STRATHSPEY EXPRESS

Summer 2023 Issue 170

Editors - Andrew McCracken & Ian Rattray
Editorial address: “Le Landy” 44 Kylintra Cres Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3ES
01479 872738

Boat of Garten Station is open for business.

Association 2023 Annual General Meeting

This year’s meeting will be held at 1.30 PM on Saturday 4 November, in The Boat Hotel at Boat of Garten. As most of you will know, the hotel is adjacent to our Boat of Garten Station. Our usual venue the Cairngorm Hotel in Aviemore, is not available this year hence the switch to Boat of Garten. A light lunch will be served from 12.15hrs in the meeting room, like our customary Soup and Sandwich Lunch, and the traditional Prize Draw and post-AGM talk will take place after the AGM. SRC have kindly agreed to lay on a train from Aviemore to Boat of Garten, which will leave Aviemore at 12.00 and return from Boat of Garten at the end of the day’s proceedings, probably around 16.00. Subject to Network Rail work on the Highland Main Line, this will mean that members have a good rail service to and from the AGM from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aviemore! AGM packs will arrive with you by the end of September.

Good News About 828

There is some good news to report on the world’s last operational Caledonian Railway main line locomotive.The damaged left-hand trailing axle box has been repaired and refitted to the loco. The work results from excellent work at Aviemore by Nathan Lightowler and Onsite Casting Repairs Ltd. The volunteers at the Spa Valley, together with Consultant Engineer Martin Staniforth, did a great job in getting the loco back on her wheels and re-coupled to her tender. Her annual boiler exam was completed successfully at Tunbridge Wells by Peter Hawkins of Hawkins Inspection Services Ltd. Gentle running-in of the repaired bearing commenced during the Spa Valley’s June Steam Gala. Hopefully, she will re-enter traffic there during the second half of July. We look forward to bringing her home to Aviemore in the second half of October; I’m sure we are all looking forward to seeing her operating on her “home” railway again.

- Doug Scott.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Ordinary £30; Family £40; Retirement £25; Junior & Student £15; Life £550; Family Life £650.

Deadline for next issue: 28th October 2023.

Front cover - 46512 seen here not long after departing Aviemore heading for Broomhill. Originally sent for the autumn 2013 edition of The Express. Unfortunately, the photographer’s name has been lost to the mists of time.