thumb|A Class 03 hauled consist on the Royal Deeside Railway
The Royal Deeside Railway is a heritage railway located at Milton of Crathes railway station on a part of the original Deeside Railway, in Scotland, United Kingdom.
Original railway
Originally constructed between 1853 and 1866,
The line was one of those closed by the Beeching Report.
Preservation history
The Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1996 with the intention of restoring the section of the Deeside Railway which ran between Banchory and Milton of Crathes. Milton of Crathes station consists of a single platform and two tracks (which form a locomotive run-round loop and headshunts), a small shop, museum and a ticket office. A car park is available with disabled access.
The railway owns the original British Rail BEMU which was converted from a diesel engine to battery power and operated on the Deeside Railway from 1958 to 1966. The BEMU currently requires a complete electrical overhaul, but it is sometimes used as a passenger coach, offering an alternative to the Mark 2 coaches.
This rail services are operated using rolling stock including former Aberdeen Gas Works Steam Engine "Bon Accord" and British Rail Class 03 diesel shunters that haul three British Rail Mark 2 passenger coaches in BR Crimson and Cream livery, with a fourth coach currently being restored.
Future
The railway will soon extend to a new station, Riverside Halt. This station will allow passengers to disembark the train and walk the mile back to the Milton of Crathes or continue further along the Deeside Way towards Banchory. This new station will form the end of the running line, creating a passenger service between the Milton of Crathes and Riverside Halt via Birkenbaud Crossing. A new loop line is under construction at Riverside Halt, along with two new buffer end siding spaces. but delays due to COVID 19 restrictions and other difficulties have meant the new bridge remains closed to the public. This means that the Deeside way continues to use the Bridge of Bennie, meaning railway operations cannot be extended. It has been estimated that the extension to Banchory will cost approximately £250,000 once ongoing work is complete.