Royal Deeside line heads for Banchory
THE Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society is working to extend its current operational track from Milton of Crathes station to the tourist town of Banchory.
The three-mile extension over the original trackbed of the Aberdeenballater line, which closed in 1966, includes erecting the first railway bridge to be built on Deeside since the line was opened in 1853, where the extension crosses the Burn of Bennie.
The new bridge will replace the original span which was demolished for scrap after the line closed. It is being built for the society by a local blacksmith at no charge.
The society has also said that, when funds permit, it would like to re-lay track further back towards Aberdeen. Society volunteer, Michael Rasmussen, said: “It’s a super project and we are excited about the work on the cards for the coming years. We’ve had a lot of help, for example from the local plant hire firm of Mcintosh of Echt, which has helped us clear the trackbed. In future, there is the potential to extend the line even further in the Aberdeen direction, but this will depend on funds.”
The society has been operating diesel and steam-hauled trains over one mile of the railway from its awardwinning Crathes station since 2007, and has established itself as a ‘must see’ tourist attraction on Deeside.
Trains operate at weekends and on certain days from the end of March onwards, with steam services hauled by Aberdeen Gas Works Barclay 0-4-0ST 807 of1897 Bon Accord, the oldest running tramway locomotive in the United Kingdom. A 10-year boiler overhaul by Locomotive Services of Loughborough was completed in March 2019.
➜ Full details of running days, special events, timetables and fares are at www.deeside-railway.co.uk