Strathspey Railway (preserved) facts for kids

The Strathspey Railway (SR) is a special heritage railway located in the Highlands of Scotland. It runs for about 10 miles (16 km) from Aviemore to Broomhill, passing through Boat of Garten. This railway uses part of an old line that once connected Aviemore with Forres. It's one of the few old main railway lines in Britain that has been saved and is still used today!

The Journey Along the Line

Starting at Aviemore Station

A steam train at Aviemore station.

The Strathspey Railway starts its journey from platform 3 at Aviemore railway station. There's an old signal box here that helps control the trains. Steam locomotives get their coal at a special facility built in 2014.

Near the station, you can see a large building called the locomotive shed. It was built in 1898 to house the trains. This shed has a 60-foot turntable, which is used to turn the engines around! There are also sheds where volunteers and staff work on the railway's coaches and keep them safe from the weather.

Just north of the shed is Spey Lodge. This building was originally a hostel for train crews during the Second World War. Today, it provides accommodation for volunteers who work on the railway.

After leaving Aviemore, the train crosses the Dalfaber level crossing. This crossing was updated in March 2023. The line then passes the Cairngorm Brewery and climbs through Granish Moor. From here, you can see amazing views of Cairngorm Mountain. The railway runs alongside the Speyside Way, a popular path for walkers and cyclists. Finally, the line goes past the Boat of Garten golf course and into the village of Boat of Garten.

Boat of Garten: The Heart of the Railway

Boat of Garten station in 1961.

Looking north from Boat of Garten in 1986.

Looking south from Boat of Garten in 1986.

A steam rally at Boat of Garten in 2004.

Boat of Garten station is a very special place. Its original buildings date back to 1904 and are protected as a historic site. The station has a booking hall, a shop, and even a coffee shop in the old gas house.

This station was once a busy junction where two different railway lines met. Today, it has two platforms for passengers. It's also the only place on the line where locomotives stop to take on water. There are two signal boxes here, Boat of Garten North and Boat of Garten South. They use traditional mechanical signals to control the trains. This is where trains can pass each other when two are running on the line.

Most of what you see at Boat of Garten station today is original from the old British Railways days. A new storage shed was built in 2018–2019 to keep more coaches under cover.

Leaving Boat of Garten, trains cross a new bridge. The railway then passes through farmland, following the River Spey. The tracks here were mostly brought from Kincardine power station in the 1990s.

Arriving at Broomhill

The line currently ends at Broomhill. This station is in the countryside between Nethy Bridge and Dulnain Bridge. The station building you see today is a replica built on the foundations of the original.

Broomhill station became famous because it was used as the station for "Glenbogle" in the popular BBC TV series "Monarch of the Glen".

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  Broomhill looking towards Grantown on Spey.

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  The 'Glenbogle' station sign at Broomhill station.

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  A view of the platform and station buildings looking towards Boat of Garten.

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  The station approach from the Boat of Garten side.

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  Platform and station infrastructure.

Plans for the Future

The Strathspey Railway hopes to extend its line further north to Grantown. This would involve building a new station on a green field site. Some of the track needed for this extension has been donated from another railway line.

In February 2014, the railway installed a new bridge over the River Dulnain, using steelwork donated by Network Rail. This was a big step forward! However, more work is needed, and the railway needs special permission from the Scottish Government to continue. Because the extension is within the Cairngorm National Park, extra studies on wildlife and the environment are needed.

The project is managed by The Strathspey Railway Charitable Trust. They work hard to raise money and talk with landowners to make the extension to Grantown-on-Spey happen.

Helping the Railway: Strathspey Railway Association

The Strathspey Railway Association is a group that helps the railway a lot. They provide money and volunteers to keep the Strathspey Railway running. Most of the people who work on the railway are volunteers from this Association. Members support the railway through yearly payments and donations. They also receive a magazine called "The Strathspey Express" with updates and interesting railway stories.

Locomotives and Carriages

British Railways No. 46512, a steam locomotive.

The unique Caledonian Railway 812 Class 0-6-0 No. 828.

Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T No. 17 "Braeriach".

The Strathspey Railway has many different types of trains, including steam and diesel locomotives, and passenger carriages.

