Boat of Garten Railway Station

01/04/2026

Yes…it’s April..in the snow!!

19/02/2026

This is a reminder of a great moment in the history of the Strathspey Railway. We started operating a public service between Boat and Aviemore in July 1978. This was the culmination of work that began in August 1971 when the Company was incorporated and bought the closed railway from British Railways. Installation of the Nethybridge Road Bridge in 1996 enabled our extension to Broomhill which opened in 2002. Our ultimate goal remains to reconnect right through to Grantown on Spey..!

📸 Throwback Thursday – Can You Guess the Year?

Anyone remember this moment?
This is the Boat of Garten rail bridge being lifted into place — a huge milestone in bringing the Strathspey Railway back to life.

Boat of Garten Golf Course is proud to have a heritage railway running right alongside it, making a round here a little more special than most. Scenes like this are part of the story of how the line was rebuilt by sheer determination, volunteers, and a lot of heavy lifting!

👀 Do you recognise anyone in the photo?
📅 Can you guess what year this was taken?
👇 Drop your guesses (or memories!) in the comments below.

14/02/2026

03/12/2025

A reminder about our Old Blue Friend…

15/10/2025

Boat of Garten Station is definitely the place to be for the Railway 200 event!!

02/08/2025

The train now departing safely…Boat of Garten Station on Wednesday 30/07/25. (Photo by Andrew Cawley)

26/06/2025

08/06/2025

On a bright and warm Sunday 8th June 2025 LMS 5025 makes an impressive departure from Boat. The loco is carrying a smokebox door wreath in honour of SRC Volunteer Guard Ann Boyd whose funeral is at Warriston Crematorium, Edinburgh at 13:30 on Tuesday 10th June. Husband Colin and Son Chris were both on the footplate. Thoughts are also with the Family and Friends of Colin Vaughan Senior who passed recently. His son, also Colin, was driving the loco.

06/03/2025

In this anniversary year, celebrating 200 years of train travel since 1825, we will be opening our season, on the 28th, 29th, and 30th of March, with an unforgettable weekend at Strathspey Railway! Experience the thrill of our special Ivatt Double Heading event, where two stunning steam locomotives will work together to pull our services*.

Experience a nostalgic journey on a Highland Heritage Railway. With standard and First-Class options available. Take in the views from our Observation carriage. Enjoy a Light Lunch or indulge in Afternoon ‘Steam’ Tea. Visit www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk for tickets and timetables.

Ever wondered what it’s like to see two engines in action? You’ll get to witness the power of 46464 and 46512 as they team up! These historic engines, designed by George Ivatt just before the railways were nationalised, are a sight to behold.

46464, known as the 'Carmyllie Pilot', has a rich history. Withdrawn from service in 1966 and bought by Arbroath enthusiast Ian Fraser. Following a spell in storage, the engine was loaned to the newly formed Strathspey Railway and hauled the first steam passenger train in 1978. It was, however, in need of extensive maintenance work. The Carmyllie Pilot Company was formed in 2000 to restore and operate 46464. In 2018, we were invited to base the engine at the Strathspey Railway. Her restoration was completed in 2024.

And 46512? This reliable beauty was built in 1952, working the last passenger train on the Lianfyllin branch before facing the scrapyard. Thankfully she was rescued and has been part of many memorable journeys since her return to steam in 2000.

Both of these engines may be smaller in power class, but they’ve got heart and charm, making them perfect for our scenic heritage line. Picture the steam rising and the sound of wheels on the tracks as you ride along with us.

Don’t miss this chance to see history in motion and create lasting memories! Grab your tickets now and get ready for an amazing adventure. Trust us, you won’t want to miss it!

*We will aim to deliver this double heading event, with two steam engines hauling the services however, should any unavoidable operational issues arise, which make this not possible, it may be necessary to revert to one steam engine or a diesel hauled service.

08/02/2025

The station is ready to welcome passengers next week for the February running. See the website for times.

27/08/2024

Trains leaving Boat of Garten for the south (Aviemore) face quite a steep climb for about two miles through Boat of Garten woods. This is good for steam enthusiasts as it means that the locomotives have to work hard leaving the station. Here we see LMS 5025 departing for Aviemore on Tuesday 27th August. (Video credit of Neil Scott)