The splendour in which Queen Victoria travelled by train from Windsor to Ballater more than a century ago is to feature in a new public exhibition.

An authentic reproduction of the Victorian railway carriage she used was yesterday lowered into place at the Old Royal Station in Ballater.

The full-size carriage, which is expected to become a significant tourist attraction, was suspended over the station roof by a crane before being set down at the back of the station.

Prince Charles first suggested that the station's Victorian railway theme would be enhanced by an authentic reproduction of his great-great-grandmother's favourite railway carriage when he opened the refurbished station as a tourist information centre, museum and exhibition in 2001.

The idea was followed up and the £450,000 project has been funded by European Regional Development Fund, Scottish Enterprise Grampian, VisitScotland, Heritage Lottery Fund and FirstGroup. The saloon carriage, built in York, will now undergo further work over the coming weeks as the finishing touches are added prior to a public opening planned for Easter.

David Noble, director of network operations for VisitScotland, said: "VisitScotland is delighted with the finished result which will make a fantastic addition to the Victorian exhibition in Ballater Tourist Information Centre.

"This is exactly the kind of investment needed in tourism if we are to continue to drive up quality and put the visitor experience at the forefront of everything we do."

Lorna Duguid, competitive business manager for Scottish Enterprise Grampian, said: "There is enormous potential for growth in the sector and to make sure we realise that, we need to increase the quality of prestigious attractions which draw visitors into the area and encourage them to stay longer."

Moir Lockhead, chief executive of FirstGroup, said that it had worked with a number of organisations to ensure that the carriage mirrors Queen Victoria's original.