The Royal Deeside Railway is a standard gauge steam and diesel hauled heritage railway, in a beautiful setting running alongside the River Dee. The line is currently about one mile long and the return journey lasts about 15 to 20 minutes.
About the Line
The original Deeside Railway opened on 8th September 1853 and reached Ballater some 13 years later. It amalgamated with the Great North of Scotland Railway in 1876. The line was regularly patronised by the Royal Family and other visitors to Balmoral Castle until it closed in 1966 as a result of the notorious Beeching Report. Thirty years later, the Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society was formed and the work of restoring part of the line commenced in 2003.
We now have about a mile of track in passenger service and are gradually extending the line along the original trackbed until we reach Banchory, which will give us a running line of just over 2 miles.
The Railway has two Class 03 diesel locos, one Barclay diesel loco and one 0-4-0 Barclay steam engine ‘Bon-Accord’. Built in 1897 by Andrew Barclay for the Aberdeen Gas Works, this steam loco has been the subject of a major 10 year restoration project . Following commissioning, some additional modifications are required, and it is hoped the loco will enter service on the Deeside line in 2013.
The railway also has the original 2 car Battery Railcar (BMU), known as ‘The Sputnik’, that ran on the line in the 1950s. This is presently hauled by one of the diesel engines.
Other rolling stock includes two Mk 2 coaches which are used for service with the steam engine, and also serve as the stationary railway tearoom when diesel services are operating with the BMU.
At the Milton of Crathes, we have a railway carriage tearoom, a shop with ice creams etc., all with a wonderful view of the surrounding hills.
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Every effort is made to make sure that all the information is correct but we strongly recommend that you call The Royal Deeside Railway before you set off on your day out to confirm opening times and admission prices.
Please also note that the position on Google maps for The Royal Deeside Railway is a rough estimate using their postcode in the database and might be slightly out.
It may also be worth clicking the web link for The Royal Deeside Railway to see if there are any special events coming up or currently on.
Crathes Castle, Garden and Estate