Steam trains are a step closer to making a dramatic return to Aberdeen after an historic turntable was removed for renovation.
The A-listed Ferryhill turntable was yesterday carefully removed from the site where it has lain for decades and conveyed to Kintore for careful examination before returning to the Granite City next week.
The turntable is just one stage in an ambitious project to bring the former Ferryhill Locomotive Depot back into operation.
Last August, Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust was awarded £298,158 by Historic Scotland.
Workers from e-blast Ltd of Kintore removed the historic piece of infrastructure and will now blast and repaint it while checking for any damage which needs urgent attention.
Dating back to 1907, the steel structure is one of only three still in existence in Scotland.
The former Caledonian engine shed is a Category B-listed building, completed around 1852. Together, they formed the core of the Aberdeen Ferryhill Locomotive Depot until its closure in 1987.
The group has received funding from several different sources, including Historic Environment Scotland, Railway Heritage Trust and The Architectural Heritage Trust, but is still around £100,000 away from its target for full renovation of the site.
Dr Jon Tyler, chairman of the trust, confirmed the initial work in Kintore would last around a week before the massive piece of equipment came back to the Granite City.
He said: “The next stage is to reassemble all the mechanical parts and eventually get the rails back on top.
“We have allowed ourselves around a year for this part.
“Then we will focus on the rest of the project. We have a Historic Scotland grant, but we think we will need a lot more funds, so we are inviting anyone who is interested to donate.
“I think the prospect of having the line open to the public and potentially steam charters coming into the city has got a lot of interest.
“We want to promote Aberdeen as a tourist destination.”
If you would like to donate to the renovation project, please call Dr Tyler on: 01330 820472, Mr Simpson on 07818130517 or Dave Clucas on: 01467 620840.