Behind The Magic: The Hall That Thinks It's A Castle- Hogwarts Castle, The Career Of GWR 5972

[@paytonburrows2325]

The in-universe history for this thing is actually kind of funny. A bunch of wizards literally stole the entire engine in 1890 just as it was finished being built in Crewe of all places, and then erased the memories of the entire city about its existence. Pure blooded wizard family initially hated the idea of riding in a muggle created machine, but the Hogwarts staff basically said “Get on the train or ye ain’t goin’”.

[@ItsTrainBoy]

Seriously?? That’s absolutely hilarious! Where can you find this out man? And thank you so much for the extra information!

[@paytonburrows2325]

@@ItsTrainBoy Harry Potter wiki. So it could be inaccurate but it’s still funny regardless. Thanks again miss Rowling.

[@eliotreader8220]

@@ItsTrainBoy i understand the creator of the Harry Potter book series was the daughter of a engine driver so i guess that may explain way there is a steam locomotive in the books and the films. i understand Rowling revealed what her dad had done for a living while she was having dinner after signing books all day. my information comes from steam railway magazine

[@eliotreader8220]

i understand Rowling was the daughter of a engine driver so that may explain way the magic people travel to Hogwarts on board a steam train. i can just imagine the look on Harry's face if he didn't see one before finding out he was a Wizard

[@mistermadmachine6311]

😮

[@PennCentral5700]

This has great potential for a series about trains from movies. Videos on the Polar Express, Galaxy Express 999, Silver Streak, etc. would all be really cool in this style.

[@fan_of_herbie53]

I think a video about the titfield thunderbolt would be cool

[@k-bot2.047]

Omg yes! This has really the potential for a new awesome format. I would love to hear him talk about trains like the Forscherexpress or the Polar Express.

[@TuShan18]

Also sierra no. 3. She's used un about every western ever made. She also is the polar express's whistle in the movie.

[@HSMiyamoto]

What's really amazing is that the director knows enough about locomotives to recognize when a locomotive is too modern for the era he wants to portray. So many films use absurdly inappropriate trains.

[@TotoDG]

“Uses: Mixed Traffic (Later Acting)” Not gonna lie, that’s actually pretty amusing.

[@SteamTeamRedubUK]

I may have never cared for the Harry Potter series, but seeing that iconic train is something I’ll never forget.

[@greycatturtle7132]

Ye

[@joeleboeuf]

I never really cared for the series either, or the engine for that matter.

[@LazyOldFusspot_3428]

I'm a potterhead, and I approve of your opinion.

[@joeleboeuf]

@@LazyOldFusspot_3428 Mine or his?

[@LazyOldFusspot_3428]

@@joeleboeuf his and yours

[@dragonblaster-vu8wz]

I like to think that Lady was the shunting engine for the Hogwarts Express, given the magic tie in

[@FunAngelo2005]

Yes she probably was

[@Station_Master_13]

Makes great models, great historian AND has a wife. Is there anything this man can't do?

[@ItsTrainBoy]

Pronounce British and Welsh names haha! Thank you so much my dude, that really means the world :)

[@leogio8093]

He’s married??

[@predaprime]

The woman who got him is pretty damn lucky!

[@TBone-bz9mp]

Make a better reboot than Mattel, actually he probably could do that…I could do that… a drunk pig dancing on a keyboard could probably do that.

[@TBone-bz9mp]

@@ItsTrainBoy ‘Liara’ was spot on, Glenfinnan is pronounced Glen-finn-an. Honestly most of you pronunciations are fine, it’s just that you sometimes put an odd emphasis in the word, like I’ve always pronounced ‘Allocated’ All-o-cated, not Allo-cated. This seems to be a feature of American English, ironically because it’s probably closer to old English, than modern British English. If you can wrap your head around that one.

