Photo credit: EVERETT COLLECTION/ALAMY
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The Hogwarts Express appears in the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
9 hours ago
The journey on the Harry Potter steam train could be disrupted if the court rejects an application from the company that runs the line.
West Coast Railways (WCR), which operates the line, wants to be relieved of the obligation to install central locking systems on carriages.
The owners of the Jacobite which was called Hogwarts Express in the wizard’s films said that implementing the new measures could cost 7 million pounds, equivalent to R$43.2 million.
A trial in the case is expected to take place in January.
The train runs from March to October on one of Scotland’s most famous railway routes from Fort William to Mallaig.
It crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which became an attraction for a new generation of tourists thanks to its appearance in the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
In high season, around 750 people travel to the Mallaig terminus every day, and many more visitors come to watch the train go by.
The service had an exemption from the government agency responsible for railways and highways, which allowed the route to continue.
The agency granted two 10year exemptions from rules governing how car doors must be locked while in motion. The last exemption expired on March 31, 2023.
Credit, Getty
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The viaduct used by the train runs between Fort William and Mallaig one of Scotland’s most famous railway routes.
After an inspection in July, the authority cited procedural problems with door locks and said West Coast Railways was putting passengers “at risk of serious injury”.
The line received a temporary exemption in August.
After a twoday hearing in the High Court last week, the company is now awaiting a decision that could determine whether the steam locomotive will be returned to service.
The company said it would cost around £7 million to install locking systems in traditional 1950s door slides, equivalent to around ten years’ worth of profits.
Speaking to The Herald, commercial director James Shuttleworth said: “Our intention is to keep the train running, but if we have to put locks on the doors it will be an expensive proposition.”
The company supplied Warner Bros. with the locomotive and train cars used in the Harry Potter film series.
The train makes two trips per day and uses some of the same carriages shown in the footage.