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Historic railway choices: Keith to Dufftown or Strathspey Railway? (Or another?)

Posted by (Seattle, WA) on

I would like to take a little historic railway trip (steam is great but I understand not guaranteed) in Scotland while we're there in the first week of August. I have been looking into the Keith to Dufftown railway, but also the Strathspey Railway. We will already be spending a day around Aviemore doing other things, so I'm a bit more inclined to try the Keith to Dufftown railway to try a slightly different region.

Two adults and two kids, ages 8 + 11. Our main goals are a quaint ride, scenery, and a lovely town or two to wander about on the route. The adults would like to stop into distilleries, but of course are limited to those that allow children, and this is not at all a requirement. Of course things that would pique a tween's interest are splendid.

Another thing to consider is that we're spending a week in York on this trip as well, so we could possibly do our historic rail trip during that leg of the vacation instead, though we won't have a car then so we will need to bus to the train.

Any experience with any of these rail trips? Any strong preferences?

Posted by
9466 posts

The Keith to Dufftown line is a lovely ride, and it's very nice to support one of the less well known lines.
However they do not run steam trains. They use first generation DMU's (Diesel multiple units which is great.
They do now also own two Pacers (second generation DMU',s from the 70's) The trains every one hates, but they saved many rural lines from closure.
At least theirs are interesting - the only surviving Class 140 (the prototype,.never used in passenger service) And a 144 - the West Yorkshire variant, a lot better than the other pacer classes.

The Strathspey is more of a Heritage steam line, but pretty standard tourist fare.

Posted by
9466 posts

From York, rather than the NYMR, a far more interesting line is the Embsay and Bolton Abbey line near Skipton, or the Keighley and Worth Valley line.
Or maybe the Wensleydale Railway (another almost exclusively diesel line).

Posted by
1609 posts

Hi, Tonya,

Although it's only a four mile trip, you may want to give a thought to the Caledonian Railway, which operates between Brechin and Bridge of Dun. They primarily use diesel locomotives, but steam is up on Sundays throughout the summer. The trains operate on a standard gauge (4 foot, 8 1/2 inch) track.

The line was originally part of the Aberdeen Railway Company. The Brechin branch line was sold to the Caledonian Railway Company in 1894, then absorbed into the London, Midland, and Scottish Railway in 1923.

In 1948, the LMS became part of British Railways. Passenger service was ended in 1952, due to a decline in passenger numbers, but remained open to freight traffic until 1981. Preservationists saved the line, and in 1993 it was reopened to passenger service. It is completely operated and staffed by volunteers. The line is now over 175 years old.

www.caledonianrailway.com

Mike (Auchterless)

Posted by
34 posts

Wow, I love all these options! Thanks so much; throwing these into the mix and we'll see what shakes out in the planning.

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