Bags of Help funding of £5,000 helped Keith & Dufftown Railway Association (KDRA) to improve the embankment at Keith Town Railway Station and to plant a small native tree sanctuary.

Formed in 1992 with the aim of restoring the railway line between Dufftown and Keith, KDRA is run entirely by a dedicated group of volunteers. The volunteers have worked hard to restore the station and the line but wanted to improve the surrounding amenity by planting specially selected trees and shrubs along the embankment opposite Keith Town Station and erecting a rustic fence. Display boards on the platform give visitors information about each tree species as well as the birds and insects that they attract. The fence now stretches from the A96 bridge to the River Isla bridge and separates railway land from the old tannery site providing a natural backdrop to the trees.

"Local contractors helped us to prepare and level the ground, a local farmer donated the posts and the local sawmill at Drummuir supplied the fencing. We planted native trees like birch, rowan, willow, oak and alder as well as other ground covering plants, heathers and wildflowers. This project has improved the amenity and biodiversity around the station. We hope this and the installation of the information board will improve our visitors’ experience of the station and our educational offering to the primary schools that visit us."

          ▬ Robin Hassal, Volunteer KDRA

KDRA run regular trips on the 11 mile line in two car heritage diesel trains, dating from 1950, from April – September as well as special events such as Driver Experiences, the Whisky Festival, Ghost Train, Children’s Easter Bunny Challenge and Santa Special.

Key Facts

Location: Keith, Moray
Project type: Outdoor improvements
Bags of Help Funding: £5,000
Grantee: Keith & Dufftown Railway Association
Website: www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk

View the printable pdf Keith and Dufftown Native Tree Sanctuary

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Up to £2000 is available from Tesco Bags of Help to support a wide range of projects that benefit your local community. Tesco Bags of Help is administered by Groundwork working with greenspace scotland to support applicants and successful projects in Scotland. 
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