[@lukechristmas3951]

The GWR 4900 Class "Halls" are a favorite class of mine and I'm always happy to hear Olton Hall's story on becoming a movie star locomotive! Even though I am not a Harry Potter fan, I love seeing Olton Hall getting recognition by the general public! It also makes me wonder too, if the Hogwarts Railway did exist as a whole, what other engines might be on its roster? The films and promos have shown that they use 1930s GWR and WWII SR stock for the Eastern and Scottish regions. You know, there should be a steam engine in Doctor Who.

[@Train_Tok_Man]

Slight mistake. The first appearance of #5972 in the movies was The Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone. Nevertheless, great video, man.

[@rickrolypoly1259]

Hold up, wife? I didn't know y'all were married! Congrats!

[@mayoroicjre]

Ok, it wasn't just me that was going insane. Congrats TB!!

[@tyleryoung4708]

tell me why that was my exact reaction too lmao

[@dylanlynch9859]

Same.

[@technogamer18]

Massive “wait what?!” Here too XD Congrats!

[@inevitableanarchy4203]

Replayed that part cause I thought I misheard. That is awesome, Congrats!!!

[@BaconLord582_JointlineStudios]

If I may add to the discussion, there's something you may not have thought to mention In summer of 2005, Olton Hall helped to pull the Scarborough Spa Express from York to Scarborough, acting as a back-up locomotive for Flying Scotsman in case the A3 failed due to how worn down it was.

[@MasterMoyle]

At one point it did replace 4472 as the A3 suffered from broken firebox stays.

[@beeurd]

Watched just to see if Taw Valley got a mention, so kudos for that. I regularly see Taw Valley as it's currently on the Severn Valley Railway which goes through my town.

[@truemetalsonic]

I've seen some people call the Hogwarts livery "Crimson Lake" and that's such a cool name

[@beeurd]

Crimson Lake is the similar coloured livery used by the LMS up until around the 1920s. 🙂

[@Sam_Dabboi]

@@beeurd actually, it was the LMS’ passenger livery between 1923 and 1948, being based on the livery from the Midland Railway

[@10thstudio]

The pronunciations are: Gloucestershire (glos ti sher) Warwickshire (wor rick sher) Tyseley (Tie slee) Hope this helps, English town/ county names are confusing... And don't get me started on the Welsh.

[@johnparsons9620]

Don't you love how they mangle the English language and our place names. How about Leicestershire perhaps they can suggest how this is pronounced.

[@davidty2006]

Welsh is even worse than english

[@beeurd]

Actually, Welsh pronunciation is much more logical than English because it hasn't changed as much over the centuries.

[@NorthWestern1919]

Ah yes, the Hall with an identity crisis. In any case, when I next go to Universal, I'll be sure to ride the Hogwarts Express, just so I can ride behind a fake replica of Olton Hall. Probably will be the closest I'll come to riding behind a Great Western engine.

[@traingoddess]

Amazing comment

[@jeromeflaherty2069]

Absolutely amazing video and well done on updating where Olton Hall is now. Always looking forward to your work. Last I read Warner Bros only had the contract til 2020, but likely they extended it because of the pandemic. Olton Hall may not be running, but it's indoors and well looked after in a replica Platform 9 and 3/4 with two screen used coaches. That whole studio tour has a complete Diagon Alley from filming too. Not a bad retirement for now. Also, contract says that when it's over it'll be rebuilt and repainted into original GWR colors. Though, that could always change with the Harry Potter fandom which is never really gone. The wizarding tours sold really well. Great Western really made the best 4-6-0s.

[@thereadingg3945]

Nice to see some history on a famous film star! And congrats on the engagement, man! Also, Gloucestershire is pronounced “Gloss-ter-sheer”. In the U.S., we say Shire as “Shy-er”. I say that when I pronounce “Berkshires”. But in the UK, they say “Sheer/Shear”. I remember as a kid, the only reason I would put in the VHS tape for Sorcerer’s Stone was to just see the clips of Olton Hall. X3

[@unconventionalideas5683]

I always was taught to say Berkshire as Burk-shur.

