The Strathspey Line

[rogerfarnworth]

The Strathspey Line – Part 1 – Keith to Dufftown​

The featured image for this article is the last of the Great North of Scotland 4-4-0s was No.62277 ‘Gordon Highlander’, nick named ‘The Soldier’. Before being retired for preservation and resorted to its original green livery, No.62277 spent its remaining days in regular service working the goods between Keith and Elgin, and over the Speyside branch, © W.J.V.Anderson. [48]
The January issue of The Railway Magazine usually focussed on Scotland. The January 1959 edition was no exception. [1] Included in the Magazine were articles by:

• H.A. Vallance about The Strathspey Line.
• J.W. Grant about Scottish 0-4-4 Tank Engines.
• G.H. Robin about The Lanarkshire & Dunbartonshire Railway.
• M.D. Grenville about Scottish Railways in 1859.

This article picks up on the article by H.A. Vallance, and begins a journey along the Strathspey line which ran down the valley of the River Spey from Keith towards Abernethy. Initially the line ran Southwest along Strathisla before crossing the watershed to Strathspey.

The Strathspey Line – Part 1 – Keith to Dufftown

The featured image for this article is the last of the Great North of Scotland 4-4-0s was No.62277 ‘Gordon Highlander’, nick named ‘The Soldier’. Before being retired for preservation and res…

rogerfarnworth.com

 

[Rover]

Fascinating, thank you.

 

[rogerfarnworth]

You are welcome. Two further articles will follow very soon, covering the line through to Boat of Garten.

 

[Rover]

Good to hear. It's always more interesting when it's a line you've been on and photograhed albeit in preservation days. Let's hope it gets to Grantown soon.

 

[rogerfarnworth]

Part 2 - Dufftown to Ballindalloch

This is the second article following the Strathspey Line.

The featured image shows Carron Railway Station early in the 20th century, © Public Domain. [61]

We start this next leg of the journey in Dufftown at the Railway Station which is the terminus of the Keith & Dufftown Railway.

The Strathspey Line – Part 2 – Dufftown to Ballindalloch

This is the second article following the Strathspey Line. The first can be found here. [22] The featured image above shows Carron Railway Station early in the 20th century, © Public Domain. [61] We…

rogerfarnworth.com

 

[norbitonflyer]

Very interesting to see the old pictures, as we walked the Speyside way (which follows the old railway from Craigellachie to Nethuy Bridge - or vice versa in our case) last summer

 

[rogerfarnworth]

Part 3 – Ballindalloch Railway Station to Boat of Garten​

This is the third article following the Strathspey Line.

The featured image is a Manson O class 4-4-0 locomotive. When the GNSR Directors requested larger engines to handle increasing passenger traffic loads, and Manson designed his Class O (LNER D42) locomotives to meet this need. Initially allocated to main line passenger duties between Aberdeen and Elgin, as later 4-4-0s (e.g..the D40s) were introduced, they were displaced to secondary duties. By the time of the Grouping (1923), they could be found across the GNSR system, including at Boat of Garten working the Speyside Line.

We start this next leg of the journey at Ballindalloch Railway Station.

The Strathspey Line – Part 3 – Ballindalloch Railway Station to Boat of Garten

This is the third article following the Strathspey Line. The first can be found here. [3] The second can be found here. [4] The featured image above is a Manson O class 4-4-0 locomotive. When …

rogerfarnworth.com