Street.
Step back in time: St Machar’s Cathedral
There is no mistaking the sense of sacred antiquity about St Machar's Cathedral, standing in the heart of Old Aberdeen.
Granite Noir: The steely stare of Victorian criminals still command attention today
The gaze holds you… the piercing stare of a Victorian criminal reaching across more than 150 years from the instant in time their prison mugshot was taken.
Scott Begbie: Top Cat was always the leader of the cartoon gang
This week we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Scottish kids saving Scooby-Doo from the BBC axe… but there’s one puzzle Mystery Inc. never solved for me as a youngster. Why was Top Cat called Boss Cat by the Beeb?
Suburban memories of life in the Granite City
From coping with winter weather to being home to a mighty shipbuilding industry, Aberdeen's communities have always played a key role in the life of the Granite City.
Snowstorms bring a blizzard of memories for the north-east
The wintry blast that blanketed the north-east in a covering of snow brought disruption in its wake.
How the north-east’s pesky kids saved Scooby-Doo from the BBC’s axe
Fifty years ago, the BBC tried to axe Scooby-Doo… and they would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for those pesky Scottish kids.
Step back in time: Johnshaven
If you were to ask someone to describe a traditional, quaint north-east fishing village they would probably end up telling you all about Johnshaven.
Scott Begbie: Curious George’s tail proves we live an alternative reality
It’s amazing what you discover when you watch a quiz show on telly like Only Connect – the one where I don’t even know what the answer means, let alone the questions.
North-east vintage printing kit makes headlines again on Tom Allen’s new Channel 4 show
A battered vintage printer’s cabinet and its original brass typefaces – used for decades by a north-east printer – has been lovingly restored in a new Channel 4 show.
North-east musician flies the flag for Scotland by winning international song contest
A north-east singer-songwriter says he feels “honoured” after winning an international song competition against fierce global competition.
Scott Begbie: Snapper passion revived as I break out of my den
Lockdown V.2 has been, ahem, interesting.
Step back in time: Drum Castle
While it might lack the fairy tale-lines of some of the north-east’s ancient strongholds, Drum Castle has seen more history than most.
Granite Noir: Stellar line-up in store as Aberdeen’s crime writing festival goes online
Granite Noir has unveiled a glittering line-up of world-class crime writers – including Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Jo Nesbo and David Baldacci – when it returns next month.
Val McDermid: Queen Of Crime looks to the past in uncertain times of coronavirus
Legendary Scots crime writer Val McDermid is busy using lockdown to go back to the future as she works on a brand new series of novels.
Scott Begbie: How to look sharp in the age-old tradition of shaving
I have just renewed my acquaintance with an old friend with whom I have had an off-off relationship for more than 40 years now… my razor.
St Cyrus: How Gurkhas built a bridge fuelled by Tom and Jerry, James Bond and spicy chicken
Today, St Cyrus National Nature Reserve is an oasis of calm, the sound of the wind soughing through dune grass and wildflower, the lapping of waves on sand, interrupted only by the cries of myriad birds that call it home…
Suburban memories of life in the Granite City
Community spirit is one of the strengths of living, working and playing in the Granite City.
Scott Begbie: Brexit a ‘success’ so why are fishers now sinking?
So, a little over three weeks since Boris Johnson hailed his post-Brexit deal as a huge success, can we all agree it is anything but?
Did Robert Burns grow up speaking Doric?
Robert Burns' words are known and loved the world over… but did Rabbie speak with a Doric accent?