[@unconventionalideas5683]

Note that this is as an American.

[@mewtheenigma2732]

Another little “neat-to-know” thing: in the movies (especially in Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone), you can hear that they replaced Olton Hall’s whistles (yes, GWR engines had two, differently toned whistles for different purposes) with the sound of a BR Standard 7 “Britannia” Class whistle.

[@MasterMoyle]

I think that was just a recording added during the editing of the film and that 5972's real whistles weren't used. In real life it has a standard hall whistle and the other is off a pannier tank.

[@mewtheenigma2732]

@@MasterMoyle oh, so Halls didn’t have the standard two-tone/two-whistle system that the GWR tank engines used? Interesting

[@MasterMoyle]

@@mewtheenigma2732 no with most member of the class in preservation the tones of their whistles is pretty much the same as the ones they had when in service. With 5972 that also has an original tone whistle but the one that they've mainly been using is the one that sounds like it's off a Great Western 5700 pannier tank. If you watch this video when the engine is departing from York the first whistle that's heard is the standard whistle, but the second one is the one that sounds like it's off a pannier tank. The differences in pitches. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmfKknWVq7x7a80

[@mewtheenigma2732]

@@MasterMoyle I see. But just to clarify, are you saying that the Halls never had the lower-tone whistle (it’s a brake whistle, right?)? Or are you saying that Olton Hall’s lower-pitch whistle get stolen so they replaced it with a 5700’s one, which sounds different? I hate to figuratively beat a dead horse, but those are two ways I interpreted your response. I had been under the impression that all GWR steam locos were fitted with the two-tone whistles, with all having the same high pitch note and the same low pitch note, and sounding as one might hear in the Titfield Thunderbolt: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGeUnZt3i898ZpY

[@fishpop]

As someone who lives in Gloucestershire; it's said like Gloss-der-shur. Also the second W in Warwick is silent, making it more like Warrick.

[@davidtraynor8075]

One of my favourite videos you've done. Clear, informative, no cheesiness or drama. Perfect. Thank you!

[@Simon83O79]

Awesome film as always. May be interesting to find out about Dumbleton Hall which is undergoing a restoration but to be turned into an exact replica of Olton hall as the Hogwarts exrpess. Instead of 4920. It will become 5972 in Japans studio tour.

[@InventorZahran]

Missed opportunity to rename it "Dumbledore Hall"!

[@RWJP]

Ahh watching Americans pronounce UK place names is always hilarious. Good job on Laira, that was spot on. Glenfinnan is Glen Fin Un When it's part of a place name, we pronounce shire as "sher" or "sheer" depending on the part of the UK you're from. The "Ouces" in Gloucestershire is simply pronounced "Os" so it becomes Glos ter sheer The second W in Warwickshire is effectively silent, so it's War ick sheer Tyseley is Tiez lee

[@DouglasParkinson]

I found a photograph online of Olton Hall in the original lined green livery she wore in service (I think the photo was in preservation before Harry Potter); it's very surreal seeing it in green, being so used to seeing Olton Hall in crimson, even though the rest of the class were lined green or black.

[@benkai09]

I have had the pleasure to see 5972 in steam at the railway museum in York 10 years ago. Was a real treat as no one knew it was there at the time. Must have arrived that day

[@davidty2006]

Thing was closer to being scrapped than expected. as for it's current livery it does give some LMS vibes. And a hall in maroon/red doesn't look that bad, Now i must wonder how one would look in BR blue.

[@jeromeflaherty2069]

I love reading the comments and finding ones like yours. Yes, BR experimented with other colors and there was one Castle painted in LNER apple green and another in BR blue. Super short periods of time, but you should be able to find photos in GWR groups online. The closest way you'll see a Hall in BR Blue.

