Back On Track

The Keith and Dufftown railway offers visitors a unique journey into the region's heritage

- BETH MCHUGH

CUTTING across scenic Speyside landscapes, the Keith and Dufftown railway line is Britain's most northerly heritage railway.

As passengers are whisked past startled squirrels with buzzards circling overhead, it is clear this is no ordinary stretch of public transport: it's a unique way to experience the engineering heritage of the Highlands.

With only two part-time paid members of staff, it's a real labour of love, and the railway line is maintained by volunteers who are passionate about the area's rich history and the connections it forges in local communities.

“Our main purpose is preserving and restoring not just the physical trains and engines, but also the history of the line,” Keith and Dufftown Railway Association (KDRA) business administrator Helen Bodiam says.

“The idea of a line from Aberdeen to Inverness goes back to 1846. With the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, we lost the line to passengers, but it carried freight for some time. Eventually it was sold to the KDRA. We got the freehold in 1997 and started working on the line.”

Today, the KDRA goes further than just embracing its heritage - the dedicated team love finding excuses to dress up with a themed event.