Hogwarts Express
From ArticleWorld
The Hogworts Express is a magical train in the Harry Potter series of books written by J.K. Rowling. It is the means of transportation of students from London to Hogsmeade (station for Hogworts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry) and back. The train begins at King’s Cross Station from platform 9 ¾. The platform is a magical one that is invisible to muggles. It can only be accessed by sliding through a barrier between platforms 9 and 10 at the station.
The train contains many carriages, the compartments of which appear to be alphabetically letters. For example, the Slug Club had its first meeting in compartment C. there is a special carriage for prefects at the front of the train.
On arrival at Hogmeade station, the students are carried to the main entrance of Hogworts by coaches which are drawn by creatures called Thestrals. The first years are, however, treated to a boat ride across the lake, supervised usually by Hagrid, and in his absence, by Professor Grubbly Plank.
On his first ride on the Hogworts Express, Harry Potter met his two best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. He has traveled by the train about ten or eleven times by now. At the end of each school year, Harry is received by his Uncle and Aunt at the King’s Cross Station at London. In spite of their apparent dislike of Harry, they have never failed to arrive in time to pick him up from the station.
Many are of the opinion that the Hogworts Express is like a steam engine only in form and intended function. Its technology is, however, quite different. Till the 1950s, it is customary for many British schools to hire special trains for the purpose of transporting students to and from the school location at the end and the beginning of each term. This may have been at point of inspiration in creating the Hogworts Express.
During the course of shooting for the films, J.K. Rowling discovered that she had not meant the actual platforms 9 and 10. In fact, she had confused King’s Cross with Euston Station. This is why platforms 4 and 5 were renumbered for filming.
The train used in the film adaptations is the Great Western Railway Hall Class 5972 Olton Hall. It is shown with an engine and four carriages. The stations used for the fim were King's Cross railway station and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.