REVIVAL OF NORTH OF SCOTLAND STEAM CHARTERS TO DUFFTOWN?

Main line steam charters could run over the Keith & Dufftown Railway – the UK’s most northerly preserved standard gauge line – if the findings of a publicly funded review are positive. The Highland & Island Transport Partnership (HITRANS) and Transport Scotland are sharing the £25,000 bill for an independent review. It could possibly lead to a revival of ‘Northern Belle’ charters from Aberdeen that regularly traversed the 11‑mile line in the 1980s. They would also be a fitting tribute to their promoter, the late John Begg of Grampian Railtours, who died suddenly nine years ago. A short gap between the K&DR terminus and the Aberdeen‑ Inverness main line was created by defunct network infrastructure owner Railtrack when it released the last surviving section of the old GNoSR Keith‑Boat of Garten line after its regular whisky traffic was lost. HITRANS, which has access to Scottish government money, says it is attracted by the idea of incoming charters, steam‑hauled services, connections to the main line timetable and, eventually, a freight revival. The K&DR would take over the old Dufftown platform, which has sometimes been used for stabling ‘Royal Scotsman’ charter stock, and make use of the parallel track as a run‑round loop. It currently has no resident steam engines. The reinstatement idea is not new. It was extensively examined in 2004‑07, but Network Rail lost interest in the idea. The installation of Aberdeen Ferryhill shed’s turntable (see separate story) was marred by the sudden death three days later of the preservation group’s secretary George Clucas. He was 72.