The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Potter fans warned off rail viaduct
Some ‘Muggles’ walking along rail line to get snaps of Jacobite train
Stay off the tracks – that’s the warning to the Harry Potter fans who are walking across the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the Highland venue most closely associated with filming of the J.K. Rowling books.
Police reckon that not all the visitors realise that by walking along the West Highland Line they are not only trespassing, but also risking their lives.
Harry Potter fans have been risking death or serious injury to take photos of the real-life Hogwarts Express railway line.
Rowling fans from all over the world make tracks in their thousands every year to visit the famous viaduct at Glenfinnan, used by the magical Hogwarts Express – which transports the young wizards to and from school – in the muchloved films.
But while most want to take photos of the lofty landmark, some are taking their lives in their hands to do so – by walking along the railway.
Now British Transport Police are warning the enthusiastic ‘Muggles’ – nonwizards – to stay off the line as they risk being injured or even killed by a passing train.
Sergeant Kevin Lawrence, based at Inverness station, said: “Tourists from all over the world travel on the Jacobite train during the summer in order to visit the famous Glenfinnan viaduct.
“Alarmingly, some visitors often get off the train at Glenfinnan station and walk back along the line to take photographs. This is extremely dangerous.
“The scenic area also attracts many bikers and other tourists who travel by road to see the viaduct.
“When they are caught up in the excitement of their trip, people may not realise that what they are doing is trespassing on the railway, risking not only their own lives, but the lives of others who could be on trains passing through.”
He continued: “Over the years we have worked with Network Rail to improve fencing and signage in the area to encourage tourists to get to safe vantage points in order to take photographs without accessing the lines.
“We urge everyone to stay off the tracks at all times.”
Teeny Neilson, manager at the Glenfinnan Visitors Centre, said lots of Harry Potter fans come every year asking about the viaduct.
She said: “They ask us how to get up there, but I’ve not heard of anyone actually walking along the line.
“It’s very dangerous people are doing that.”
Despite repeated warnings, last year there was a 16% increase in trespass offences in Scotland alone.
As well as Glenfinnan, the Lochalsh line from Inverness if to Kyle also has people walking, cycling on riding on the railway tracks.
Sgt Lawrence said: “The problems are mainly on the line from Garve, west to Kyle and this tends to be hillwalkers, wild campers or mountain bikers and sometimes fishermen accessing lochs along the line.
“People need to be aware of the immense danger they are putting themselves in by trespassing”
“We urge everyone to stay off the tracks at all times”
Whether you’re a muggle or a magician, the silliness of wandering along a railway is self-evident. But it seems Harry Potter fans think they’re immune from being hit by hulking steam trains at Glenfinnan viaduct as they wander on the lines taking pictures. The police are warning trespassers to watch out — or you may become a prisoner of Azkaban.