Royal Deeside Railway

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Royal Deeside Railway 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.

Only two Sundays left with us this season 🍂🚂If you’ve been meaning to squeeze in one more autumn day out before the rail...
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.

Fancy doing Sunday a little differently? 🍂🍰October weekends don’t always need to mean staying indoors.This Sunday 11th O...
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.

One more Cream Tea before winter 🍰🚂Our Cream Tea Specials have been incredibly popular this year, so we’ve managed to sq...
05/10/2026

One more Cream Tea before winter 🍰🚂

Our Cream Tea Specials have been incredibly popular this year, so we’ve managed to squeeze in one more service this Sunday, 11th October, before we move into the winter season!

It’s a lovely way to spend an autumn Sunday at Milton of Crathes, enjoy a heritage train ride, take in the changing colours around Royal Deeside, then settle down for a Cream Tea prepared and served by our volunteer team.

These services have become one of our most popular experiences, combining the atmosphere of the railway with something a little more relaxed and special.

So if you’ve been meaning to join us for one this year, this is your final chance before 2027.

🍰 Cream Tea Special: Sunday 11th October
🚂 Heritage railway experience
🍂 Autumn at Milton of Crathes
❤️ Run entirely by our volunteers

Spaces are limited, so booking in advance is recommended.

Grab your seats in the link in the comments! ⬇️

Who would you bring along for an autumn Cream Tea?

30/09/2026

There’s something special about Christmas at a little heritage railway🎅🏻🚂✨

This year, our Santa Specials return to Milton of Crathes across seven festive running days:

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

Your visit begins at the station, where you can collect refreshments before boarding the train for a festive journey with carol singing along the way 🎶

After your train ride, it’s time for the part the little ones have been waiting for… a visit to Santa in his grotto, where every child receives a present chosen for their age group. 🎁

The whole experience lasts around 30 to 45 minutes, with services running from 09:45 through to 16:45.

It’s a warm, traditional Christmas experience, run by our volunteers and designed to be one of those little festive memories families can look back on for years to come.

🎟️ Adults £19.5
🎟️ Children £24.50
📍 Milton of Crathes
🚗 Free parking available

If Christmas for you is about time together, a little bit of magic and making memories, we’d love to welcome you aboard this year!

October just got even better at the railway 🍂🚂We’re making our October running days a little more family-friendly with K...
26/09/2026

October just got even better at the railway 🍂🚂

We’re making our October running days a little more family-friendly with Kids for a Quid, giving you a cheap and easy way to get the kids out, enjoy the autumn weather and spend some time together at Milton of Crathes.

For just £1 per child, families can enjoy a heritage train ride, explore the station and make the most of a day out without it costing a fortune.

And on Sunday 11th October, we also have a very different opportunity available…

Our Steam Taster Experiences are back, with spaces currently available at 09:15 and 10:00.

This is your chance to do something most people will never get the opportunity to do - take control of a real steam locomotive!

You’ll get hands-on with the engine, learn from our experienced steam crew and experience what it is actually like to drive a steam engine for yourself. Whether it is something you have always wanted to try, a gift for someone who loves railways, or simply a chance to tick something unusual off the bucket list, it is a genuinely unique experience.

So whether you are looking for a low-cost autumn day out with the family, or something much more hands-on behind the regulator, Sunday 11th October has something a little different on offer.

🍂 Kids travel for £1 on our October services
🔥 Steam Tasters available Sunday 11th October
🕘 09:15 and 10:00 spaces available

Book your steam tasters here: https://www.deeside-railway.co.uk/phoenix/drive-a-steam-locomotive/

We can’t wait to see you all! Who would you bring along this October?

24/09/2026

Autumn at the Deeside Railway is calling 🍂🚂

After a busy summer, we’re back in October for three more running days at Milton of Crathes, giving you another chance to enjoy the railway before the darker nights and winter weather really settle in. 😬

We’ll be running trains on:

Sunday 11th October
Sunday 18th October
Sunday 25th October

And because our Cream Tea Specials have been so popular this year, we’ve managed to squeeze in ONE more Cream Tea on Sunday 11th October before we move into the winter season. 🍰

It’s a lovely time of year to visit, with the autumn colours around Royal Deeside, a bit of crisp air, and the chance to enjoy the railway at a slower pace before winter arrives.

Whether you’re joining us for a Cream Tea or just fancy a day out at the railway, we’d love to welcome you along.

Who’s joining us for an autumn visit? 🍁

17/09/2026

Short video of something a little at Deeside

Recently, on one of our summer running days, we ran a double header with both our resident diesel and our steam engine Bon Accord.

Here’s a wee short video taken by our diesel driver of the day Ben, showing the steam rising at the head of the journey ☺️🚂

📹 Ben Fawkes

12/09/2026

Who are you bringing to see Santa this year? 🎅🏻🚂

Our Santa Specials are back for 2026 and tickets are already on sale!

If you’ve got someone in mind for a festive trip to the railway, tag them below and start making those plans 🎄

Steam train ride, festive singing, Santa in his grotto, presents for the children and plenty of Christmas atmosphere at Milton of Crathes.

It’s always one of our favourite times of the year and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back.

Tag the person you’d bring along 👇

Work doesn’t stop just because the trains aren’t running 🪏A group of our volunteers, led by Ben, were out last night get...
10/09/2026

Work doesn’t stop just because the trains aren’t running 🪏

A group of our volunteers, led by Ben, were out last night getting some work done on the points and giving the area a good old tidy.

At the far end of our line, just beyond where our trains currently stop, we have an area called West Lodge. It’s used to store some of the railway’s other assets, including our much-loved BEMU 🥰

We’re currently creating some extra storage space there, and the team were hard at work getting one of the points secured into place.

What are points?
They’re the sections of track that allow a train to move from one line to another.

While one group tackled the rails, another got stuck into the grass and weeds that summer has very kindly given us plenty of 😂

It’s a good example of the work that goes on behind the scenes, even when there are no public trains running.

And if you’ve ever fancied getting involved, whether you love trains or not — that genuinely isn’t a requirement 😂 — we’re always happy to welcome new people along.

Maybe you want to try something different, learn new skills, meet new people or simply get involved in something that helps the local community.

If you’d like to know more, drop Gavin, our Volunteer Coordinator, an email at [email protected] and he’ll happily chat through any questions you have.

Ever wondered what’s at the other end of the railway? 👀
Let us know in the comments and maybe we’ll take you behind the scenes next time… 😏

Address

The Royal Deeside Railway, Milton Of Crathes
Banchory
AB315QH

Telephone

01330 844416

Website

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