trackless trains

Features for the summer season which promises to bring Aberdeen - recently voted Scotland's most popular holiday centre - its biggest-ever influx of visitors are well in hand. New attractions are being planned gradually as part of the city's long-term policy and development plan, but Aberdeen is keen to give an immediate boost to the tourist traffic. Meantime the emphasis is on features for the thousands who come to the city to share with the resident population the more-than-ordinary holiday fun. The miniature railway, with a permanent home in the beach area, will not appear until development plans there are more concrete, but this summer will bring to the city an attraction which has proved its popularity in a number of the bigger English holiday centres - trackless trains. The trackless trains, with their canopies, carry thirty-six adult passengers. They are pneumatic-tyred and powered by diesel motors. Probably two will operate in Aberdeen this year, along the beach promenade between Footdee and the Don. Meanwhile the Aberdeen Links and Parks staff are going ahead with arrangements for the annual sheep-dog trials and sports gatherings. Most of the city?s summer sports centres will be in full swing again this week-end. 

Innovation An innovation this year as far as band performances are concerned will be the use of the Union Terrace Gardens The visiting brass and silver bands - l4th/20th King's Hussars, the Royal Artillery Mounted Band, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, and the Clydebank Burgh Band will play at Hazlehead, but the principal pipe bands - Newtongrange Lothian, the Dagenham Girl Pipers and Edinburgh Police - will divide their programme between Union Terrace Gardens, the Beach and Hazlehead. Local bands, too, will be appearing at all three centres.

Source : Evening Express Tuesday April 29th, 1952