The volunteers have worked closely with the planning officer to find a suitable location which satisfied the Council. After several attempts, a location was identified and the volunteers were given verbal assurances that the plans would be approved. The planners were kept informed of the progress of the additional trackwork which was required to locate the shed in this position. This negotiation has been going on since April, 2005 when the then senior planner rejected our first suggested location.

Bon Accord is a steam locomotive built by Andrew Barclay of Kilmarnock in 1897 and has been restored to working order with a Heritage Lottery Fund grant for use on the Deeside Line. It was originally built for use at the gas works in Aberdeen and was a common sight up until the 1960s hauling coal wagons along the streets next to the harbour.

It is the property of the Grampian Transport Museum and on loan to the Bon Accord Locomotive Society for 30 years.

It is a condition of the loan agreement that the locomotive is stored in a secure shed. It is a condition of the Heritage Lottery award that the locomotive be put on public display.

It was planned to use the locomotive for staff training during the summer months and to demonstrate it to the public at the Deeside Steam and Vintage Rally at Milton of Crathes in August. However, with the planning decision delayed it will now be impossible to meet this deadline. Some of the income which the railway would have earned from running steam trains would have been ploughed back into improvements to the station environment including paths etc.

Planning permission for the railway was granted in 2006 although the application was submitted in 2000.

The plans were supported by an Environmental Statement which gave very detailed plans and information regarding the railway.

A number of attempts have been made by us to meet with the senior planner for the Marr area to discuss the section of the Deeside Way which runs parallel with the railway, as well as other conditions which were attached to the railway. However, on each occasion the meeting was postponed by the Council and as yet no firm date has been set. The volunteers are keen to clear up any misunderstandings and inconsistencies surrounding the planning consent.

Aberdeenshire Council have supported the Deeside Railway with a number of grants totalling over £30,000. The Council's policy is to support tourism and heritage projects such as the Deeside Railway. The Deeside Railway currently extends to just under one mile over which trains operate every Sunday between April and September and certain other days in July and August. The line has been approved by Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate and by the office of the rail regulator.

To correct two statements made in the orginal article - there is no new road access from the A93 and the design of the shed has not in fact changed.

Yours etc

Jon Tyler (Dr)
Managing Director
Deeside Railway Co Ltd