Royal Deeside Railway
The Royal Deeside Railway is a small standard-gauge heritage line at Milton of Crathes, near Banchory in Aberdeenshire, on a preserved section of the former Deeside Railway from Aberdeen to Ballater, the line famously used by Queen Victoria and successive monarchs to reach Balmoral Castle.
The preserved railway runs about a mile of demonstration line on the original trackbed, with continued long-term plans to extend further toward Crathes Station. The site at Milton of Crathes includes restored station buildings, a workshop and visitor facilities.
History
The Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1996 with the aim of returning steam-hauled trains to a section of the closed Aberdeen–Ballater line. The first passenger services ran from Milton of Crathes in 2010 after extensive restoration of trackbed and infrastructure.
Original line history
The Deeside Railway opened from Aberdeen to Banchory in 1853, extended to Aboyne in 1859 and reached Ballater in 1866, Queen Victoria having insisted that no railway should approach Balmoral itself. Royal trains for visiting monarchs to Balmoral became a regular feature, and the line was operated by the Great North of Scotland Railway, then the LNER and BR. Passenger services ended in 1966 in the Beeching closures.
Stations and infrastructure
Milton of Crathes is the headquarters and visitor centre, with the locomotive shed and workshops. The site is alongside the popular Deeside Way long-distance footpath.
Route and stations
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Special events and operations
Open running days, Santa Specials and themed weekends form the bulk of operations. The Deeside Way provides walking and cycling links to Banchory and beyond.
Visitor information
Milton of Crathes is on the A93 between Banchory and Crathes Castle (NTS). The railway typically operates selected weekends from spring through autumn.