| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Scotland |
| Dates of operation | 1 July 1863–30 July 1966 |
| Successor | Great North of Scotland Railway |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
Strathspey Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Strathspey Railway was a railway company in Scotland that ran from Dufftown (in Moray) to Boat of Garten (in Badenoch and Strathspey). It was proposed locally but supported by the larger Great North of Scotland Railway (GNoSR), which wanted to use it as an outlet towards Perth. The GNoSR had to provide much of the funding, and the value of traffic proved to be illusory. The line opened in 1863 to Abernethy, but for the time being was unable to make the desired connection to the southward main line. Although later some through goods traffic developed, the route never achieved its intended purpose.
In common with many rural railways, it lost business heavily to competing road transport, both passenger and freight, from the 1930s. In 1958 lightweight diesel railbuses were used on the line in an attempt to contain the fast-rising financial losses, but the novel form of vehicle failed to bring about the necessary profitability. The line was closed to passenger traffic in 1965, and to general goods services in 1968. A short section north of Aberlour remained in use until complete closure of the line in 1971.