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 operators, West Coast Railways, unsuccessfully applied for a short-term exemption and have now been forced to suspend the service.
The popular steam locomotive runs on the same scenic route as the Hogwarts Express from the Harry Potter franchise, with thousands of fans going on the 84-mile journey each year.
West Coast Railways, which also runs 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 operator said it would cost £7million to upgrade its locking system – which would wipe out its profit for a decade.
Jacobite journeys temporarily cancelled
Now all Jacobite services have been suspended, with its return “completely beyond the control” of its operators.
The operator has also warned that not granting an exemption could cost local and national communities up to £50 million in lost value.
A statement shared by West Coast Railways online today states: “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 the operators of the Jacobite 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.
“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.”
Speaking about the suspension, James Shuttleworth, commercial manager at WCR, said: “We are disappointed to have to suspend this service and we are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our customers who have booked trips.
“We again appeal to the ORR to reconsider our request for a temporary exemption.
“The Jacobite service is enjoyed by thousands of customers every year. It boosts the local economies of Mallaig and Fort William and brings an estimated £20 million into the UK’s tourism sector.
“If the ORR does not grant us a further exemption, we believe this could lead to up to £50 million in lost value to both local and national communities.
“We remain committed to working with the ORR to find a long-term solution which safeguards the future of heritage services on the main line.”
Jacobite steam train attracts tourists from across the world
Last year, the National Trust for Scotland said a record number of visitors had visited the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct.
More than half a million people visited the landmark site between January and October 2023, eager to catch a glimpse of the Jacobite steam train which crosses the bridge each day.
