Full steam ahead for Strathspey Railway Company's new additions in Aviemore
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
It is full steam ahead for the Strathspey Railway Company after getting permission to build a foundry and wheel lathe shed at its site in Aviemore which will allow its engineers to carry out more running repairs and cut costs.
The SRC was also given consent by Highland Council planners based in Kingussie using their delegated powers for a change of site for a running shed which already has consent.
The Strathspey Railway Association is now actively fund raising to support the project and donations can be made here.
Planners said that the main consideration was the impact on the Category B listed locomotive shed and the impact on its setting.
But they were happy with the quality of the design and build materials for the new additions.
Planning officer Roddy Dowell stated in his approval: “It is considered that any building within this yard is going to have an impact on the setting of the building therefore the siting of any building within such close proximity can only be deemed acceptable if it comprises a high-quality design which does not detract from the building.
“The scale and proportions of the buildings are considered to be acceptable and the predominant finishes to be utilised are timber cladding, a natural material reflecting the surrounding woodland, along with the metal roofs.
“The windows are also of a similar design which ties in with the existing shed.
“The design and materials is not considered to detract from the natural stone built existing shed.”
The relocation allows provision of a shorth length of track to give rail access to the foundry and wheel lathe sheds now included in the current application to accommodate additional equipment.
Permission for the running shed and associated works had previously been granted in 2018 on land by the existing locomotive shed at the railway’s yard at Dalfaber.
The SRC explained the need for the additions at the Dalfaber yard in their submission to planners, pointing out: “Heritage railways such as the Strathspey Railway require numerous small and medium sized cast components such as piston and valve ring blanks, brake blocks, firebars and other grate components and similar.
“It is beneficial in financial and environmental terms if these can be produced on site rather than having to be sourced from elsewhere, especially when raw material can be sourced on site.
“For example, three worn down cast iron brake blocks could be melted down and recast as two new full size brake blocks.
“Such on-site production reduces transport costs, safeguards the engineering side of the railway which employs seven people locally and maintains the relevant skills and expertise.”
Some material may have to be bought but most deliveries will be infrequent and small scale.
It is expected that the foundry would only operate one to two days per month on average.
Railway bosses have said they expect no change to the level of vehicle traffic using Dalfaber Road.
As for the wheel lathe, railway wheels have a steel tyre whose dimensions and profile must be kept within certain specified limits to ensure safe operation and comfortable conditions for passengers.
Wheel lathes enable both of a wheelset’s tyres to be checked and if necessary re-profiled uniformly to meet that requirement.
The SRC has said being able to do this work in-house will have significant economic benefits and some environmental benefits as it avoids the need to send wheelsets to England by road transport for the necessary checking and re-profiling.
The proposed shed will be a ‘simple low profile structure’. The SRC has said its ‘appearance will be consistent with the industrial and railway character of the other existing and proposed buildings’ in the rail yard.
Highland Council’s historic environment team had made no objection pointing out: “The site is approximately five metres and eight metres at the closest point to the rear of the Category B Listed locomotive shed.
“The industrial nature of the listed building, albeit to a vastly superior design and materiality than the proposed new sheds, does set a precedent for more structures of a similar use.”
The SRC runs locomotives between Aviemore and Broomhill by Dulnain Bridge.
