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Extra capacity added to Balmoral shuttle buses to take mourners to gates

Mourners have been boarding buses at Balmoral through the day. Photo: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson
Mourners have been boarding buses at Balmoral through the day. Photo: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Extra capacity has been added to park and ride buses from Ballater and Braemar to take people to the gates of Balmoral to allow them to pay personal tribute to the Queen.

Queues stretching to about 100 people, with waits of about 30 minutes, have formed throughout the day on Saturday in the Aberdeenshire communities.

People from across the country have descended on Ballater and Braemar, the two closet villages to the estate, where shuttle buses are ferrying people back and forth.

People were holding flowers and personal tributes to the Queen as they waited in line to travel to the her treasured personal home.

Mourners make journeys long and short to pay tribute

James Murphy who had come from Peterhead said the operation was “very well organised” and it helped that the weather was sunny.

First Bus, in coordination with Aberdeenshire Council, is shuttling mourners from Ballater while Stagecoach is doing the same in Braemar.

Double-decker buses operating the route can take up to 60 people. As crowds have increased, marshals have allowed up to 15 people to stand during the journey too.

Lucy and Toby Baldwin from Fyvie preparing to board buses in Ballater. Photo: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Staff working on the operation say there has been a steady stream of people wanting to make the trip since the early morning.

The village of Ballater, which the Queen visited during her summer trips to Balmoral, was lively with people keen to pay their respects to a beloved figure.

The Clark and Matthew family of eight came from Banchory on the glorious day carrying eight bunches of flowers picked straight from the garden.

They said it was important for the them to make the journey to “say goodbye to a wonderful woman”.

People have carried flowers while waiting in queues. Photo: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Diane and Morag Lavery also from Banchory brought flowers and wanted to pay their respects saying “there was no one else like her”.

They plan to watch the procession, where the Queen’s body will be taken from Balmoral to Edinburgh, in their hometown of Banchory, which will give them a chance to say goodbye.

Stewards also made bag searches as people lined up at the bus stop opposite the Glenmuick Church in the village centre.

Flowers piled up outside Balmoral. Photo: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson

Isabelle Stewart from Peterhead said: “We are here because we have great respect for the Queen.

“She was a wonderful woman and we wanted to bring flowers as a mark of respect and to show we care. The Queen was very caring person and she loved Scotland.”

Mrs Stewart said being able to go to Balmoral where the Queen died is an experience she was likely never to forget.

Floral tributes in Ballater

Flowers have also been laid at the Ballater memorial marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, showing the villages long affinity with the royal family.

Aberdeenshire Council has also made space in the shadow of the church for floral tributes to be place some carrying heartfelt messages and condolences.

Flowers left in tribute to the Queen in Ballater. Photo: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

One tribute said: “With grateful thanks for all the years of service.”

Another reaffirmed that the Queen had kept her promise to serve the people of the UK and praised her dedication and service.

While hundreds queued up to take the trip to Balmoral there was a hushed atmosphere and one of respect signifying the impact the Queen had on everyone.

Where to see the Queen’s funeral procession