The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Harry Potter train halted in doors row
Journeys on the ‘Hogwarts Express’ have been cancelled until further notice amid an ongoing battle over the locomotive’s door locking system.
The Jacobite steam train is unable to run without a central door locking exemption certificate, which was automatically granted in the past.
Its operator, West Coast Railways, unsuccessfully applied for a short-term exemption and has now been forced to suspend the service, with its return “completely beyond the control” of the firm.
The train runs on the same scenic route as the Hogwarts Express from the Harry Potter film franchise, with thousands of fans going on the 84-mile round trip each year.
West Coast Railways, which also operates the Flying Scotsman, took legal action against the Office of Rail and Road last year after it was refused exemption from rules banning the use of hinged doors without central locking.
Afterwards, the train company said it would cost £7 million to upgrade its locking system – wiping out its profit for a decade.
A statement by West Coast Railways said: “The vintage carriages that we use on the Jacobite steam train trip require a central door locking exemption certificate in order to run on the mainline railway network.
“In past years this has been automatically granted, however this year that has not been the case and a more detailed application has had to be submitted.
“West Coast Railways applied to the governing body of the railways, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), for a short-term exemption certificate whilst awaiting the full application consideration.
“The ORR have refused to issue this and will consider the full proposal but are unsure as to how long this will take.
“Due to this, we are unable to run our Jacobite service until the exemption certificate is granted.”
West Coast Railways confirmed full refunds will be given for any cancelled trips and that updates will be shared with Jacobite passengers.
The firm’s statement continued: “Please accept our sincere apologies for this possible disruption in our service, however the timing of when we will be able to resume our service is completely beyond our control.
“We will continue to work closely with the ORR to obtain the necessary clearance for the Jacobite service to resume.”
Last year, the National Trust for Scotland said a record number of people had visited the renowned Glenfinnan Viaduct.
More than half a million visitors headed to the site between January and October 2023, eager to catch a glimpse of the steam train that crosses the bridge each day.