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Scotland’s famous Harry Potter train line is getting a £15 million upgrade

Essential works on the West Highland Line are ‘essential to keeping services running smoothly’

Annie McNamee
Written by
Annie McNamee
Contributor, Time Out London and UK
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Train lines don’t tend to be famous. Sure, some stations are well known, but the railways themselves? It takes a lot for a stretch of track to be instantly recognisable, and one of the best-known stretches of track in the world is the soaring Glenfinnan Viaduct.

On top of frequently being named one of the most scenic train routes in the world, the viaduct is best known for featuring in the Harry Potter films as part of the Hogwarts Express’ trip. But when it isn’t busy being a film set or winning awards, the Glenfinnan is a functioning railway that is one of the most popular ways to travel from Scotland’s central belt to the Highlands.

Due to the amount of rail traffic it gets, the West Highland Line, which crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, is in need of some TLC. A new £15 million upgrade plan has been announced for the line, which will involve replacing over 10 miles of track, improving drainage, and repairing important structures on the line.

The West Highland Line runs from Glasgow Queen Street – which is getting an upgrade of its own – to Oban, Fort William, and Mallaig. These planned works shouldn’t cause too much disruption, although there will be a partial closure of the line between Crianlarich and Fort William from November 7 until November 17. Scotrail has promised that ‘while the work takes place, our priority will be on keeping people moving with rail replacement transport in place’.

A representative for Network Rail said that this is a ‘significant investment in the future’ of the line, and that the works will ‘ensure it remains safe, reliable and resilient for years to come’. A statement said that ‘the route is vital for the communities it serves and for the many visitors who travel to experience one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world’.

The Glenfinnan Viaduct isn’t the only movie star benefitting from these repairs; a train bridge which featured in Trainspotting will also get a little makeover with some fresh landscaping and a clean.

More train travel with Time Out

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