[@edwardrheneas5858]

This locomotive is one of my favorites I even have a model of it. Also amazing video. P.S. I’ve visited one of the static replicas

[@Lucat_Here]

discount James with magic powers go brrrrr

[@MilesModelWorks]

As a train guy, this engine was really what got me into Harry Potter

[@LazyOldFusspot_3428]

Same, man. I went to the viaduct and saw a Black 5 pass by :_)

[@Froggyman145]

One of the two most beautiful engines I've ever seen.

[@JoesAnimationHub]

0:38 only just noticed that the front of the loco isn't Olton hall in that closeup shot... it's LNER K1 62005. Also fun fact... whilst at Plymouth Laira (83A) 5972 would've lived just down the line from fellow preserved locos 1466 and 7029 "Clun Castle" (Newton Abbot "83B" locos) and lived alongside BOTH preserved Kings, 6023 and 6024, talk about a star studded lifestyle eh, A celeb who still lives alongside friends and neighbours.

[@lesstoneuk]

As an add.... 1466 was the loco in "Young Winston". The ramming of the barracade caused a sleeper to fly up and strike the chimney..... It still carries the dent to this day.

[@theivatt2mt3]

Great video! Just a little help on British county names , Yorkshire is pronounced as york-sher, along with any other county name in the UK such as Warwickshire. Gloucester is pronounced as Glo-ster.

[@CaseyJonesNumber1]

Did you know, the Gloucester Aircraft Company re-spelled its name as Gloster, as they felt worldwide customers of their products wouldn't be able to pronounce Gloucester correctly, but would have no problem with Gloster.

[@MasterMoyle]

Mentioning the two "Wizards Express" railtours that took place on 7th June and 12th July 2014, I managed to get tickets to travel on both of those tours which were run by The Railway Touring Company. The tickets for these two trips were only £69 per person for adults & as was expected both were complete sell outs. There was only supposed to be a single run on 7th June but the waiting list grew so big that the second run on 12th July had to be planned. For the first run in June I got to be seated in a compartment rather than open seating. The trips were worked from Manchester to Carnforth by a diesel engine with 5972 taking over the trains at Carnforth for the journey to York and back to Carnforth (on the first trip though while 5972 did work the tour from Carnforth to York, for the journey back to Manchester 5972 only worked from York to Hellifield as there was an engineering works block due to take place in Manchester later that night). You would not believe how many people that were onboard were dressed up in Harry Potter outfits including school robes and hogwarts school uniforms alongside carrying Harry Potter merchandise. Seemed only right to get into costume for the trips which I also did.

[@wereofftherailsnowinc.6902]

Congrats on the marriage.

[@ItsTrainBoy]

Thank you so much! :) We still have to plan out a wedding and all but are engaged so we just call each other husband and wife, it’s easier that way haha!

[@predaprime]

​@@ItsTrainBoy I hope you post a video or something about it! We'd love to see you officially tie the knot!

[@joeleboeuf]

@@ItsTrainBoy I honestly didn't know that you were married, Congrats on that, man.

[@atanproductions5137]

Nice video of these British engines my friend and my favourite train is the Hogwarts Express

[@thesudriana016]

While I'm not necessarily a Harry Potter fan myself, I do find it interesting how Olton Hall was used as the Hogwarts Express (and also from the title of this video, I laughed and said 'sounds like a reference to a certain episode of Thomas & the Railtours with that particular quote'). That would be a good way to say about Olton Hall's movie name.

[@LordGoose-zr6jj]

Oh the pronunciations in this are awful XD, fantastic video but I recommend looking up the pronunciations beforehand. For future reference its Glos-ter-shur for Gloucestershire, War-rick-shur for Warwickshire and Tie-slee for Tyseley, Hope these help if they ever come up again!

[@olivercook9663]

I always love learning about about kind of thing, I actually live fairly close to where Cardiff East Dock used to be, It's crazy to think that this thing would have been there! Thank you for making your videos, they bring me so much joy!

[@railbaron1]

Here's a crazy idea, take 4 Hall and name and paint them for the 4 houses. The express run is long enough to merit stopping to change engines.

