End of the line? Harry Potter train waits for ruling on Hogwarts route

The Hogwarts Express crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Steam journeys on the Harry Potter railway line could grind to a halt if a challenge to safety rules fails.

West Coast Railways (WCR), which operates the heritage route, challenged demands for central locking systems to be fitted to the carriage doors.

The owners of the Jacobite - which appeared as the Hogwarts Express in the boy wizard films - said implementing the new measures could cost £7m.

A judgement on the judicial review is expected in January.

The train operates on the West Highland Line on one of Scotland's most iconic railway routes - from Fort William to Mallaig - from March to October.

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It crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which became an attraction for a new generation of tourists after being featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

About 750 people per day travel to the end of the line at Mallaig every day in the peak season, with many more visitors travelling to the area to see the train go past.

The service has relied on an exemption granted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) that allowed the continued use of heritage rolling stock.

The ORR previously provided two 10-year exemptions to rules about how doors on carriages were locked while the train was moving, expiring on 31 March 2023.

The 19th Century viaduct is between Fort William and Mallaig - one of Scotland's most iconic railway routes

Following an inspection in July, the ORR highlighted problems with procedures around secondary door locks and found West Coast Railways was putting passengers "at risk of serious personal injury".

In August, the Jacobite was given a temporary exemption, which expires on Thursday.

The ORR said in a statement it had defended the claim by WCR.

"ORR granted WCRC three-month exemptions, with a judicial review pending - the latest of these expires on 30 November," it said.

"We should be able to provide details of any future exemptions for WCR soon."

Following a two day-hearing at the High Court last week, the company is now awaiting a decision that could determine whether the steam train ever operates again.

'Expensive business'

WCR said it had stewards in each carriage and warnings at each drop-light window.

It warned that adding locking systems to the traditional 1950s slam-door carriages would cost about £7m, potentially wiping out about 10 years of profit.

Speaking to The Herald, commercial manager James Shuttleworth said: "If the ORR comes down on us heavily, it's going to be difficult and we will have to make a decision on that.

"It's our intention that we keep running it but if we have to fit door locking, it's going to be an expensive business."

The company supplied Warner Bros with the locomotive and carriages used in the Harry Potter film series.

The Jacobite makes two trips a day on the west coast line, using some of the same carriages that were used for filming.