Steam Locomotives

• LMS 2-6-0 Class 2MT no. 46512 "E. V. Cooper, Engineer". This engine was built in 1952 and is currently running. Its boiler was checked in November 2021 and is good until 2031.
• LMS 2-6-0 Class 2MT no. 46464 (The Carmyllie Pilot). Built in 1950, this engine is being rebuilt at Aviemore. It was the first steam train to carry passengers on the Strathspey Railway in 1978!
• Caledonian Railway 0-6-0 812 Class no. 828. Built in 1899, this historic engine is operational. Its boiler was re-certified in autumn 2020.
• LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT no. 5025. Built in 1934, this engine started running again in August 2021 after a big repair. Its boiler is good until 2031.
• BR 2-10-0 Standard Class 9F no. 92219. Built in 1960, this large engine is waiting to be restored.
• Wemyss Private Railway 0-6-0T no. 17 "Braeriach". Built in 1935, this engine is stored at Boat of Garten.
• WD 0-6-0ST Austerity no. 9. Built in 1943, this engine is currently being repaired at Aviemore.
• Andrew Barclay & Son, Kilmarnock 0-4-0ST no. 2 "Balmenach". Built in 1936, this engine is stored at Aviemore.

Diesel Locomotives

• BR 0-4-0 Class D2/10 North British shunter no. D2774. This shunter is operational and painted in BR Green.
• BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. 08490. This shunter is operational and painted in BR green.
• BR Bo-Bo Class 26 no. 26002. Built in 1958, this engine is stored.
• BR Bo-Bo Class 26 no. 26025. Built in 1959, this engine is stored.
• BR Bo-Bo Class 27 no. 27050. Built in 1962, this engine is operational.
• BR A1A-A1A Class 31 no. 31327. This engine is operational.
• BR Co-Co Class 37 no. 37674. This engine is operational.
• Andrew Barclay & Son, Kilmarnock 0-4-0 DH shunter "Power of Enterprise." This shunter is being restored.
• North British Locomotive Co 0-4-0 DH shunter. This shunter is stored at Boat of Garten.
• Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0 DM shunter. This shunter is operational and painted in Queen Anne whisky colours.
• Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0 DM shunter. This shunter is stored at Aviemore.
• Thomas Hill Vanguard 4w chain drive DH shunter. This shunter is operational.

Diesel Multiple Unit Cars

These are passenger trains that have their own engines.

• BR Class 107 DMBS Sc51990 and Sc52008. These are stored at Boat of Garten.
• BR Class 107 DMSL Sc52030. This car is waiting to be restored.
• BR Class 114 DTC E54047. This car is out of service.
• BR Class 117 DMBS Sc51367 and DMS Sc51402. These are being repaired and are painted in BR green.
• BR Class 117 TCL Sc59511. This car is being restored at Boat of Garten. It will have first-class seating and a buffet area. When finished, it will join the other two Class 117 cars to make a three-car train.

Passenger Coaching Stock

Railway	Number	Type	Image	Notes
Great North of Scotland Railway	None	5-comp non-corridor third		Built at Inverurie. Its body has been repainted red.
Great North of Scotland Railway	None	5-comp non-corridor third		Built at Inverurie. It is currently at Aviemore Speyside Station.
Highland Railway	None	5-comp non-corridor third		Built at Lochgorm. It is stored outside.
North British Railway	1748	Non-corridor lavatory Third		Built in 1905. It is the only one of its kind left. This carriage has a wooden body with its original frame.
London, Midland & Scottish Railway	27234	Third Open		Built in 1945. It is painted in LMS colours and is currently stored.
London, Midland & Scottish Railway	27043	Brake Third Corridor		Built in 1951. It has a 'Porthole' design and is waiting for repair.
British Railways	1928	Mk1 Unclassed Restaurant Car		Built in 1959. It was once used on the famous Flying Scotsman train.
British Railways	1936	Mk1 Unclassed Restaurant Car		Built in 1959. It was also used on the Flying Scotsman train and is currently being restored.
British Railways	4079	Mk1 Tourist Second Open		Built in 1955. It is not currently running and is stored.
British Railways	4331	Mk1 Tourist Second Open		Built in 1956. It is operational and painted in BR Crimson and Cream colours.
British Railways	4477	Mk1 Second Open		Built in 1957. It is operational and painted in BR Crimson and Cream colours.
British Railways	4777	Mk1 Second Open		Built in 1957.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway	M45021M	Bogie District Engineers Saloon	LMS Officers Saloon	Built in 1944. It is operational and painted in LMS colours.
British Railways	17101	Mk 2A Brake Corridor First		Built in 1968. It is operational.

Stations on the Line

• Aviemore railway station
• Aviemore Speyside railway station (This station is now closed for regular use.)
• Boat of Garten railway station
• Broomhill railway station