[@ryanstephenkristoferkearns1319]

I have been to Tyseley Locomotive works and fantastic video on Olton Hall.

[@fishpop]

3:21 TB says Walden Hall debuted as Hogwarts Castle in the second film when 1:15 and 6:56 show her debut in the FIRST film. I'll just peg that down to not being actively interested in Harry Potter along with that "Where's the train?" scene being popularised by memes. Hedwig going O_O as she sees the Hogwarts Express has alwas made me laugh.

[@joelightrailway2362]

I’ve seen a Hall Class in action at the Epping Ongar Railway and it fantastic site to these amazing locomotives in action. Also I’ve have seen Olton Hall in action at Tyseley open days back in 2014 and that a great experience to the engine from the Harry Potter films.

[@MasterMoyle]

The Tyseley open weekend in 2014 I also attended, was good seeing 5972 in action alongside it's classmate 4965 Rood Ashton Hall. The Epping Ongar Rly engine will be 4953 Pitchford Hall.

[@mazdaman2315]

Pronunciation tip when you see shire on the end of a word it is usually it not always pronounced like shur

[@LukeLovesTrains-Mr.RailYard]

The whistle in the movies is a Crosby 3 chime used on the LNER A4 class Pacific.

[@tobystevens1274]

Another home town shout out in a TrainBoy vid 🙌🙌

[@Brianrockrailfan]

Awesome video

[@Uptownloki47]

Sad to see that this movie star is no longer operational, unlike Pere Marquette 1225 which still steams in Michigan.

[@CaseyJonesNumber1]

There's still loads of other Halls still running on preserved lines in the UK, and in the correct livery too!

[@theoneandonlynumber1253]

This was never in my childhood cuz I never liked Harry Potter. but the polar express and Thomas and friends were a bid part of my life

[@joeleboeuf]

Mine too.

[@MasterMoyle]

The only decent Thomas seasons were when they used models, not this CGI garbage we have now.

[@Im_here170]

I love the Lionel version of it!! 😎😎

[@IndieBloke1927]

With the mention of the Polar Express I want a video on its history. It's quite interesting too.

[@ZstackZip]

While in line for the Hogwarts Express at Universal, I spent a solid 20 minutes explaining to my brother why the “Hogwarts Castle” nameplate was incorrect

[@vinzvendivil1049]

Its a GWR train, in a LNER station, going along the LMS route, pulling I like to BELIVE, pulling SR MK.1 Coaches

[@_Zekken]

Its interesting that the Original Locomotive is a Hall, but the Replicas that were made for the theme parks, AND the Hornby model, are castles.

[@smittyg513]

What saddens me is that GWR has a class called the Castle Class, yet a Hall Class was used.

[@iron1349]

Probably cheaper to run a 2 cylinder locomotive.

[@joeleboeuf]

That's because they would've preferred to use a rusted out piece of scrap, rather than a real GWR engine.

[@MasterMoyle]

At the time when the first film was released there were only 2 members of the castle class in operation at the time, these two engines being 5029 Nunney Castle & 5051 Drysllwyn Castle. There had been 2 others which had run previously in preservation: 5080 Defiant & 7029 Clun Castle, but the boiler ticket's on these two had run out by then so couldn't run. It wouldn't be until 2017 that Clun Castle would run again.

[@pandawok301]

If Olton Hall where to show up in Thomas & Friends, she probably be an exasperated celebrity who wants to go back to doing regular work and be a really useful engine while Duck and Oliver do their best to help her.

[@TrainEnjoyer]

As soon as I working on an ttte oc on this train train boy make a video about it. What a coincidence!

