In 1827, Ottaline Gambol rose to the office of Minister for Magic, and she made a daring and controversial suggestion to solve the ages-old problem of how to transport hundreds of students to and from Hogwarts Castle every school year without attracting the Muggles' attention. In 1997 the train was twice stopped en-route to Hogwarts; first by Death Eaters searching for Harry Potter, where they were met with some resistance from its occupants, [14] and the second during the Christmas holidays, when they abducted Luna Lovegood in retaliation for her father's rebellious printings. [15] In 2019, Hornby announced a new Harry Potter range, comprising a range of Hogsmeade buildings based on the Goathland range from several years ago, and the Hogwarts Express train set. Also available are two separate Hogwarts Castle locomotives with headlight, one being TTS Sound fitted. This is the first Hogwarts Castle model they have released being correctly of a Hall class. It is based on the same tooling as the 2015 Olton Hall model. Throughout the films, the Hogwarts Express has had its iconic whistle but in the third film, a different whistle is used. The reason for this change is unknown. In 2015 Hornby introduced an all-new model of Olton Hall as part of their "Railroad" range, originally announced in 2012. [16]

Hopefully, you’ve found this helpful in planning a 2023 trip to see Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express train in Scotland. Enjoy the ride! At some point during the 2000s and 2010s, a new student aboarded the train, beginning their journey to Hogwarts. [16] Head into the Scottish Highlands, follow Harry Potter’s footsteps and jump on board the Hogwarts Express for an unforgettable journey. The Bloomsbury adult editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone portray the Hogwarts Express as The Cavalier, specifically using a reproduction of O. Winston Link's photograph Norfolk & Western Train No. 16, The Cavalier, leaves Williamson, West Virginia, on a rainy day, December 1958. [19]Hogwarts Express travels alongside the loch, and Harry releases Hedwig, his pet Snowy Owl in the Goblet of Fire. See clip 1 min 11 secs. From the same clip at 1 min 17 secs, Eilean na Moine is the island to the left of the flying white owl. Levine, Arthur (14 April 2016). "Wizarding World of Harry Potter: What's different in Hollywood?". USA TODAY. As in the first Hogsmeade, a railroad station serving the Hogwarts Express greets visitors at the land's entrance. But the train in California doesn't move.

The passenger carriages held compartments set off a corridor, allowing each compartment to function as a self-contained stage within the larger train. Prefects of the school rode in a separate carriage near the front of the train. [3] The compartments on the train appeared to be lettered; in 1996, the Slug Club met in Compartment C. [13] During the long journey to Hogwarts, students could enjoy treats from a trolley, such as Pumpkin Pasties and Chocolate Frogs; in addition, there was also a Buffet Car. [3] Intrigued by Muggle technology, the Minister saw the potential of using a Muggle steam locomotive as a secure and comfortable alternative to Portkeys or to unregulated means of travel. The locomotive for the Hogwarts Express itself was originally built by the Muggle engineers at Crewe, in Cheshire, England, [1] in the early-to-mid 19th century. Fort William is known as ‘the outdoor capital of the UK’ and lives up to its reputation. We did some walking and sightseeing at Glencoe, Glenfinnan (and got up close to the viaduct) and took a gondola to the Nevis Range. A perfect way to experience the Jacobite steam train and the Scottish Highlands is on a round-trip day out from Edinburgh.The Express dutifully carried students of all years to and from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It travels at the start and end of every term. [3] It is the school's primary method of travel. On the journey from Fort William to Mallaig, look out for these locations used in the Harry Potter movies. Glenfinnan Viaduct In the film adaption Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the returning Hogwarts Students are only seen on the Hogwarts Express and not at Hogwarts itself, which is due to the film mainly focusing on Harry, Ron, and Hermione's quest to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes.

The bridge from that scene is one of Scotland’s most famous landmarks, the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which you will go over along the way. As well as the bridge to Hogwarts, you’ll also see the loch used to film Hogwarts Great Lake and the island containing Dumbledore’s Grave. Described as the ‘greatest railway journey in the world’, the 84 miles (135 km) round trip outward bound leg starts at Fort William, near Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis.In 2015, the locomotive was put on static display at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, near Watford, [12] [13] and will be displayed there until Warner Bros' lease on the locomotive from West Coast Railways expires. https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/attractions/2023/02/27/severn-valley-railways-purple-royal-loco-gets-a-makeover-as-its-painted-into-new-colour/ Another possibility is that the train has the ability to make clones of coaches, due to its possible sentience, as mentioned in its description.