U is for Westminster Underground Station

Today's A-Z Tour of Harry Potter Filming Locations once again takes us to a train station.  This time it is Westminster Underground Station in London.

As Arthur Weasley and Harry are travelling to the Ministry of Magic in The Order of Phoenix, they travel through Westminster Underground Station, where Arthur gets caught in the ticket barrier.  Second barrier from the right – it became my favourite ticket barrier whenever I exited through Westminster Station. 

On another note - Harry and Arthur travel down the escalators (from the Underground Station) to the ticket hall – these escalators would actually lead to the Jubilee Line, under the ticket hall.  Ever since someone pointed it out to me, it’s bugged me each time I’ve watched the film!

I'm still cross stitching away, completing two alphabets as part of the A-Z challenge.  You can see my progress at Fangirl Stitches.  U is for Uriel (Supernatural) and Unknown (Pokemon).

Happy travels,

Ros

N is for North Yorkshire

The A-Z Tour of Harry Potter locations heads to North Yorkshire.

Goathland Railway Station

The village of Goathland is located in North Yorkshire.  In 2011, it had a population of 438 - so not a very big place!  It is most famous for being the village where the television series Heartbeat was filmed - and tourist income from fans of the show provides most of the village's revenue.

 Goathland railway station was transformed into Hogsmeade Station for The Philosopher’s Stone.  The first ever scene of the Potter series was filmed here – the scene where Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hagrid say good bye to each other.  If you look closely, you can see that Harry has green eyes and Hermione has bucked teeth, just like it says in the book.   However Dan Radcliffe reacted badly to the contacts and Emma Watson had difficulty speaking around the false teeth so the director decided to get rid of both teeth and contacts for the rest of the film (and series).

After filming this scene, the crew turned the Hogwarts Express around and filmed it pulling into the station for the initial arrival, when Ron first meets Hagrid.  While I was visiting Goathland Railway Station, a stem train pulled into the station… which made for some great photos!

Parked on the main street in Goathland is a blue Ford Anglia, one of teh police cars used in Heartbeat.  It also happens to be the same make of car which Harry and Ron flew to Hogwarts in The Chamber of Secrets.

Malham Cove, North Yorkshire
Malham Cove is a limestone formation located near the village of Malham (funnily enough).  The cove itself was formed by an ancient waterfall.  At the top of the Cove is a large limestone platform, where cracks have created a unique feature.

After Ron leaves them in The Deathly Hallows, Harry and Hermione camp at the top of Malham Cove.  It is here they first discuss the sign of the Deathly Hallows, and make plans to visit Godrick’s Hollow.  The scenes in the film relied on helicopter footage for the back plates, with the actors being filmed on a studio set.  I went one better than the cast, and climbed to the top of the pavement – the view was amazing.

At Fangirl Stitches I am cross stitching two alphabets for the challenge - a Pokemon themed one and a Supernatural themed one.  Please stop by and check them out.

Happy travels

Ros

J is for the Jacobite Railway

We're back off up to Scotland today on the A to Z Tour of Harry Potter Filming Locations - into the Highlands, and riding on the Hogwarts Express itself, otherwise known as the Jacobite Steam Train. 

Riding the Jacobite in Scotland

Owned by West Coast Railways, the Jacobite steam train runs from Fort William in the Scottish Highlands through to Mallaig on the western coast.  The website claims it to be "one of the greatest railway journeys of the world" and I agree it is pretty impressive.  You travel from the base of Scotland's highest mountain (Ben Nevis), past freshwater lakes, rivers, and finally end up at the sea.  The scenery is spectacular throughout the journey - if your camera takes good moving pictures, you can wind up with some impressive shots.

The scenes that were filmed on Rannoch Moor rather than the Fort William-Mallaig line

Which is why the overhead footage of the Hogwarts Express was so visually engaging and breathtaking.  Nearly all of the footage of the Hogwarts Express in action was filmed along this 42 mile stretch of train track (I go into more detail in the S post - stay tuned).  So much so, that it is easier for me to tell you what wasn't filmed here than what was.  The long flat stretch in The Half-Blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows when the Death Eaters stop the Hogwarts Express - they were filmed on Rannoch Moor, also in Scotland.  That about covers it.

The top photo is the view we had from a boat on Loch Shiel

Most notably of course is the Glenfinnan Viaduct - the large curved bridge that sits 100 feet above the ground.  Leaning carefully out of the window, I was able to snap some shots of the train as it passed over the bridge.  There is a walk around Glenfinnan which gives you a great view of the Viaduct and Loch Shiel, however it's not advisable to head out during the train's brief stop at Glenfinnan station - unless you don't want to complete the rest of your journey of course.  Come back another day with a car.  Or take a boat out on Loch Shiel - that gives you a good view too, and is what we did.  If your driver times it right, you can watch the steam trains pass over the Viaduct.

The Hogwarts Express at the Warner Bros Studio Tour

The Hogwarts Express itself was originally one of the Jacobite trains, and stories abounded that when you took this railway journey, if you were lucky, you would be riding behind the actual train used as the Hogwarts Express.  I don't know if that was ever the case, but it's certainly not any more - the Hogwarts Express is now on display at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Leavesden.

Happy travels,

Ros

P.S. I'm still madly stitching away over at Fangirl Stitches.  Today's J's are Jigglypuff and John Winchester.