 In November 1883, at the time of the Fenian dynamite outrages in England, the government received anonymous information that an attempt would be made against Queen Victoria's forthcoming journey from Windsor to Ballater.The report could not be corroborated, and could have been a mischievous hoax, but the Home Secretary, William Harcourt, asked George Findlay, general manager of the LNWR, to arrange special protection.Jointly with the other companies along the route, platelayers and other workers were mobilised to inspect every bridge along the journey and to and watch over the line, each watcher in sight of the next, the until the train had passed.