The Hogwarts Express.
This steam locomotive has made Hollywood history.
Appearing on millions of screens across the world.
And today, I get to ride it!
Hi there, I'm Hannah Hummel from DW Travel and today I'm back in my home
country, travelling through the Scottish Highlands on the Jacobite Steam Train!
The round-trip is described as one of the greatest railway journeys in the world.
But it s probably most well-known for its role as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter movies!
That's right, these very carriages took Harry, Ron and Hermione
from Platform 9 and three quarters, all the way to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
My trip today won't be taking me to a school for young witches and wizards,
but the journey ahead is supposed to be just as magical...
The Jacobite Steam Train travels 84 miles along the West Coast of the Scottish highlands.
The 4-hour round-trip starts in Fort William. Then it crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, before
ending up in Mallaig, a traditional fishing town.
Later the train heads back to Fort William.
Look, I'm sitting in this exact train here!
And here s a description of the Hogwarts Express.
A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people.
A sign overhead said "Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock". Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of
the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs.
And I'm not the only Harry Potter fan on this train!
I mean the train in the movie, it takes you to the school, to Hogwarts,
So this experience is like if we're going there.
As like being there. So it's like we're finally going to be wizards.
Florence MacLean has been working as a conductor on the Jacobite since 1995.
Since Harry Potter filming we do get a lot of children, adults, all ages. They just love it.
But you do get the enthusiasts as well. And then the group tours. It's just a lot of different
types of people from all over the world.
It'll be first time visiting Mallaig as well. Is there anything special about the town?
It's a lovely wee place. Get your fish and chips, your ice-cream, sea the seals and the dolphins. It's lovely.
So, is that something I should do then, geting fish and chips?
Oh definitely, first off the train, get into the chip shop!
It's a relaxing journey that allows the passengers to merely sit back and enjoy the scenery.
The most famous view from the journey is the Glenfinnan Viaduct. The railway bridge was built
in the late 19th century and it's the longest concrete railway bridge in the country.
The train makes its first stop in Glenfinnan, where you can learn more about the viaduct,
as well as the Jacobite's history in the small museum there.
The locomotive was built in 1949 in Glasgow, but the fundamentals of the
design date back to the 1920s. Steam trains in Scotland actually
stopped running in the late 1960s in an attempt to modernise rail travel with
more effifcient diesel locomotives. However, they were reintroduced in the
mid-1980s in order to boost tourism. They were so successful that many of them still run today.
We arrive in Mallaig and I want to find out what it's actually
like to drive an old train like this. Steve Chipperfield has been working on
steam locomotives for decdas.
Wow, the heat coming off that fire!
That's cold! When we're running, that gets twice, maybe three times as hot as that. The fireman,
if he shovels correctly and gets the fire hit then he does lose a few pounds in sweat. Me, I can relax now and cool down.
But I mean, steam trains in general are running all over the country now. Why is that?
I think it's because we get more people who like the nostalgia of it. They're not rail enthusiasts. they just come out to enjoy the day.
They remember the smell and the sounds and the siths of steam. And luckily we're allowed to still do it.
So, we'll keep doing it while they allow us to do so.
Time for lunch. And it seems I'm not the only one that Florence told to head to the fish and chip shop.
It's been ages since I've had a decent fish and chips!
And a few persistant seagulls, of course, had to make sure they were included.
The old fishing town has a busy harbour. Because of its proximity to the mainland's
surrounding islands, many people come here to catch a ferry to places like the Isle of Skye.
It's time to settle in for the return journey, and leave the seagulls behind.
I grew up in Scotland, just outside of Edinburgh, and used
to go on family vacations here in the Highlands. But I've never travelled across this stretch of
the country,. The mountains and the lakes here are so beautiful. Even the weather is great today.
Which is not guaranteed here in Scotland.
And of course, the whole journey is made even more incredible by the fact it's being travelled by train.
The Jacobite also offers an afternoon tea service.
The British specialty includes mini sandwiches, cakes and scones. I would argue that scones
were first invented in Scotland, but that's a hotly debated topic with the English!
This definitely makes the trip even more special and reminds me of the time when
Harry ordered all that crazy food from the trolley.
Remember all of the the chocolate frogs? Or Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans?!
Well I might have come for Harry Potter, but I stayed for the beautiful scenery and the
luxurious experience. Call me biased, but the Scotish Highlands are just gorgeous.
And this trip definetly was just a little bit magical.
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