RAIL enthusiasts are pressing ahead with work to extend Scotland's largest heritage line as it reaches a significant milestone today when it leaves Boat of Garten station.
Thirty years ago to the day the first passengers boarded the Strathspey Railway for the journey between Boat of Garten to Aviemore. They were charged 80p in third class and £1.20 in first class for the privilege.
Ten years earlier, the age o
f steam had ended on British Railways and the same year saw goods traffic discontinued from Aviemore through Boat of Garten, marking the end of the line. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1965.
But, in a reversal of the Beeching cuts, a small group of railway enthusiasts saw the possibility of returning both steam and passenger services to the Highland line.
Over the past three decades the steam railway has become a major tourist attraction, bringing thousands of people into the area, just as steam trains did in the 19th century when the arrival of the railway helped develop the Aviemore area.
At the time, steam trains were taking droves of tourists from England and the lowlands to the Highlands inspired by Queen Victoria's visits to the north and the novels of Sir Walter Scott.
Today, as well as nostalgia and the spectacular scenery, tourists are inspired by its star quality. The railway has been used for filming the TV series such as Monarch of the Glen , as well as Dr Finlay and Street Doctor.
The project started when volunteers bought the line from British Railways in 1972 and undertook the daunting task of rebuilding and repairing the railway as well as finding rolling stock.
This included the provision or restoration of steam engines, carriages, track, bridges, signal boxes, engine sheds and even complete railway stations in the case of the one at Aviemore Speyside.
In 2002 a four-and-a-half-mile section was completed to the reopened Broomhill Station – known as Glenbogle to Monarch of the Glen fans – using track recovered from across the UK.
This year, track laying has begun on the long-awaited three-mile extension to Grantown-on-Spey.
Doug Scott, chairman of the Strathspey Railway Company, said: "We are grateful for the foresight and hard work of all those who worked on the railway in the early days. Some are still actively involved and have seen their ideas grow into a popular visitor attraction."
Alan Brand, a marketing officer with the company, added: "We have started laying the track to Grantown as far as we can. For anything further we need to wait while negotiations continue with other parties to allow us to get over the road. Since it started 30 years ago the ultimate aim has been to connect to Grantown. It's been a gradual process but I'm sure we will succeed at the end of the day."
The railway company, a not-for-profit body, has also expanded from being run solely by volunteers to employing seven full-time and two seasonal staff who help run the service over 200 days a year.
To mark the 30th anniversary a special train will leave Boat of Garten station today hopefully with the original driver, fireman and guard from 1978.
The line will also play host to the Strathspey Railway Steam Fair this weekend when ten full-sized traction engines will appear alongside up to 15 down-scaled miniatures.
The full article contains 572 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
