The Alford Valley Community Railway in Aberdeenshire has recently started running again after a five year closure, but what does this have to do with trams in the British Isles? Well, amongst their rolling stock is a former Aberdeen Suburban Tramway Company tramcar which had been converted to hauled stock and although it is currently out of use there are plans to return it to operational condition in the future.
The Alford Valley Community Railway is a 2 foot gauge railway in the Howe of Alford, Aberdeenshire. It runs from Alford Station alongside the Alford Golf Course as far as Haughton Country Park. Alford Station is located at what used to be the terminus of the Alford Valley Railway which ran from Alford to Kintore and the original passenger platform is the one still in use today. The railway had closed in 2017 requiring maintenance and is now operated by the Community for the Community with it being taken over in 2022 and work completed to allow operations to recommence.
The tramcar is currently out of service and is stored without its bogies but work is underway to return it to action, with it hoped that it may be back out next year. The roof required renewal and a new roof is now in place and just requires waterproofing. Once this is done it will be reunited with its bogies and returned to service.
A view of the body raised whilst maintenance work is undertaken.
A side view showing the “ALFORD VALLEY RAILWAY” legend.
Inside the carriage/old tramcar.
Bogies sitting outside the sheds waiting to be refitted under the tram. (All Photographs by William Brown, 16th September 2023)