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You may be too young to remember when steam
ran the trains throughout the country. Whatever your age come
aboard some of the delights below and relive the sights and
sounds of the steam age - its part of your past, your heritage.
The Keith and Dufftown Railway
WINNERS OF THE 2001 HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL AWARD.
An eleven mile line linking the World's Malt Whisky Capital,
Dufftown, to the market town of Keith. It passes through some
of Scotland's most picturesque scenery, and the first five-mile
section from Dufftown to Drummuir began operating passenger
services in June 2000, while the remainder of the line to
Keith Town opened on August 18th 2001. Services running every
weekend until mid October:
Alford Valley Railway
Alford Valley Railway is still run through the efforts of
volunteers, operating alongside paid drivers, guards and line
maintenance crew. The centre of activity today is around the
Alford Valley Railway Museum, which lies just to the north
of the centre of Alford. This serves as the railway station
as well as a museum: and it also houses Alford's Tourist Information
Centre.
Coming soon (hopefully)
The Royal Deside Railway
The Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society's objective
is to re-instate a 4 km section of the old Deeside line between
the town of Banchory and the Milton of Crathes in two phases
as a heritage / tourist railway. Funds generated by this operation
will be used to extend the line in an easterly direction towards
Aberdeen. The Society is a recognised Scottish Charity.
The Society now has track ready to lay and a selection of
locomotives, coaches and wagons. The lease on the track-bed
is being finalised, we have a willing band of volunteers and
a ready market of enthusiastic customers-to-be, so the 'kit
of parts' is well advanced.
Others nearby
Strathspey Railway
Travel on a memorable little journey from Boat of Garten and
now Glenbogle to the beautifully restored Aviemore Station,
the largest on the Highland Railway system outside Inverness.
Relax, enjoy a snack or a dram or simply view the heather
moorland and the Cairngorm Mountain range from the carriage
window; scenes almost unchanged in a hundred years. Pass the
large locomotive shed (not open to the public) built in 1897
which is the railway's main workshop
This is where the line's engines are lovingly restored and
maintained by the Company's craftsmen and volunteers of the
Strathspey Railway Association, using the traditional skills
of the engineer. You may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse
of some of the other locomotives as you pass by. At Boat of
Garten see the driver and fireman tend to their engine. They
may take on water and the fireman will prepare his fire for
the journey onto Broomhill known to many as Glenbogle from
the BBC TV Series "Monarch of the Glen".
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