[@aaronharrison3801]

Nice video and an easy tip for you if you see shire remember it’s pronounced sheer as in garden sheers that you cut hedges with 😊

[@riccardogazzoli8697]

One cool thing about 5972 you didn't mentioned, the whistle: in Harry Potter they used the chime whistle from Britannia 70000, Olton Hall had bell whistles instead

[@thomasnumber1609]

The Hogwarts Express (Olton Hall) is what got me into liking Harry Potter in the first place. Aside from the fact that some Harry Potter characters share the same names of T&F characters.

[@stevebluesbury6206]

Nicely done. I’m sure I could find some U.S. place names to get tangled up with and make you quietly chuckle. 😃

[@user-f-15_strike_eagle_bob]

Talks about Thomas fine. Talks about any other train. Just questions anything he can't do

[@SodorStudiosAndCoProductions]

1:06 “But my wife…” *WAIT WHAT THE HELL DID I MISS👁👄👁*

[@julyleonard]

I think they are other trains in culture are Central pacific #131 & Jules Verne the time engine, The Brave Engineer's engine No. 2, The Greendale rocket, Ivor, The Little engine that could & Casey Jr.

[@godzillahomer]

Something to note for the Halls. Woodham Brothers is critical to having them. No Woodham survivors... No 4900 Halls, only 1 6959 Hall. Burton Agnes Hall is the only Modified Hall to not be from Woodham Brothers. Several classes would be extinct if not for Woodham Brothers.

[@johnbradshaw7525]

Hogwarts Castle is actually a GWR Hall class loco, no.5972 Olton Hall.

[@CurdsFromDaCulvers420]

What a extremely big story for a halls class that became an icon. Good vid, btw what’s your recommended n scale locomotive brand?

[@Uptownloki47]

If you’re looking for N scale steam I would go with Kato. Not much variety, but the quality is solid.

[@regularcitizenofffarquhar4698]

Minitrix is the only one that immediately comes to my head

[@stepneytanker]

I got to see the original engine at the wizarding world of Harry Potter when I was 11. I was genuinely surprised when I found out that that was the actual engine and not a replica

[@MasterMoyle]

It had to be a real engine as they wanted to do it properly for the outside scenes rather than use CGI.

[@bluebellsfan8704]

1:05 Wife?! Woah congratulations

[@karenfan010]

in my head cannon one of the engines siblings is one of the unnamed engines from edwards day out

[@yakacm]

I wouldn't worry about the pronunciation, there are plenty of places in the US we Brits don't say correctly, like Maryland and New Orleans. There are lots of resources online these days, were you can find the correct pronunciation of words.

[@alexfletcher1567]

My grandad was on the footplate crew for the movie and fired the steam engine. He recently passed but it’s my closest claim to fame. He wrote about it in his book before he died. It’s called “Tales of the Rails” by John Fletcher… if anyones interested haha

[@MetroStudios]

Nice

[@TankEngine97]

Olton Hall did go to the National Railway Museum in York at one point. Which I happened to see in 2013 when the A4 Gathering was taking place

[@SNER333]

@1:05 "My wife", dude, did you get married? Congrats!

[@justdags6611]

Love this train always have always will.

[@bennickss]

I slightly died inside when you said ‘north yorkSHIRE moors railway’ but nice history of the engine nonetheless

[@TroublesomeSlateTruck]

Good Job. 👍🏻

[@SteamLance]

I've been on The Jacobite, across Glenfinnan viaduct.

[@random_JRFreightguy]

ME WITH THE OTHER STEAM LOCOMOITVES:OH YEAH MR KRABS *PARTYS WITH THE OTHER STEAM LOCOMOTIVES*

[@Fanofmurdoch9702]

Yes

[@GerardtheRedBird]

"Your wife--"! Congrats, man!

[@greycatturtle7132]

Awesome

[@Melody_Ninjago_Lover]

Can you do the history of the polar express?

[@robloxdude7564]

Pronunciations: Wariksheer (i live in the county), Glostusheer, and Tiesleey.

