Royal Deeside Railway

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Royal Deeside Railway

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A heritage railway in the heart of Royal Deeside, Scotland. Steam, diesel and battery electric vehicles and an award-winning station building. Operational. D9551.

Train services every weekend starting at 11.00 am with buffet car serving coffees, teas and light snacks. Wonderful views of River Dee, woodland and surrounding hillsides. The Royal Deeside Railway was formed in 1996 to re-create the branch line from Aberdeen to Ballater, opened in 1856 by the Deeside Railway Company and closed by British Railways in 1966. The railway between Banchory and Milton of Crathes has been partially re-instated, and a new station built at Milton of Crathes. The station building is an award-winning restoration of the original station in Oldmeldrum. The railway offers a passenger train service every weekend from Easter until September. The carriages are 1960s vintage British Rail Mark IIs. We operate a steam tank engine on alternate Sundays, otherwise the trains are diesel-hauled. Please see http://www.deeside-railway.co.uk/ for more information. Locomotives
Steam locomotives
Aberdeen Gas Works Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 807 "Bon-Accord". Operational - under testing (Arrived March 2010)
Diesel locomotives
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 No. 415. BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. D2094 / 03094. Operational (Arrived May 2010)
BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. D2134 / 03134. BR 0-6-0 Class 14 no. Under repair. Multiple units
BR BEMU unit 79998+79999. Operational (as hauled coaching stock) – repairs to electrical systems in progress.

31/10/2026

🎅🏻 WHO’S READY FOR CHRISTMAS?! 🎄

The countdown is on! In just a few weeks, Santa will be making his way back to the Royal Deeside Railway, and we can’t wait to welcome you all aboard! 🚂

A steam train ride, festive singing, a visit to Santa and plenty of Christmas magic waiting for the whole family! 🎁

🎟️ Our Santa Specials are now on sale, with seven dates to choose from!

Fancy joining us this Christmas? You’ll find the booking link in the comments below! 👇🏼

29/10/2026

🎄 Over 100 Christmas trees… and that’s just the beginning! 🎅🏻

Christmas might still be a few weeks away, but things are already getting busy behind the scenes at the Royal Deeside Railway!

Last night, some of our volunteers were hard at work getting preparations underway for this year’s Santa Specials, starting with the not-so-small task of bringing more than 100 Christmas trees down from the loft! 🎄

And that’s only the start of it!

There’s plenty work still to be done before we welcome our first families at the end of November, and as always, it’s our volunteers who make it all happen.

We’re always looking for an extra pair of hands, so if you fancy getting involved and helping us bring a little Christmas magic to Milton of Crathes, we’d love to hear from you!

📧 [email protected]

There’s a lot of work that goes into Christmas at the railway, and we’ll be trying to share more of what’s happening behind the scenes over the coming weeks! 🚂🎅🏻

26/10/2026

🎅🏻 They won’t remember every present under the tree…

But they might remember the sound of a steam train, the excitement of climbing aboard, singing Christmas songs together, and that moment they finally get to meet Santa ❤️

Sometimes, the best parts of Christmas aren’t the things we unwrap. They’re the little moments we get to share together as a family.

And that’s what our Santa Specials at the Royal Deeside Railway are all about. 🚂🎄

From the festive atmosphere at Milton of Crathes to a journey behind our historic steam engine, and of course a visit to Santa’s grotto, it’s a chance to make a Christmas memory together.

Our regular running season may be over, but something rather special is just around the corner…

🎟️ Santa Specials start Sunday 29th November, with selected dates throughout December.

Adult tickets £19.50 / Children’s tickets £24.50, including a gift from Santa.

Come and make a little Christmas magic with us. ✨

🎅🏻 Book your Santa Special tickets now! Link in the comments for you all 😊🥰

24/10/2026

🚨 Unfortunately, our final autumn running day has been cancelled 😔🍂🚂

We’re really disappointed to announce that tomorrow’s services, Sunday 25th October, will not be going ahead.

With Storm Boelo forecast to bring very strong winds and heavy rain across the area, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel our services for the safety of our passengers and volunteers.

We know many of you were looking forward to joining us for one final journey before the end of our regular running season, and we’re just as disappointed that we won’t be able to welcome you.

While this isn’t quite how we hoped to finish our autumn season, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has visited and supported the railway throughout 2026, and of course to our wonderful volunteers who have worked so hard to keep everything running.

Although our regular running season has now come to an earlier end than planned, we’re not finished with 2026 just yet! 🎅🏻

Our Santa Specials are just around the corner, and we’re looking forward to welcoming families back to Milton of Crathes for some festive railway magic.

Thank you for your understanding, and please stay safe during the storm. ❤️

21/10/2026

There’s more to Milton of Crathes than you might realise… and this Sunday is a good day to come and find out! 🍂🚂

It was great to see Milton of Crathes featured recently by The Press & Journal, highlighting the mix of businesses and attractions that are turning our little corner of Royal Deeside into a destination in its own right. 🥰

From local food and independent shopping to art, outdoor activities and railway heritage, there’s plenty here to make more of a day of your visit rather than simply stopping by for one thing.

And for us, the timing couldn’t be better…

This Sunday, 25th October, is the Royal Deeside Railway’s final normal running day of 2026.

So if you’ve been meaning to visit before the season finishes, why not make a day of it?

