Europe’s biggest walking dinosaur making Jurassic tracks to Brechin railway

Brechin's Caledonian Railway will kick off the Angus school summer holidays with their second family fun dinosaur event.

By Graham Brown

June 26 2024, 5:55am

T-Rex and trains at Brechin Caledonian Railway this weekend. Image: Supplied

Families are set for a roar-some weekend in Angus when Europe’s biggest walking dinosaur comes to Brechin.

Tiny the 27-foot long Tyrannosaurus Rex will be just one of the prehistoric creatures visiting Brechin’s Caledonian Railway.

It is a step millions of years back in time for the historic tourist attraction.

And Caley chairman Jon Gill is hopeful the dinosaur experience will be another big hit.

“It was something new for us last year and went really well,” he said.

“It’s timed for the start of the Angus school holidays. So hopefully we’ll see lots of local families, but also visitors from farther afield.

“Last year the dinosaurs were at Bridge of Dun but we’ve changed things round this time and the experience will be based at Brechin station.”

But train fans will also get a trip on the Caledonian Railway’s four-mile line as part of their dinosaur event ticket.

All-day activities

Jon added: “There’s lots to do including dinosaur top trumps and a competition to find the unhatched dinosaur eggs.”

The walking dinosaurs will be timetabled throughout the event.

It runs from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

“There’s lots of things for people to enjoy so we hope they might spend the day with us,” added Jon.

It’s the latest big day of a packed schedule for the Caley Railway volunteers.

“We’ve been flat out so far this year with events and other projects at the railway,” Jon added.

“Our gin train and murder mystery events were great.

“We have Thomas the Tank in July and August and those are always huge weekends for us.

“And we’re already planning for the Polar Express.

“We got a couple more coaches this week so we can increase the capacity this year and meet the huge demand there always is.”

The railway is also starting the groundworks for a £450,000 project to give a historic Glasgow footbridge a new home in Brechin.

Network Rail gave the 146-year-old structure to the Angus group last year after it was replaced.

The Starthbungo bridge will be part of a path network at the station and is the first step in a larger Caley project.