[@BagelsGuy]

3:39 oh yeah, I seen that picture before, in my classroom (at my school) there’s a big board where you can see what’s from the computer, and on my teachers computer, there are backgrounds, they change everyday, then one day, that picture showed up, and you know what I did? *i literally screamed train for that there’s barley any appearance or steam locomotives in my classroom or school infact! *im also not joking about the time I screamed train*

[@Joeythetrainguy]

I feel like you're going to make your own Thomas movie someday

[@gavinomeara]

Very nice video

[@BlueNitro_X]

For some reason this video was really convenient

[@ethmister]

There is a rumour Dumbleton Hall will replace Oulton Hall as Hogwarts express and oulton hall will steam soon after.

[@MasterMoyle]

Sadly this wasn't to be as West Coast have placed 4920 Dumbledore Hall on loan to a Warner Bros attraction in Japan. Had it not happened they could've just dressed it up as 5972 Hogwarts Castle and then pull the real 5972 out and shove 4920 in it's place. That way one engine would be on display while the other worked enthusiasts railtours, Potter fans wouldn't notice the difference.

[@DanielChannel57]

Lets see you do the Sierra 3 or Pere Marquette 1225 next.

[@Steamenginesunited3456]

This is quite a nice locomotive.

[@ItsTrainBoy]

And NOW I have to model it! Love finding out new information but hate how it curses my wallet sometimes.

[@ikriestiana]

@@ItsTrainBoy money need to rest also

[@joeleboeuf]

The hell it is, that scrap heap on wheels should have been sent for scrap a long time ago!

[@ItsTrainBoy]

@@joeleboeuf Scrapping an engine < Repainting or preserving it

[@joeleboeuf]

@@ItsTrainBoy Definitely the former, or the latter if it hadn't been involved with: You know who.

[@OzzyHames]

Lol was expecting this video from your previous tweet

[@joshpack7330]

Nice!

[@colinsheppard9662]

Very good info and very good attempt at UK names. At present I’ve been informed by WB Studios that the loco is staying at the studio for the forseable future as it was only a 10 year lease which has expired (think Warner Brothers might have brought it off WCRC). You also forgot to mention it stay in between filming and after filming and the National Railway museum in York where a lot tour were operated from

[@MasterMoyle]

Warner Brothers haven't bought 5972 off West Coast at all.

[@TwigTheThird]

My recommendation for British places names you don’t know the pronunciation for btw is to Google the word and add pronunciation, it will give you an audio clip on the search page.

[@therailfanman2078]

One day can you talk about the polar express please

[@magicguystudios7940]

My favorite hall class in the WORLD

[@pugwash1]

I used to have the marklin 00 version of this engine it was my first British design engine I owned

[@Thomas_Fan2024]

Great

[@Thebreakingbadthomasfan23]

I am not a Harry Potter fan to be honest with you but cool video

[@joeleboeuf]

Finally, someone else who isn't a fan!

[@LD1-38]

There is technically one more real steam locomotive that "played" the role of the Hogwarts Express. In 1997, the first four books were released with different covers to appeal to an older audience. For The Philosopher's Stone, they used a photo of a real steam locomotive pulling a long-distance passenger train to represent the Hogwarts Express. However, the locomotive in the photo is probably the least-fitting for the role, even less so than Taw Valley. Why? Because it was a Norfolk and Western J Class -- A gigantic *American* streamlined locomotive that is mostly black with a red stripe. Not British, not old-fashioned, and barely red. Aside from this, illustrations for the books have been made over the years, and while some depictions of the Hogwarts Express look like what happens when you try to draw a train while on LSD, some designs are fairly realistic. Cliff Wright's looks like an all-red LMS Black Five (Henry Sees Red!), Jim Kay's is similar to an LMS Patriot but with a dragon motif and no tender (common illustrator mistake), and the Wizarding World website version resembles an LMS Fowler Class 4F with an LNER Corridor Tender. It's weird how at least three versions separate from the movies went for an LMS-look. And it's not just the red livery. They all have this Fowler-Stanier style to them.