Come along for a train ride, spend some time around Milton of Crathes, explore what our neighbours have to offer and enjoy one last autumn Sunday with us before our normal running season comes to an end.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kids travel for just £1
🚂 Final normal running day: Sunday 25th October
📍 Milton of Crathes, Royal Deeside

It’s fantastic to see the wider Milton of Crathes community getting this kind of recognition and even better to be part of it.

One last train ride, and plenty more to discover while you’re here. 🍁

⬇️ link in comments below to the article 😊

19/10/2026

One last Sunday, one last chance to join us before winter! 🍂🚂

After a busy season at the Royal Deeside Railway, this Sunday - 25th October - marks our final regular running day service of 2026.

Behind every train that has been run this year, there has been volunteers arriving early, preparing locomotives, opening the station, welcoming visitors, maintaining the railway and doing all the little jobs most people never get to see.

And this Sunday, we get to do it all one more time.

If you’ve been saying “we should go before the season finishes” - this is the weekend!!

Come and enjoy the railway in its autumn surroundings, spend some time around Milton of Crathes and take one final ride with us before our attention turns towards winter and, of course, Christmas. 🎅🏻

And there’s still a good reason to bring the family…

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kids travel for just £1

🍂 Sunday 25th October
🚂 Final regular running day of 2026
📍 Milton of Crathes

It’s been a brilliant year of trains, Cream Teas, events, projects, familiar faces and plenty of first-time visitors.

Let’s finish the regular season with a busy platform. ❤️

18/10/2026

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way… 🎶🚂🎅🏻

Bon Accord has clearly been getting into the Christmas spirit, and it won’t be long now until our Santa Specials return to Milton of Crathes!

Across seven festive running days, families can join us for a traditional Christmas experience at the railway, beginning with refreshments at the station before boarding for a festive train ride with carol singing along the way.

Once the train returns, it’s time to visit Santa in his grotto, where every child receives a present chosen for their age group. 🎁

We’re running on:

Sunday 29th November
Saturday 5th December
Sunday 6th December
Saturday 12th December
Sunday 13th December
Saturday 19th December
Sunday 20th December

🎟️ Adults £19.50
🎟️ Children £24.50
🕘 Services from 09:45 to 16:45
📍 Milton of Crathes
🚗 Free parking available

If your Christmas needs a little steam, a little singing and a visit from Santa, we’d love to welcome you aboard.

And judging by Bon Accord… the railway is already practising. 🎶🎄CHOO CHOO!

15/10/2026

Only two Sundays left with us this season 🍂🚂

If you’ve been meaning to squeeze in one more autumn day out before the railway heads towards winter, this Sunday is our second last running day of 2026.

Milton of Crathes will be open again for another day of railway atmosphere, autumn colour and the chance to watch our volunteers bring everything together to make the trains run.

And… throughout October, children travel for just £1!! So it’s a particularly good excuse to get the family out without making it an expensive one.

Whether you’re coming for the train ride, bringing the kids somewhere a little different, or simply fancy spending some time around the railway, we’d love to see you.

🍂 Running this Sunday
🚂 Second-last normal running day of 2026
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kids travel for £1
📍 Milton of Crathes

After this weekend, there’s just one final running day left on Sunday 25th October.

So if the Royal Deeside Railway has been on your “we should go before the season ends” list… this might be the weekend to do it? 🤷🏻‍♂️

12/10/2026

Before the whistle, there’s the work. 🔥🚂

Long before the train starts moving, someone is already at the fire, building the heat and keeping the steam where it needs to be.

It’s one of those parts of the railway most visitors never really see - the work behind the journey.

This Sunday, you can come and see where all that preparation leads as we’re back running at Milton of Crathes for another October service.

🍂 A heritage railway in the middle of Royal Deeside
🚂 Steam, atmosphere and plenty happening around the station
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kids travel for just £1 throughout our October services

So if you’re looking for an easy autumn day out, come and spend a little time with us, watch the railway at work and enjoy the journey for yourself.

Sometimes the best part of the railway isn’t just the train moving, it’s seeing everything that goes into making it happen.

08/10/2026

Fancy doing Sunday a little differently? 🍂🍰

October weekends don’t always need to mean staying indoors.

This Sunday 11th October, we’re opening the doors at Milton of Crathes for one more of our Cream Tea Specials, a chance to slow things down, enjoy an autumn visit to the railway and spend a little time together before winter really arrives.

Our Cream Teas have become one of our most popular experiences this year, and there’s a reason people keep coming back.

You’re not simply sitting down for tea and cake.

There’s the railway journey, the autumn scenery around Royal Deeside, the atmosphere of our little heritage station and a team of volunteers working behind the scenes to make the whole experience happen.

It’s something a little different for a Sunday afternoon - whether you’re coming with family, bringing someone for a treat or simply fancy doing something you wouldn’t normally do.

And after such a busy year for our Cream Tea Specials, we were delighted to be able to squeeze in one more before the winter season begins.

🍰 Cream Tea Special
📅 Sunday 11th October
📍 Royal Deeside Railway, Milton of Crathes

If you’ve been saying “we really should try one of those” all year, this might be the one to book.

Address

The Royal Deeside Railway, Milton Of Crathes
Banchory
AB315QH

Telephone

01330 844416

Website

http://www.deeside-railway.co.uk/

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