realised its own position was not strong. For some time there was controversy over the Forfar station; the SMJR proposed a line passing it, and joining the A&FR line a mile or so on, facing away from the station. How would through trains call at Forfar? After much discussion the solution was agreed: the SMJR line would provide a Forfar station on its own line. Only now during the 1845 Parliamentary session, did it emerge that the trunk railways would be made to the standard gauge; the A&FR and the D&AR would have to alter their gauge to suit, and moreover to provide double track. The cost of the A&FR part of that work was estimated to be £43,600: money that the A&FR could not hope to raise. The solution was to lease the line to the Aberdeen Railway and allow it to carry out the works. This was agreed and a lease charge of 5.25% on the capital value of the converted A&FR line was agreed; in addition 50% of any operating profit (after payment of the lease charge) would come to the A&FR. The effective date was to be 1 February 1848. Getting the line ready for main line operation On 31 July 1845 several important Scottish lines were authorised; these included both the Aberdeen Railway and the Scottish Midland Junction Railway. In July 1846 the Dundee and Arbroath Railway commenced to build the "high level" connection between its line and Almericloss, just beyond the A&FR Catherine Street station; there was to be a new joint passenger station near the A&FR station, facing Keptie Street. The route left the original main line west of Rosemount Road and followed the present-day alignment across the north-west flank of the town. The A&FR was not so quick to take action, but work started later laying a new standard gauge line on the north side of the existing single track broad gauge line. The new track would have transverse timber sleepers and wrought iron rails, but the old track was simply to be regauged, not modernised. The Aberdeen Railway objected to that and required the old track to be strengthened in modern materials. This required considerable extra cost, and the A&FR now had to seek yet further additional funds to pay for the work. In addition the locomotives and rolling stock needed to be converted, or new equipment obtained. A considerable quantity