'Hogwarts Express' Jacobite steam train returns to Fort William-Mallaig line - two months late
Operator resumes services pending resolution of long-running safety dispute
The Jacobite steam train resumed services on the Fort William-Mallaig line on Monday, two months after the normal start to the season.
The move comes days after The Scotsman revealed the impending return of the train associated with the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films, whose future had been in doubt because of a safety dispute between the operator and the rail regulator.
However, West Coast Railways (WCR) has yet to open bookings for the daily excursions, which are expected to run till October.
Monday’s service is believed to have been reserved for passengers pre-booked with tour operators, with other budding travellers asked to register on the company’s website for updates.
The start of trips appears to mark a U-turn by WCR, which had suggested it would keep Jacobite services on hold until a decision was made by the rail regulator in a long-running safety dispute, which may not come until as late as July.
WCR has applied to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to use carriages without central door locking in return for agreeing a timescale for its installation.
The company had argued for years that stewards supervising the doors instead was adequate, but it lost a court battle over the issue in 2023.
The firm had said it would be too costly to run the service again like last year using a combination of carriages with central locking and others without it, whose doors were locked shut.
WCR moved the train from its base at Carnforth in Lancashire to Fort William early on Saturday, as these photos taken on the West Highland Line show.
Doug Carmichael, of the Friends of the West Highland Lines, said: “Good to see the Jacobite back. This will not only please all the Harry Potter fans and photographers at Glenfinnan Viaduct, but also the many businesses in Fort William and Mallaig who have suffered from the absence of the famous train.”
In a statement on its website, WCR said: “Following valuable feedback from our passengers and an evaluation of the operational costs associated with our mark 2 carriages, WCR has formally approached the ORR to reinstate our traditional mark 1 rolling stock.
“These traditional carriages have been a hallmark of the Jacobite experience for over 25 years and we know how much our passengers value their classic charm.
“WCR is committed to the long-term future of heritage rail and are going to install central door locking systems across our entire fleet of mark 1 carriages used on the main line.
“While this safety upgrade is a significant undertaking, it will take time to complete.
“To this end, we are currently working in close partnership with the ORR to finalise a timeline that balances the technical requirements of the installation with our goal of commencing the 2026 Jacobite season.”
The ORR said the company could run compliant carriages on the service pending its decision and that would not affect its consideration of the application for temporary exemption of the door locking regulations, which have been in force for 27 years.
An ORR spokesperson said: “We have not issued any exemption to the relevant requirements of the Railway Safety Regulations 1999 in relation to this matter.
“Work remains to establish the feasibility, detail, and delivery timeline of the proposed approach.
“The ORR has not prohibited WCR from operating the service and it remains able to run services with carriages which meet the legal requirements for use on the main line.”
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