Warner Bros. has announced that this summer will see a 20,000ft expansion to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, which is set to include the original Hogwarts Express steam engine from the movies, along with a recreation of Platform 9 ¾.
“We can’t wait to open our first expansion, Platform 9 ¾, just before the Studio Tour’s third anniversary in March,” states Sarah Roots, Vice President of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. “The Hogwarts Express had a starring role in the films so we’re excited that it will be taking centre stage in the new area. It’s the piece that visitors have most requested to see and we’re expecting a fantastic response.”
“The Hogwarts Express was the setting for many iconic scenes, from Harry, Hermione and Ron’s first meeting in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to the moment the trio’s children embark on their first journey to school 26 years later,” adds Stuart Craig, Production Designer on all eight Harry Potter films. “The wizarding world doesn’t have a need for modern technology so we knew a traditional steam engine would make the perfect school train. Before we began filming in 2000, we scoured the country and found ‘Olton Hall’ at a preservation centre in Lancashire; realising pretty quickly that it was exactly what we had been looking for.”
The new Platform 9 ¾ section, featuring the original Hogwarts Express, will open on Thursday 19th March and entrance will be included in the standard ticket price.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&x-yt-ts=1421914688&v=ZflPU6YICpo&x-yt-cl=84503534&list=PL18yMRIfoszH_jfuJoo8HCG1-lGjvfH2F
Originally published January 26, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
