A shopkeeper whose businesses rely on ‘Hogwarts Express’ passengers has been left fearing for her livelihood as the future of the train hangs in the balance.
The Jacobite steam train that runs between Fort William and Mallaig over the majestic Glenfinnan Viaduct has been stopped until further notice by operators West Coast Railways (WCR) amid an ongoing battle over the locomotive’s door locking system.
WCR has had to suspend the service as it awaits a ruling from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) on whether it can continue to operate with hinged-door carriages.
During a High Court challenge against the ORR last year, WCR complained that the multimillion-pound cost of having to retrofit central locking could “destroy” its business and argued its door systems were safe.
However, a judge dismissed its case.
Last week, WCR said that it doesn’t know when the service will resume – and that the suspension could cost up to £50 million in lost value.
But it’s not just WCR that has been left counting the cost, with businesses along the train line also suffering .
Maria Wilson runs the Signalbox inside Fort William station and Haggard Alley in Mallaig, a Harry Potter-themed shop.
She says she had been on “auto-pilot” mode since the suspension was announced.
“Like many businesses in Lochaber, we are just now counting the cost of this decision,” she said.
“The reality is that I could lose both my shops.”
Tourists are cancelling their trips to the Highlands
Maria said she is hoping and praying that an application made by WCR for an extension to the current set up, which was lodged with the ORR on March 8, will be successful.
She said: “But the problem is it takes three-four months for the ORR to assess the application and that takes us from March to nearly July.
“I am already being told about people from America who are simply cancelling their trip.
“Travelling across the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the Jacobite is the highlight of someone’s holiday – if it is not going to happen, they are not going to come.”
Maria has set up a petition at Change.org urging people to ‘get the Jacobite steam train back on track’ and renew its exemption.
The petition currently has more than 3,000 signatures.
“And to top it all I have an 11-year-old train-mad son who just wants to see the trains back on the line so he can enjoy them,” she said.
“He is gutted.”
James Shuttleworth, the commercial manager of WCR, said: “We were heartened to see that a petition to get the Jacobite back into service was started.
“It is a testament to the value and incredible experience that our service provides.
“We love operating in the Highlands, which has an exceptional community of small businesses and traders that rely on the custom from The Jacobite passengers.
“We continue to work with the ORR to secure the long-term future of our services.”
ORR – ‘we warned WCR years ago about train doors’
A spokesperson for the ORR added: “All heritage operators were told several years ago that in order to operate after 31 March, 2023, they either needed to fit central door locking or obtain an exemption from us.
“West Coast Railway’s application for an exemption failed and they made a claim for judicial review.
“A temporary exemption was granted in order to maintain the status quo, enabling WCR to operate whilst the litigation reached a conclusion.
“Despite this, WCR chose to sell tickets when it was far from certain that a new application for an exemption would be granted, either in time for the commencement of services or at all.
“It submitted an exemption application on 8 March, which we are now assessing.
“ORR is disappointed that WCR appears not to have made sensible contingency plans for the benefit of their customers.”
The service is officially called the Jacobite Express but has been dubbed the Hogwarts Express by Harry Potter fans because of its association with the franchise.