Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express Under Threat
This page is translated from the original post "Le Poudlard Express de Harry Potter menacé" in French.
- 04/12/2023 13:08
You might not know it, but the famous Harry Potter train actually exists in Scotland, but for how much longer?
The Jacobite Steam Train, as it is officially called, is one of the oldest steam trains in the world and was used throughout the Harry Potter saga to transport the famous wizard and his friends from London to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Jacobite notably crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which has become a worldwide attraction after being featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
You can’t catch the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9¾, but instead, you can board it at Fort William, at Glasgow Queen Street Station. Unfortunately, the train journey doesn’t end at Hogwarts but in the charming small village of Mallaig. It’s an enchanting route of approximately 65 km in total. The trip costs between £28 and £50, and of course, you can be accompanied by a guide who will tell you the story of the train and its role in the successful film saga.
However, this venerable machine faces current safety regulations, including the requirement to install centralized locking systems on the wagon doors. This may seem trivial, but it’s roughly equivalent to fitting an airbag in a 1908 Ford Model T!
The railway operators received a slight reprieve this week with the postponement of the court decision to early 2024. Beyond the Harry Potter phenomenon, it would be sad for a piece of railway heritage to be forced to remain stationary.
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