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Author Topic: Hogwarts Express rescues family stranded in Highlands  (Read 2301 times)
bobm
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« on: October 14, 2017, 14:53:52 »

Any excuse to post a picture of Glenfinnan Viaduct

From the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Quote


A family stranded in the Scottish Highlands have been rescued by the "Hogwarts Express" steam train
Jon and Helen Cluett and their four young children were staying at a remote bothy in the Highlands when their canoe was swept away by a swollen river.
Facing a long walk back to their car across boggy land, they phoned the police for advice.
To their delight, they arranged for the steam train used in the Harry Potter films to pick them up.
The train, called The Jacobite, is used for excursions on the West Highland Railway Line, crossing the iconic Glenfinnan viaduct that also features in the movies.
 

The Jacobite crosses the Glenfinnan viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter films

The Cluetts and their children - aged six, eight, 10 and 12 - were enjoying a half-term break at the Essan bothy, on the south shore of Loch Eilt.
"You can get to it by quite an arduous walk in - or you can paddle for 10 minutes in a canoe across the loch from the road. We had a canoe so we paddled across the loch to the bothy," explained Mr Cluett.
"We were all in the bothy, warm and fed - all was good - but we'd moored the boat in a little burn behind the bothy, tied it to a wall, pulled high out of the water. My daughter woke up yesterday and says 'Daddy, Daddy - the stream is massive'.
"The burn was overflowing. The entire area was underwater. The rocks I'd tied the boat to were pulled apart and the boat was gone."
 

The bothy, in the distance, is easily accessible by canoe but less so on foot.

The family weighed up their options for getting back to their car. A three-mile walk with small children across difficult boggy ground or along the nearby railway line were discounted at impractical or too dangerous.
"In the end I decided the only option was to phone the police and mountain rescue, ask if they have any local knowledge that could help us out," said Mr Cluett.
The police came back with a magical solution. They arranged for the next train on the railway line that runs close to the bothy to make an unscheduled stop.

"The amazing thing was it wasn't just any train. The next train that was passing was the Jacobite steam train - the Harry Potter, Hogwarts Express steam train that goes up and down that line."
The family hurriedly packed up their belongings and made their way to the line, about 400 metres way.
"We threw all our stuff into some bags and boxes and ran out of the door of the bothy at the same time as the train is coming around the tracks,' said Mr Cluett.
"The train is getting closer, we're running down, stuff bouncing everywhere, big smiles on the kids faces. It all started to be fun at that point.
"I'm slightly sad because I'd lost my boat - but the kids, when they saw the steam train coming, all sadness left their little faces and was replaced by excitement and fun - just the real joy of having an adventure and having the train stop right next to them."
 

The adventure turned out more magical than anyone expected

The family were dropped off at the next stop, at Lochailort, from where Mr Cluett was able to hitch a lift to retrieve his car.
He reflected: "The kids have certainly had an adventure. We've all had an adventure - a big thanks to everyone who helped us."
His only regret is that his canoe has still not turned up - although he remains hopeful someone will find it.
"I think it will still be bobbing around in the loch somewhere. A big red canoe - so if you see it, that would be helpful. That would make the last part of the story even better."
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grahame
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« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2017, 15:02:46 »

Any excuse to post a picture of Glenfinnan Viaduct

And it could be a story from one of the Ffamous Ffive books!
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« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2017, 15:19:20 »

Ffetch your cloth GGranvile.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2017, 21:17:59 »

This topic has now been moved to a new board on the Coffee Shop forum, 'The Wider Picture in the Wizarding World'.





No, only joking.  Wink Cheesy Grin

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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
bobm
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« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2017, 21:19:43 »

You trying to make work for yourself now?  Grin
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Rhydgaled
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« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2017, 09:16:57 »

In what way is the train the one used in the films? Is the same set of carriages used, or did they film 'The Jacobite' while it was in public use for the films? Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the loco from the films (a GWR (Great Western Railway) Hall) is in service anymore.

The West Highland Line route is used in the films yes, but the train itself....
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« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2017, 15:50:23 »

Might be the same coaches?....which would still allow them to call it the Jacobite. % of original train. The loco wasn't called The Jacobite, the whole train was
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grahame
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« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2017, 16:02:04 »

Might be the same coaches?....which would still allow them to call it the Jacobite. % of original train. The loco wasn't called The Jacobite, the whole train was

2nd picture down at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2016466/Harry-Potters-Hogwarts-Express-heads-National-Railway-Museum-York.html - Daily Mail from 2011 - shows some very similar coaches in a very similar location.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2017, 20:14:26 »

The Hogwarts Express locomotive does exist - I know, because bignosemac and I saw it at York, a few years ago.  Wink

Unfortunately, but understandably, bignosemac's polite enquiry to the crew as to whether we could possibly climb aboard was met with an equally polite refusal.  Cry

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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
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