North British Railway Reid 'H' (LNER 'C11') class 4-4-2 No. 509 'Duke of Rothesay' (leading). Built by NBL of Glasgow in June 1921 and withdrawn in February 1937 as LNER No. 9509. North British Railway Reid 'Superheated Scott' (LNER 'D30') class 4-4-0 No. 421 'Jingling Geordie' (nearest train). Built at Cowlairs in October 1914 and withdrawn in January 1957 as BR No. 62430.

Making a very spirited and smoky departure from Aberdeen are two celebrated classes of locomotive double-heading a southbound express in 1921
The North British Railway operated with the pilot engine tucked in behind the train engine. ie: The more powerful loco at the head of the train allowing the more senior top link driver to be in control of the brake and all aspects of the train operation. This continued after the grouping for NB LNER route destinations via Dundee and Fife , but on a Joint Line like this one to the South of Aberdeen the next double headed train if LMS would have the smaller or less powerful loco in front as pilot in the usual way as it would be treated as a Caledonian route working for the west coast going via the Brechin line to Perth and Stirling.


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